Topic: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

Hello all:

I write using Microsoft Word 2010, and--by an accident I can't even wonder how I did--I discovered something that made my life easier.

(If you already know this, great! For the ignorant masses out there--like me--this will be pure gold)

As you know, a chapter must start at the top of a new page.

Word 2010 (and probably all the others) have something called "Page Break." 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w315/Anastazja_2007/pagebreak_zpsnvw94vi5.jpg

Yep, I didn't know that. I was doing it manually by hitting return until the cursor was at the top of the next page. That worked until I deleted and/or wrote something, and then I had to do the whole thing all over again.  Also, Kindle didn't like that and had a habit of ignoring my returns.

Hope this helped someone.

P.S. To see that "page break" show up on your screen, you must have the "Show paragraph marks" tab clicked under the Home tab. (You should be writing with that clicked on anyway--always. I hope you knew that.)

Quote Post 1

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

You don't say in your post, so I'll just add that you can insert a Page Break anywhere you want it using Ctrl-Enter. Your new text entry point will jump to a fresh page.

I do agree that having page breaks visible is a good idea so you can remove them if you need to.

~Tom

Quote Post 2

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

Tom Oldman wrote:

You don't say in your post, so I'll just add that you can insert a Page Break anywhere you want it using Ctrl-Enter. Your new text entry point will jump to a fresh page.

I do agree that having page breaks visible is a good idea so you can remove them if you need to.

~Tom

That's probably how I made my "mistake" --hitting Ctrl-Enter and seeing "Page Break" appear. "Hello. What's that?"

Quote Post 3

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

Also, if you have chapter names (or numbers) in your book, you can use the styles on the right side of the Home ribbon (in Word 2007) to apply a Heading style that should automatically start your chapter title on a new page. You can also "edit" the style to make it more to your liking. If you decide you want to reformat all of your chapter titles later, you simply edit the style again, and all text using that style will be automatically updated throughout the book.

Quote Post 4

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

Yep, it's always been there, even in older versions. Glad you've discovered it. You can also set your margins and tabs and insert a running head and page numbers. I have 2016 and I love it.

Quote Post 5

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

Hello, AT, you might try Word For Dummies (like I was). I bought the2007 version years ago and it shows all kinds of things you can do. I assume they have updated versions in paper or digital for the newer models. Well worth the cost to prevent wasting time on seemingly minor things as what you stated. Take care. Vern

Quote Post 6

7 Reply by j p lundstrom (edited by j p lundstrom 2016-11-19 16:49:20)

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

I don't consider myself a dummy (no matter what they say) but I recognize my needs. After all, I'm the one who didn't know how to reverse the quotation marks when needed. I always go for the manual as soon as I get an update, a new computer, or any new gadget. And I always have the same experience: within minutes I'm asleep.

I thought this would end after a few years, when lots of people became knowledgeable, but so far, no such luck. The condition remains: Technical writers don't know how to write!

If it's in print, sentences are convoluted, filled with jargon we "dummies" don't understand. Who can blame us for not understanding a foreign language?

If it's a video, the presenter wastes time with useless allusions and analogies, then zips over new procedures so fast they don't register. Or else, the action is obscured by the presenters hands or body or the camera angle isn't right. Forgive me, but I can only watch a thing so many times!

So what if I don't have a very long attention span, or my patience runs out, or I'm distracted by real life? I can't be the only human being with these problems. That doesn't make me a dummy! I have a healthy IQ, I can communicate with others, and I usually can make sense of what I'm told.

IT'S NOT US; IT'S THEM!

JP

Quote Post 7

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

j p lundstrom wrote:

I don't consider myself a dummy (no matter what they say) but I recognize my needs. After all, I'm the one who didn't know how to reverse the quotation marks when needed. I always go for the manual as soon as I get an update, a new computer, or any new gadget. And I always have the same experience: within minutes I'm asleep.

I thought this would end after a few years, when lots of people became knowledgeable, but so far, no such luck. The condition remains: Technical writers don't know how to write!

If it's in print, sentences are convoluted, filled with jargon we "dummies" don't understand. Who can blame us for not understanding a foreign language?

If it's a video, the presenter wastes time with useless allusions and analogies, then zips over new procedures so fast they don't register. Or else, the action is obscured by the presenters hands or body or the camera angle isn't right. Forgive me, but I can only watch a thing so many times!

So what if I don't have a very long attention span, or my patience runs out, or I'm distracted by real life? I can't be the only human being with these problems. That doesn't make me a dummy! I have a healthy IQ, I can communicate with others, and I usually can make sense of what I'm told.

IT'S NOT US; IT'S THEM!

JP

I wasn't referring to the technical manuals (everything you mention about them is true), rather the real book titled "Word For Dummies" and I was literally a computer dummy, having virtually never used one before, but the book was easy to understand and follow directions even for me. If you haven't tried it, perhaps if would help; if you actually have tried it rather than the standard manuals and still found it confusing, then thanks for letting me know I'm a whiz kid and didn't know it, lol. Take care. Vern

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Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

Hmm. I used to write technical manuals...

Quote Post 9

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

Norm d'Plume wrote:

Hmm. I used to write technical manuals...

Now we know who to blame, lol. Take care. Vern

Quote Post 10

11 Reply by Norm d'Plume (edited by Norm d'Plume 2016-11-20 06:25:33)

Re: Word 2010: Something I discovered today

It also explains my writing style. Deep POV? Wazzat?

Quote Post 11