Do you know your tools?

[Ann Littlewood]

I've come to the conclusion, and here's your opportunity to argue, that most fiction writers have barely a clue about the word processing software they use. I'm assuming MS Word. Yes, I know there are alternative products that may be worlds better, but that is the industry standard for submissions.

So tell me.

Do you keep each chapter in a separate file so you can find the chapter you want to work on? So you can print one chapter at a time? Because you fear that your computer can't handle a full novel in one file?

Do you know how to set up Normal style to indent paragraphs, double-space, etc?

Does the formatting change unexpectedly when you revise the ms?

What ARE your biggest problems with drafting and revising?

I want to know because I've developed an MS Word workshop for fiction writers based on more years in the corporate world than I care to admit. I want to be sure I'm connected with the real world and that would be you.

Share your frustrations, if you have them.

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

LOL   Me, too, Benjamin. 

It's like you only learn English grammar when you start studying some other language.

I never worked with styles before my publishers told me to pay attention to them, simplify them, all that tommyrot.  I'll tell you what is the worst thing about Word... page numbers.  Drive me batty.   But I never really noticed it before I started trying to do book MS, where you want numbers in the body, but not the first few pages.  

[Ann Littlewood]

You probably need Page Layout (or just Layout)/First Page Different combined with formatting the page number to start at 1 or 0, depending. That might do it.

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

I wish.  The help tab told me to sacrifice a black goat.

I think they might have improved this on later editions.

[Ann Littlewood]

Good tip! I'll look for it.