Writer’s Word

February 16, 2008 by in category Archives tagged as , , with 0 and 0
Home > Writing > Archives > Writer’s Word
Keeping Track
by Jenny Hansen

Do you have critique partners? Editors? Agents? Family and friends that look over your Work in Progress?

I’m betting that you trade manuscripts with these people and that, for those of you who don’t know how to use Track Changes, you buy a lot of paper. And ink cartridges. And red pens (or whatever friendlier color you use to write in the margin and remind your critique partner to use an active verb).


Consider this article my Valentine’s gift to ease the bottom line on your purchases at Office Depot – we’re going to talk about how to use one of my favorite features in Word.

Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature can be activated a few ways:

– Go to the Tools menu and choose Track Changes
– Hit Ctrl+Shift+E (remember, you don’t type the plus signs)
– Double click on TRK in the status bar at the bottom of your Word window.

Note: Your status bar is the area that starts with “Page 1” and “Sec 1.” On the right side of this status bar there is an area that says REC and TRK – these are grayed out unless they are activated. You may double-click on the TRK to activate the Track Changes feature (the REC is to record a macro, which is not covered here). You may double-click on the TRK again to toggle the feature back off. The darkened TRK in the status bar is the easiest way to tell at a glance that Track Changes is on.

When you turn on Track Changes, the following Reviewing toolbar will appear:


If you would like to turn this toolbar on and off separately from using Track Changes, simply go to the View menu and choose ToolbarsàReviewing, or right-click on any existing toolbar and then choose Reviewing from the shortcut menu. Since the Insert Comment and Reviewer Pane buttons are also accessible here, as well as a button to turn on Track Changes, this is an extremely great toolbar to keep on your screen.

Note: For those of you who are now using Word 2007, you do not have menus anymore –you have the Ribbon. You may add buttons and features to the Ribbon with the right-click method described above. Additionally, all the old shortcuts like Ctrl+Shift+E will work.

While the Track Changes feature is on, everything you do to a document is being recorded. The Reviewing toolbar has a great button on the far left that allows you to choose things like Original, Final or Final Showing Markup. This button is invaluable if you want to print out the manuscript without all the changes showing.

If you have set up your User Information in the correct tab in Options (located under the Tools menu) your initials will even appear next to the changes you make. If your critique partner decides to print up the document with the changes he or she will be able to tell your manuscript changes from that of your other critique partner who might be wild about head-hopping and adverbs.

My favorite part about the Track Changes feature is that the person receiving the critique can activate it on his or her own computer and choose to Accept or Reject Changes. Every change offered by a critique partner, editor or agent does not have to be accepted, as you know. At the end of the day, this is YOUR book.

Be sure to turn your Reviewing toolbar on and play with it – pass your mouse across all the buttons so that the yellow tool tip will tell you what each button means. As always, you can email me at jennyhansensmail@aol.com if you have more questions about the content in this blog.

In the meantime, Happy Writing! I hope Cupid was nice to you and your manuscript this month.

By day, Jen manages the sales and marketing for a national training firm (after 12 years as a corporate software trainer, it’s nice to be able to sit down while she works). By night, she writes women’s fiction, chick lit and short stories as Jenny Hansen.

She has been a member of OCC since 2001 and has served as the Orange Rose Contest Coordinator, as well as on OCC’s Board of Directors in a variety of capacities.

Author Details
Author Details
A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
On Sale

Books on sale or free

Redheaded Ruminations

Buy now!
Redheaded Ruminations

STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

Buy now!
STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT
INTIMATE RELATIONS
THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy
FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

SAVAGED SURRENDER

Buy now!
SAVAGED SURRENDER
WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

THE LIFE OF RILEY

Buy now!
THE LIFE OF RILEY
FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

GIRL IN THE MIST

Buy now!
GIRL IN THE MIST

THE FIX UP

Buy now!
THE FIX UP

GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

Buy now!
GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

#Me Too

Buy now!
#Me Too

HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

Buy now!
HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

Buy now!
FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

LEIF Viking Glory Book One

Buy now!
LEIF Viking Glory Book One

THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

Buy now!
THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

DANGER MUSIC

Buy now!
DANGER MUSIC

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

Buy now!
THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

THE WOULD BE MOMMY

Buy now!
THE WOULD BE MOMMY

A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

Buy now!
A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

COWBOY KARMA

Buy now!
COWBOY KARMA
BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

Buy now!
A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

CITY OF BLAZE

Buy now!
CITY OF BLAZE

LET IT SNOW

Buy now!
LET IT SNOW

ILONA’S WOLF

Buy now!
ILONA’S WOLF

COME FLY WITH ME

Buy now!
COME FLY WITH ME
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

Buy now!
WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

Buy now!
SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

HOSTILE WITNESS

Buy now!
HOSTILE WITNESS

LOVE NOTES

Buy now!
LOVE NOTES

THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

Buy now!
THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
2019

HER COWBOY KING

Buy now!
HER COWBOY KING
CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

Buy now!
THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Buy now!
THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories

THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

Buy now!
THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

SHADOWS AT DAWN

Buy now!
SHADOWS AT DAWN

DEAD BLOW

Buy now!
DEAD BLOW
WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

Buy now!
HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

REWRITING THE PAST

Buy now!
REWRITING THE PAST

CLEAR INTENT

Buy now!
CLEAR INTENT

HIDDEN BETRAYAL

Buy now!
HIDDEN BETRAYAL

HER LOST LOVE

Buy now!
HER LOST LOVE

TWO BITES TOO MANY

Buy now!
TWO BITES TOO MANY

ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

Buy now!
ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST
COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
#PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

TRACKING SHADOWS

Buy now!
TRACKING SHADOWS

THE DECEPTION

Buy now!
THE DECEPTION

THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

Buy now!
THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

Buy now!
HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

Buy now!
FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

LEIF Viking Glory Book One

Buy now!
LEIF Viking Glory Book One

DARK WINE AT DUSK

Buy now!
DARK WINE AT DUSK
SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

THE DEVIL’S CARESS

Buy now!
THE DEVIL’S CARESS

GAME TOWN

Buy now!
GAME TOWN

THE WITCH OF BERGEN

Buy now!
THE WITCH OF BERGEN

THE CONSPIRACY

Buy now!
THE CONSPIRACY
THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

FOR A GOOD PAWS

Buy now!
FOR A GOOD PAWS

THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

Buy now!
THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

ONE TASTE TOO MANY

Buy now!
ONE TASTE TOO MANY

    ×
    A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.

    Words on 2007…
    by Jenny Hansen

    I planned an article on Track Changes for this month…really I did. Yet every time I’ve sat down to work on the blog, I’ve found myself writing other things — stories…emails…miscellaneous thoughts.

    Christmastime is a very nostalgic season for me filled with family, traditions and memories of loved ones who are no longer here to celebrate. December marks the birthday of my first “baby girl” – 90 pound Akita, Hoshi – who just turned 12 today. That might not sound like a lot in dog years but in human years, she just turned 84. Impressive.

    I made a celebration out of what could very well be her last birthday – bought pink party hats and a snazzy birthday bandana, gave her extra treats. We took her Golden Retriever friend, Tatum, to Dog Nirvana in Huntington Beach for a snack and a two mile walk…not bad for an old girl like Hosh.

    Note:
    Dog Nirvana is better known to locals as the Park Bench Café in Huntington’s Central Park where doggies get to eat breakfast (Hoshi had the Wrangler Roundup) with their humans and then walk along numerous trails, sniffing doggie smells and chasing ducks. If you’re an Orange County dog owner and you haven’t visited the Park Bench, you’re missing out! http://www.parkbenchcafe.com/

    As we walked the trails, I looked down at my girl and lived in my memories of her. I thought of the changes we have weathered together these last twelve years: my entire 30’s, the tragedy of September 11th, the tearing grief of my mother’s death, the shining joy of my marriage. I’m hoping she will see the birth of my children and the advent of my 40’s next November.

    Now that the party is over, she’s lying in a patch of sunlight in my office while I finish this article, snoring away as holiday music soars through the air.

    After I post this, I will finish the baking I do every year at this time, bringing to life the treasures I’ve made each year for all my memory, as did my mother and her mother and grandmother before her. I make recipes like divinity, Almond Roca and Russian tea cakes that have been handed down through our generations.

    Each November, I look forward to pulling out the package of papers and special notes, this one written in my grandmother’s elegant penmanship and that one in my mother’s bold scrawl. Each year, the ritual brings the shimmering presence of these strong women into my kitchen where I’m able to visit with them for a short time.

    In a few hours, my house will smell like the home of my childhood and Hoshi will come lay her head against my leg and look up to give me “cute eyes”, begging for treats. In these final days of 2007, I wish each of you such a perfect day.

    Next month is soon enough for the article on Track Changes…today is for family.

    Happy Holidays!

    By day, Jen manages the sales and marketing for a national training firm (after 12 years as a corporate software trainer, it’s nice to be able to sit down while she works). By night, she writes women’s fiction, chick lit and short stories as Jenny Hansen. She has been a member of OCC since 2001 and has served as the Orange Rose Contest Coordinator, as well as on OCC’s Board of Directors in a variety of capacities.

    Author Details
    Author Details
    A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
    On Sale

    Books on sale or free

    Redheaded Ruminations

    Buy now!
    Redheaded Ruminations

    STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

    Buy now!
    STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT
    INTIMATE RELATIONS
    THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy
    FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

    SAVAGED SURRENDER

    Buy now!
    SAVAGED SURRENDER
    WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
    SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

    THE LIFE OF RILEY

    Buy now!
    THE LIFE OF RILEY
    FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

    GIRL IN THE MIST

    Buy now!
    GIRL IN THE MIST

    THE FIX UP

    Buy now!
    THE FIX UP

    GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

    Buy now!
    GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

    #Me Too

    Buy now!
    #Me Too

    HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

    Buy now!
    HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

    FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

    Buy now!
    FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

    LEIF Viking Glory Book One

    Buy now!
    LEIF Viking Glory Book One

    THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

    Buy now!
    THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

    DANGER MUSIC

    Buy now!
    DANGER MUSIC

    THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

    Buy now!
    THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

    THE WOULD BE MOMMY

    Buy now!
    THE WOULD BE MOMMY

    A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

    Buy now!
    A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

    COWBOY KARMA

    Buy now!
    COWBOY KARMA
    BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

