Why Is My Manuscript Split Into Parts and Why Do I Reassemble It?
For longer manuscripts, you may notice your document is split into multiple parts during the editing process. This is intentionally designed to protect your manuscript, your edits, and the overall workflow.
Below, we explain why this happens and why reassembling the final document is the author’s responsibility.
Why We Split Long Documents
Google Docs is a powerful collaboration tool but it has limitations, especially with large files.
During R2 (developmental editing) and R3 (line editing), your document uses:
- Extensive Tracked Changes
- High volumes of editor comments
- Frequent saves and live collaboration
When a single Google Doc grows too large under those conditions, it becomes more prone to:
- Lag and freezing
- Comments failing to load
- Tracked changes disappearing or misaligning
- File corruption or version errors
To avoid these issues, manuscripts are split into manageable sections of approximately 20,000–25,000 words. This keeps each file stable, responsive, and secure throughout the most edit-intensive stages.
Why This Protects Your Manuscript
Splitting the document allows your editor to:
- Work efficiently without technical slowdowns
- Leave clear, accurate comments
- Preserve every tracked change
- Reduce the risk of data loss
In short, it keeps your manuscript safe while ensuring the highest quality edit.
Why Authors Reassemble the Final Manuscript
Once editing is complete, the manuscript needs to be put back together into a single, continuous document. This step is handled by the author for an important reason: final accountability.
Reassembling the document ensures that:
- You personally confirm all edits have been reviewed and approved
- No sections are accidentally omitted or duplicated
- The final manuscript reflects your decisions
- You are working from the version you’ve fully signed off on
Because this document becomes the foundation for formatting, proofing, and publication, it’s essential that the author is the one who verifies its final structure and content.
What We Provide
We clearly label each document part and return them in order, making reassembly straightforward. No content is altered or removed during the split—it is purely a technical safeguard.
If you have questions during reassembly, our team is happy to help guide you through the process.