diff --git a/config/default.js b/config/default.js
index c67756653b7e13f4ff9f2345309ebb36cc67cac6..27e3fd2096fed065502483fb9fc7173c05fa64a6 100644
--- a/config/default.js
+++ b/config/default.js
@@ -15,6 +15,28 @@ module.exports = {
     port: 3000,
     logger,
     uploads: 'uploads',
+    typeDefs: `
+      type Manuscript {
+        id: ID!
+        title: String!
+        source: String!
+        metadata: SubmissionMeta!
+      }
+      
+      type SubmissionMeta {
+        author: Author
+        correspondingAuthor: Author
+        
+        # more submission form stuff goes in here
+      }
+      
+      type Author {
+        firstName: String
+        lastName: String
+        email: String
+        institution: String
+      }
+    `,
   },
   'pubsweet-client': {
     API_ENDPOINT: '/api',
diff --git a/config/validations.js b/config/validations.js
index ac17f8ee5633ffb9dcd5341a18cfd1a4666b2176..12e8930f790925521ff46da90dac539449ee7b05 100644
--- a/config/validations.js
+++ b/config/validations.js
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 const Joi = require('joi')
 
 module.exports = {
+  fragment: [
+    {
+      fragmentType: Joi.valid('manuscript').required(),
+      title: Joi.string().required(),
+      source: Joi.string(),
+      metadata: Joi.any(),
+    },
+  ],
   user: {
     // make these core fields optional
     email: Joi.string().email(),