    A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

    Buy now!
    A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

    CITY OF BLAZE

    Buy now!
    CITY OF BLAZE

    LET IT SNOW

    Buy now!
    LET IT SNOW

    ILONA’S WOLF

    Buy now!
    ILONA’S WOLF

    COME FLY WITH ME

    Buy now!
    COME FLY WITH ME
    THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

    WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

    Buy now!
    WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

    SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

    Buy now!
    SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

    HOSTILE WITNESS

    Buy now!
    HOSTILE WITNESS

    LOVE NOTES

    Buy now!
    LOVE NOTES

    THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

    Buy now!
    THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
    2019

    HER COWBOY KING

    Buy now!
    HER COWBOY KING
    CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES
    THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

    THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

    Buy now!
    THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

    THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

    Buy now!
    THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
    SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
    OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories

    THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

    Buy now!
    THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

    SHADOWS AT DAWN

    Buy now!
    SHADOWS AT DAWN

    DEAD BLOW

    Buy now!
    DEAD BLOW
    WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

    HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

    Buy now!
    HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
    LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

    REWRITING THE PAST

    Buy now!
    REWRITING THE PAST

    CLEAR INTENT

    Buy now!
    CLEAR INTENT

    HIDDEN BETRAYAL

    Buy now!
    HIDDEN BETRAYAL

    HER LOST LOVE

    Buy now!
    HER LOST LOVE

    TWO BITES TOO MANY

    Buy now!
    TWO BITES TOO MANY

    ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

    Buy now!
    ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST
    COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
    #PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

    TRACKING SHADOWS

    Buy now!
    TRACKING SHADOWS

    THE DECEPTION

    Buy now!
    THE DECEPTION

    THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

    Buy now!
    THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

    HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

    Buy now!
    HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

    FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

    Buy now!
    FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

    LEIF Viking Glory Book One

    Buy now!
    LEIF Viking Glory Book One

    DARK WINE AT DUSK

    Buy now!
    DARK WINE AT DUSK
    SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

    THE DEVIL’S CARESS

    Buy now!
    THE DEVIL’S CARESS

    GAME TOWN

    Buy now!
    GAME TOWN

    THE WITCH OF BERGEN

    Buy now!
    THE WITCH OF BERGEN

    THE CONSPIRACY

    Buy now!
    THE CONSPIRACY
    THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

    FOR A GOOD PAWS

    Buy now!
    FOR A GOOD PAWS

    THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

    Buy now!
    THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

    ONE TASTE TOO MANY

    Buy now!
    ONE TASTE TOO MANY

      ×
      A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.

      A Proper Break
      by Jenny Hansen


      Several years ago, I traveled to the UK to train several groups of students there on how to use the (then) newly released Macintosh OS-X Jaguar and the new version of Microsoft Word that came out at the same time. I learned a lot in that trip to London, mostly about the many things that I thought I knew how to do and really didn’t.

      For example, I heard a lot about how to brew “a proper pot of tea.” Nearly every group I taught my first few days there had to show the American how to brew tea. They would take me over to the break room in between class sessions. (Mind you, we took breaks about every hour) and take me through British Tea 101: use cold water, bring to a full boil, warm the teapot with a good swish of hot water before you begin to steep the tea for 3-5 minutes. The directions were quite precise and without variation…I’ve included a link at the bottom of this blog for any who would like the full list of tea Do’s and Don’ts.

      Proper tea was just another thing, along with phrases like “being hard up” (poor) and “pissing down” (raining) that I thought I knew the meaning of before I went. I heard all kinds of great phrases but I particularly liked the word “squiffy” – I think it has a cute sound – and, since I did participate in a local pub crawl, I heard it quite a bit (http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=squiffy).

      George Bernard Shaw wasn’t kidding when he described England and America as “two countries separated by a common language.” I discovered, as I taught these British students, how important it was to be precise in my directions to avoid confusion. I learned to drop slang from my classroom presentation – we would end up talking about American slang instead of Microsoft Word – and I absolutely delighted in listening to my students speak.

      One particular girl came to several of my classes and I loved to hear her speak in her Cockney accent. She ended up visiting my classroom almost every day and every time she came, we made each other laugh. We had long discussions about the differences between our cultures. I’d thrill her with my impersonation of various American accents and she’d ask me questions like, “What do you mean you’ve never seen a proper tea spoon?”

      It was from her that I learned that Americans work more hours and take less vacation than Europeans do. When I shared with her that we get two weeks of vacation a year as part of our standard employment package, she was struck dumb for a moment. When she recovered she said, “Two bloody weeks a year? The lot of you must be mad! I’m dotty on less than four.”

      In return for all the fantastic local slang she shared with me, I stayed through lunch one day to brew her a proper pot of tea and teach her, in her own words, how to make a proper break.

      A proper Break, you ask? How does one MAKE a proper Break?

