Header Question (difficult ms format to follow)

Hi all,

I’m trying to follow the ms format of the Science fiction writers of america guide, found here:
http://www.sfwa.org/2008/11/manuscript-preparation/

So far, Scrivener gives me fits on matching this format. I have the standard short story binder setup, with a header text file and then a folder containing the scenes of the story. The main issue seems to be including the header page in the compile. If I do this, then Scrivener calls that page 1 and inserts a header on the next page - the first page of the actual manuscript. The format calls for the first page of the manuscript not to have a header.

Even compiling the header page and the story separately, I still get headers on the first page of the manuscript when I try to insert the header page into the story rtf file - because the first page of the manuscript is now the 2nd page of the rtf file and gets assigned page 2. There doesn’t seem to be an option in rtf files for the header to start on page 3, but count that as page 2.

So is there a way to do this, preferably as automatically as possible? I suppose I can just print the header page and the compile story separately to snail mail that to the editor, but would like to have it all one file.

Not sure if this is understandable. I can provide a small project file if necessary.

If I understand you correctly, all you need is to skip the first page for numbering purposes? If so then just go into the Page Settings compile option pane, make sure “Count page 1” is disabled.

Thanks for the reply!

More exactly I want to skip the first 2 pages and have the header start to appear on page 3, but the count of pages is only at ‘2’.

Put this way the format seems more complicated than Scrivener could be expected to produce. I’ll just keep the cover sheet in a separate file and print the files out separately.

Oh okay, yes we do have plans to make this a little more powerful in the future. Right now it assumes a simpler document. You can either print this way, or combine the two front pages with the main text using a word processor and print from there.