This series contains page proofs, galley proofs, drafts, notes, and other unpublished material pertaining to the literary works, both science-fiction and non-fiction, of Robert L. Forward. Bound and unbound manuscripts are included, with the bulk of the papers containing copyedits by Dr. Forward and/or publishing staff. Many manuscripts are also autographed by Robert L. Forward and, occasionally, co-authors. All copyedits and autographs were made by Dr. Forward unless otherwise noted. Bylines are provided exclusively for co-authored works, works by other authors, and works citing more than one creative role.

When multiple copies or drafts of a short story, outline, or article are present, the number of items is noted in a single description. Separate descriptions are given for Forward's novel-length works and bound volumes, which often contain significant variations. According to one annotation by Dr. Forward, his literary works were often printed out at various stages of editing, resulting in the many iterations that are contained in the archives.