      In Microsoft Word, there is a tool that every creator of long documents – particularly long documents with sections (like chapters) should know – and that is how to use Breaks.

      Think of a break as an interruption:

      I want to interrupt this page… one would use a page break.

      I want to interrupt this column…a break would help again!

      What about if I need to go to the next Chapter and have the Header or the Footer change to say Chapter 2 instead of Chapter 1 now…once again, a Break!

      There are several different kinds of Breaks and they are all located in the Insert menu under Break…:

      Page Break
      The keyboard shortcut for this is to hit the CRTL and the Enter button at the same time. This will immediately move you to the next page without having to hit the Enter key eighteen times to get there.

      Column Break
      The keyboard shortcut for this is to hit the CTRL, the SHIFT and the Enter key simultaneously. If you are creating two or more columns of text (think about our newsletter or even your own notes and lists of words), the Column Break can keep you from having one little orphaned line at the bottom of a column. A Column Break says, “Move those lonely little words out of this column and into the next one.”

      Text wrapping Break
      This is a new feature that was added to the later versions of Word and it is quite useful if you use a lot of tables or graphics in your documents. This ends the current line and forces the text to continue below a picture, table, or other item.

      Section Break
      There are several different kinds of section breaks, though most writers use only one. I don’t want to short-change anyone who wants to use them all so I’ll define each type in greater detail.

      Section break types:

      Next page
      Inserts a section break and breaks the page so that the next section starts at the top of the next page.


      I use section breaks in conjunction with changes to chapter Headers and Footers in my manuscript. (If you don’t know what I mean when I say “Headers and Footers” you need to either refer to an earlier column or go to Word and hit the F1 key to get help on this feature.)

      Next Page breaks allow you to break this chapter and go to the next. When you are finished with your manuscript, you will then go back through your manuscript and change each section to have the proper heading (i.e. Chapter 1, Chapter 2 and synopsis). By using Next Page section breaks, you allow your page numbering to stay consistent throughout your manuscript and this is HUGE. I know writers who put their page numbers in by hand and it breaks my heart to see them waste so much time. USE BREAKS!!!

      Continuous
      I think of this as interrupting formatting for part of a page, rather than an entire page. For example if I want to have a page of text with three columns in the very middle of the page, the only way to do it is to put a Continuous section break before and after the text I want to turn into columns. Otherwise Word will turn the entire document into columns.

      Note:The only individuals I’ve ever seen use the next two types of breaks are people who make course ware books for subjects like math where the text goes on the left page and the diagrams go on the right, or vice-versa.

      Even page
      Inserts a section break and starts the next section on the next even-numbered page. If the section break falls on an even-numbered page, Word leaves the next odd-numbered page blank.

      Odd page
      Inserts a section break and starts the next section on the next odd-numbered page. If the section break falls on an odd-numbered page, Word leaves the next even-numbered page blank.

      I’m sure you’ve already guessed how this odd topic came up in an everyday discussion about Word. However, if you are still wondering, my student was one of that special breed of people…she’s a writer.

      Promised links:

      How to brew a proper pot of tea if you are British or Irish: http://www.superluminal.com/cookbook/beverages_tea_english.html

      A list of all the Microsoft Word keyboard shortcuts mentioned in this column, plus a whole lot more:
      http://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2000/word/shortcuts.html

      p.s. Keyboard shortcuts are the same between Macs and PC’s – you simply substitute the Command button for the CTRL button. The only notable difference is CTRL+Q, which “quits all paragraph formatting” in Word for the PC, and Command+Q, which ejects a diskette for the Mac.

      Author Details
      Author Details
      A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
      On Sale

      Books on sale or free

      Redheaded Ruminations

      Buy now!
      Redheaded Ruminations

      STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

      Buy now!
      STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT
      INTIMATE RELATIONS
      THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy
      FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

      SAVAGED SURRENDER

      Buy now!
      SAVAGED SURRENDER
      WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
      SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

      THE LIFE OF RILEY

      Buy now!
      THE LIFE OF RILEY
      FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

      GIRL IN THE MIST

      Buy now!
      GIRL IN THE MIST

      THE FIX UP

      Buy now!
      THE FIX UP

      GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

      Buy now!
      GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

      #Me Too

      Buy now!
      #Me Too

      HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

      Buy now!
      HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

      FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

      Buy now!
      FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

      LEIF Viking Glory Book One

      Buy now!
      LEIF Viking Glory Book One

      THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

      Buy now!
      THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

      DANGER MUSIC

      Buy now!
      DANGER MUSIC

      THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

      Buy now!
      THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

      THE WOULD BE MOMMY

      Buy now!
      THE WOULD BE MOMMY

      A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

      Buy now!
      A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

      COWBOY KARMA

      Buy now!
      COWBOY KARMA
      BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

      A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

      Buy now!
      A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

      CITY OF BLAZE

      Buy now!
      CITY OF BLAZE

      LET IT SNOW

      Buy now!
      LET IT SNOW

      ILONA’S WOLF

      Buy now!
      ILONA’S WOLF

      COME FLY WITH ME

      Buy now!
      COME FLY WITH ME
      THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

      WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

      Buy now!
      WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

      SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

      Buy now!
      SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

      HOSTILE WITNESS

      Buy now!
      HOSTILE WITNESS

      LOVE NOTES

      Buy now!
      LOVE NOTES

      THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

      Buy now!
      THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
      2019

      HER COWBOY KING

      Buy now!
      HER COWBOY KING
      CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES
      THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

      THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

      Buy now!
      THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

      THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

      Buy now!
      THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
      SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
      OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories

      THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

      Buy now!
      THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

      SHADOWS AT DAWN

      Buy now!
      SHADOWS AT DAWN

      DEAD BLOW

      Buy now!
      DEAD BLOW
      WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

      HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

      Buy now!
      HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
      LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

      REWRITING THE PAST

      Buy now!
      REWRITING THE PAST

      CLEAR INTENT

      Buy now!
      CLEAR INTENT

      HIDDEN BETRAYAL

      Buy now!
      HIDDEN BETRAYAL

      HER LOST LOVE

      Buy now!
      HER LOST LOVE

      TWO BITES TOO MANY

      Buy now!
      TWO BITES TOO MANY

      ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

      Buy now!
      ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST
      COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
      #PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

      TRACKING SHADOWS

      Buy now!
      TRACKING SHADOWS

      THE DECEPTION

      Buy now!
      THE DECEPTION

      THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

      Buy now!
      THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

      HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

      Buy now!
      HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

      FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

      Buy now!
      FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

      LEIF Viking Glory Book One

      Buy now!
      LEIF Viking Glory Book One

      DARK WINE AT DUSK

      Buy now!
      DARK WINE AT DUSK
      SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

      THE DEVIL’S CARESS

      Buy now!
      THE DEVIL’S CARESS

      GAME TOWN

      Buy now!
      GAME TOWN

      THE WITCH OF BERGEN

      Buy now!
      THE WITCH OF BERGEN

      THE CONSPIRACY

      Buy now!
      THE CONSPIRACY
      THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

      FOR A GOOD PAWS

      Buy now!
      FOR A GOOD PAWS

      THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

      Buy now!
      THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

      ONE TASTE TOO MANY

      Buy now!
      ONE TASTE TOO MANY

        ×
        A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
        by Jenny Hansen

        Keeping Your Hands on the Keyboard

        Are you ever typing so quickly that you are afraid to let your hands leave the keyboard? Do you have times when new ideas are coming and you don’t want to stop to pick up your mouse to format?

        You have choices. We talked about creating templates in last month’s column. This month I want to share with you the keyboard shortcuts that are available to you in Microsoft Word…some of them even work all over Microsoft Office.

        Hit the CTRL key at the same time that you hit the letters on the keyboard to do these shortcuts (ex: Ctrl + A).


        * The letters with this symbol next to it work throughout Microsoft Office.

        Other Word Shortcuts.

        I hope you’ll share with me whether these tricks help save you time. If there are terms like “hanging indent” that don’t make any sense to you, just use the F1 function key to look it up in Word and get an example (think party invitations where the “Where” is on the left side and there all the information about “where” is lined up about an inch to the right).
        I’m just back from my honeymoon in the Pacific Northwest and am so sorry to have missed the deadline…you’ll have these when you return from the National Conference! Until next time…
        Author Details
        Author Details
        A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
        On Sale

        Books on sale or free

        Redheaded Ruminations

        Buy now!
        Redheaded Ruminations

        STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

        Buy now!
        STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT
        INTIMATE RELATIONS
        THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy
        FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

        SAVAGED SURRENDER

        Buy now!
        SAVAGED SURRENDER
        WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
        SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

        THE LIFE OF RILEY

        Buy now!
        THE LIFE OF RILEY
        FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

        GIRL IN THE MIST

        Buy now!
        GIRL IN THE MIST

        THE FIX UP

        Buy now!
        THE FIX UP

        GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

        Buy now!
        GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

        #Me Too

        Buy now!
        #Me Too

        HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

        Buy now!
        HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

        FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

        Buy now!
        FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

        LEIF Viking Glory Book One

        Buy now!
        LEIF Viking Glory Book One

        THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

        Buy now!
        THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

        DANGER MUSIC

        Buy now!
        DANGER MUSIC

        THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

        Buy now!
        THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

        THE WOULD BE MOMMY

        Buy now!
        THE WOULD BE MOMMY

        A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

        Buy now!
        A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

        COWBOY KARMA

        Buy now!
        COWBOY KARMA
        BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

        A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

        Buy now!
        A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

        CITY OF BLAZE

        Buy now!
        CITY OF BLAZE

        LET IT SNOW

        Buy now!
        LET IT SNOW

        ILONA’S WOLF

        Buy now!
        ILONA’S WOLF

        COME FLY WITH ME

        Buy now!
        COME FLY WITH ME
        THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

        WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

        Buy now!
        WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

        SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

        Buy now!
        SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

        HOSTILE WITNESS

        Buy now!
        HOSTILE WITNESS

        LOVE NOTES

        Buy now!
        LOVE NOTES

        THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

        Buy now!
        THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
        2019

        HER COWBOY KING

        Buy now!
        HER COWBOY KING
        CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES
        THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

        THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

        Buy now!
        THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

        THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

        Buy now!
        THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
        SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
        OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories

        THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

        Buy now!
        THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

        SHADOWS AT DAWN

        Buy now!
        SHADOWS AT DAWN

        DEAD BLOW

        Buy now!
        DEAD BLOW
        WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

        HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

        Buy now!
        HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
        LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

        REWRITING THE PAST

        Buy now!
        REWRITING THE PAST

        CLEAR INTENT

        Buy now!
        CLEAR INTENT

        HIDDEN BETRAYAL

        Buy now!
        HIDDEN BETRAYAL

        HER LOST LOVE

        Buy now!
        HER LOST LOVE

        TWO BITES TOO MANY

        Buy now!
        TWO BITES TOO MANY

        ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

        Buy now!
        ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST
        COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
        #PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

        TRACKING SHADOWS

        Buy now!
        TRACKING SHADOWS

        THE DECEPTION

        Buy now!
        THE DECEPTION

        THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

        Buy now!
        THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

        HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

        Buy now!
        HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

        FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

        Buy now!
        FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

        LEIF Viking Glory Book One

        Buy now!
        LEIF Viking Glory Book One

        DARK WINE AT DUSK

        Buy now!
        DARK WINE AT DUSK
        SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

        THE DEVIL’S CARESS

        Buy now!
        THE DEVIL’S CARESS

        GAME TOWN

        Buy now!
        GAME TOWN

        THE WITCH OF BERGEN

        Buy now!
        THE WITCH OF BERGEN

        THE CONSPIRACY

        Buy now!
        THE CONSPIRACY
        THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

        FOR A GOOD PAWS

        Buy now!
        FOR A GOOD PAWS

        THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

        Buy now!
        THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

        ONE TASTE TOO MANY

        Buy now!
        ONE TASTE TOO MANY

          ×
          A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.

          .
          Writer’s Word: The 25 Lines Per Page Secret!
          .
          by Jen Crooks
          .
          In my first column for OCC’s e-zine, I found out a few important things.

          The first thing was that it is REALLY fun. I had a blast seeing the stories our OCC authors posted every day. Book voodoo, articles on writing…you name it, our members are writing about it.

          The second thing I found out was that, while I might be a goddess with business applications, I don’t know diddly about posting blogs.

          My screen shots of all the wonderful things I told you about Word’s save functions did NOT show up. I’m going to have to get training from one of our OCC web goddesses (think online class moderators) so I can add in some visual aids.

          So take heart, all of you who feel technology challenged – even the gurus muddle around until someone trains them. My “note to self” for this month’s article: Leave the screen shots off until there is time to have a conference call with Marianne.

          Last month, Dana asked me if I could “please, please, please write a blog about how to get 25 lines per page” and I responded “of course I will.” Now mind you, I have never done this setting in my life, mainly because I’m half blind and the traditional manuscript requirements ask for ugly fonts (Times New Roman and Courier New) in addition to the 25 lines per page. Times New Roman makes me particularly crazy because when there is an “r” and an “n” next to each other, to me they look like an “m.” I secretly believe that if my manuscript is in an easy-to-read font like Arial or Tahoma, the editor (that poor soul who reads thousands of pages a week) will be more kindly disposed to buy my book. It hasn’t worked for me yet, but I’ll take all the help I can get.

          To get back to Dana’s question, I figured there must just be a quick Paragraph setting (this is located in the Format menu) and it would be a snap – four or five steps at the most. The Paragraph dialog box is one of my favorite places in Word. . .there is so much to do here! All you have to do is select the text you’d like to change (hit Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select the entire document) and go to Format. Then Paragraph.

          For example, this is where most people go to set Line Spacing to single, double or 1 ½ space. Of course, you can do those with key strokes too:

          Ctrl + 1 = Single space
          Ctrl + 2 = Double space
          Ctrl + 5 = 1 ½ space

          While in Paragraph, you can choose the Indent setting of “First line” and indent the first line of each paragraph in your manuscript (the most common setting is .5 inch).

          That pesky “Widow/Orphan control” feature is located here. This is what makes all the lines in a paragraph stay together, even when you want them to separate to help you get 25 lines on a page. I have people tell me all the time that they can’t find this sucker – it is located on the second tab in the dialog box, titled “Line and Page Breaks.” The default setting in Word is that the “Widow/Orphan control” is set to ON. (Obviously no one polled us writers when they were deciding which features made the cut in Word.)

          Are you catching on yet that the Paragraph dialogue box is a veritable party for us writers?

          The last thing you need to know about before I give you “the 25 line secret” in a step-by-step list is that margins and font size – even font type – matter when you are trying to get your manuscript formatted to have 25 lines on a page. That being said, all of my examples use Word’s default margins of Top/Bottom – 1” and Left/Right = 1.25 inch because I like the extra white space. I know, I know…the rules that date back to 1980 say 1” margins only – once you learn how to use your Paragraph settings you can be the Word Dominatrix and MAKE your margins work for you.

          Note: For anyone who has never changed their margin settings, there are two easy ways to do it: click on the File menu and choose Page Setup OR double click on the vertical ruler to the left of the document when you are in Print Layout View. You will not see the ruler to the left unless you are in Print Layout View.

          I was looking around on the internet to see “how everyone else was doing it” and I saw at least four different methods for how to get 25 lines on a page, zero of which worked for me. I saw one blog where a guy actually went through a formula to calculate the 25 lines. There will be no formulas in my writer-friendly Word column but if you would like to see this craziness, I’ve included the link. (If you follow the link below, just scroll down a bit to see what Allen, the math wizard, advises. Bleck!)

          http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_do_i_set_a_microsoft_word_document_to_be_exactly_25_lines_per_page_1.html

          The easiest way to achieve the hallowed 25 lines per page is to follow the steps below:

          I used the following font combinations:
          Courier New – 14 pt
          Arial – 12 pt
          (The dreaded) Times New Roman – 12 pt

          Right about now, I’m hoping that you see that your font doesn’t really matter – this is ALL about the Paragraph setting.

          1. Select all the text in your document that you want to change (for example, you’ll probably omit your title page)

          2. Go to Format menu. Then Paragraph.

          3. If you haven’t turned off the Widow / Orphan control, do it now

          4. On the Indent and Line Spacing tab, go toward the bottom of the dialog box where it says “Line Spacing:” – click the drop down arrow and choose the word “Exactly”

          5. In the “At:” field to the right of where it now says “Exactly,” type in “25 pt”

          6. Click OK

          You have now achieved manuscript formatting perfection!

          By day, Jen Crooks manages the sales and marketing for a national training firm. After 12 years as a corporate software trainer, it’s nice for her to be able to sit down while she works. By night, Jen writes women’s fiction, chick lit and short stories as Jenny Hansen. She has been a member of OCC since 2001 and has served on OCC’s Board of Directors in a variety of capacities. She is currently the Contest Coordinator for the 2007 Orange Rose Contest for Unpublished Writers.

          Author Details
          Author Details
          A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
          On Sale

          Books on sale or free

          Redheaded Ruminations

          Buy now!
          Redheaded Ruminations

          STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

          Buy now!
          STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT
          INTIMATE RELATIONS
          THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy
          FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

          SAVAGED SURRENDER

          Buy now!
          SAVAGED SURRENDER
          WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
          SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

          THE LIFE OF RILEY

          Buy now!
          THE LIFE OF RILEY
          FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

          GIRL IN THE MIST

          Buy now!
          GIRL IN THE MIST

          THE FIX UP

          Buy now!
          THE FIX UP

          GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

          Buy now!
          GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

          #Me Too

          Buy now!
          #Me Too

          HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

          Buy now!
          HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

          FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

          Buy now!
          FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

          LEIF Viking Glory Book One

          Buy now!
          LEIF Viking Glory Book One

          THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

          Buy now!
          THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

          DANGER MUSIC

          Buy now!
          DANGER MUSIC

          THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

          Buy now!
          THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

          THE WOULD BE MOMMY

          Buy now!
          THE WOULD BE MOMMY

          A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

          Buy now!
          A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

          COWBOY KARMA

          Buy now!
          COWBOY KARMA
          BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

          A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

          Buy now!
          A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

          CITY OF BLAZE

          Buy now!
          CITY OF BLAZE

          LET IT SNOW

          Buy now!
          LET IT SNOW

          ILONA’S WOLF

          Buy now!
          ILONA’S WOLF

          COME FLY WITH ME

          Buy now!
          COME FLY WITH ME
          THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

          WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

          Buy now!
          WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

          SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

          Buy now!
          SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

          HOSTILE WITNESS

          Buy now!
          HOSTILE WITNESS

          LOVE NOTES

          Buy now!
          LOVE NOTES

          THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

          Buy now!
          THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
          2019

          HER COWBOY KING

          Buy now!
          HER COWBOY KING
          CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES
          THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

          THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

          Buy now!
          THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

          THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

          Buy now!
          THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
          SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
          OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories

          THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

          Buy now!
          THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

          SHADOWS AT DAWN

          Buy now!
          SHADOWS AT DAWN

          DEAD BLOW

          Buy now!
          DEAD BLOW
          WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

          HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

          Buy now!
          HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
          LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

          REWRITING THE PAST

          Buy now!
          REWRITING THE PAST

          CLEAR INTENT

          Buy now!
          CLEAR INTENT

          HIDDEN BETRAYAL

          Buy now!
          HIDDEN BETRAYAL

          HER LOST LOVE

          Buy now!
          HER LOST LOVE

          TWO BITES TOO MANY

          Buy now!
          TWO BITES TOO MANY

          ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

          Buy now!
          ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST
          COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
          #PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

          TRACKING SHADOWS

          Buy now!
          TRACKING SHADOWS

          THE DECEPTION

          Buy now!
          THE DECEPTION

          THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

          Buy now!
          THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

          HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

          Buy now!
          HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

          FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

          Buy now!
          FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

          LEIF Viking Glory Book One

          Buy now!
          LEIF Viking Glory Book One

          DARK WINE AT DUSK

          Buy now!
          DARK WINE AT DUSK
          SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

          THE DEVIL’S CARESS

          Buy now!
          THE DEVIL’S CARESS

          GAME TOWN

          Buy now!
          GAME TOWN

          THE WITCH OF BERGEN

          Buy now!
          THE WITCH OF BERGEN

          THE CONSPIRACY

          Buy now!
          THE CONSPIRACY
          THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

          FOR A GOOD PAWS

          Buy now!
          FOR A GOOD PAWS

          THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

          Buy now!
          THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

          ONE TASTE TOO MANY

          Buy now!
          ONE TASTE TOO MANY

            ×
            A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.

            by Jenny Hansen

            If you’re a writer some way, some day, you’re going to need help with Word. So when I found out OCC has our very own software trainer in our midst, I begged, pleaded and probably promised things I shouldn’t have to get her to share her Word Wisdom with us. Please give a round of applause to our Word Guru, Jennifer Crooks. She’s been training Word-challenged users like me for over twelve years. Thank you, Jen!

            At last, a computer column for us creative types! All you Word-challenged non-techies can breathe a heavy sigh of relief. You now have a place that won’t give you phrases that contain thingies like yottabytes (yes, that’s a real word) and will give you practical tips like how to format a manuscript.

            Rule #1

            Your computer is stupid.

            It’s very important to always remember that your computer is a dumb machine. Contrary to popular opinion, it does not have a brain or a little green gremlin inside and it cannot do anything that you don’t tell it to do. It follows your commands completely and exactly, which means that it’s vital that you learn the proper commands to give.

            I highly recommend some of the software manuals that are on the market, especially the Dummies series. The first chapter in the PC’s for Dummies book that I bought twelve years ago was titled, “Your Computer Will Not Explode.” (And it really won’t!)

            You’re reading this blog so you already know most of the basics about your computer. Additionally, Mac users who struggled for years in a PC world received a huge boost with the release of OS X a few years back. Microsoft Word is pretty much the same now whether you’re on Windows or a Mac.

            The first thing you need to know, no matter which version of Word you’re using is: How to save your book and find it again later with all your changes intact.

            Usually, a document is saved to diskette to transport the file between computers or to provide a backup copy of the original file that resides on your computer’s hard drive. This blog document is currently saved on my computer’s hard disk, commonly referred to as the “C:” drive or “Hard drive.”

            First, let’s define the difference between the terms “Save” and “Save As” since they mean two entirely different things. Both can be found in the File menu of your word processing program (see example below).

            ← File Menu

            You must always “Save As” first. In fact, if you hit the “Save” command first it will automatically take you to the “Save As” dialog box.

            When you choose “Save As,” you are giving the file a name and a location to reside on your computer, the same as you might make a folder and put it into a filing cabinet. (Any of you have seen my office can just STOP LAUGHING now…my computer files are pristine.)

            The “Save” command saves your latest changes OVER the original—this is what you will do as you make changes to your manuscript.

            In the “Save As” dialog box below, the most important places to look are:

            “Save in” drop down list (top of the box) which lets you choose what folder you want to file the document in, somewhat like you would open the second drawer of your filing cabinet and grab the folder titled, “Current Manuscript.” .

            “File name” (line at the bottom) where you name the file something descriptive that you will recognize later. Document1 is a really bad choice.

            “Save as type” drop down list (just below “File name”) let’s you choose whether this document will be saved in Microsoft Word format or in something else, such as Rich Text Format (will give the file an RTF extension instead of DOC), that can be opened in a different word processing program.

            Last but not least, the next paragraph is the most important one in this entire column.

            When you want to save a copy of the file you are working on, first save your latest changes by choosing the “Save” command from either the File menu or the toolbar (third icon from the left), then choose “Save As” to save the file to a new location. This ensures that you have the latest copy in both places.

            All of you who have forgotten this in the past are likely sitting back with a smug smile saying, “Uh-huh. Yep, she’s right. I lost 3 hours of writing that one time…” Because trust me, you only make this mistake once or twice before you either head to a computer class or head to the nearest bar for a round of dirty martinis.

            One last word of advice until next time…If you save to a place like a flash drive or a diskette that you plan to travel with, make sure that you have closed the file before you pull out the flash drive/diskette. This is the number one reason why people can’t open the files that they have saved onto an external source.

            Tune in for my next column where I’ll be answering Dana’s question:

            Are you going to show us how to format a manuscript…especially that 25 lines per page setting?

            Of course I will.

            If you have any questions for our Word Guru send them to: jennyhansensmail@aol.com

            By day, Jen Crooks manages the sales and marketing for a national training firm. After 12 years as a corporate software trainer, it’s nice for her to be able to sit down while she works. By night, Jen writes women’s fiction, chick lit and short stories as Jenny Hansen. She has been a member of OCC since 2001 and has served on OCC’s Board of Directors in a variety of capacities. She is currently the Contest Coordinator for the 2007 Orange Rose Contest for Unpublished Writers.

            Author Details
            Author Details
            A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
            On Sale

            Books on sale or free

            Redheaded Ruminations

            Buy now!
            Redheaded Ruminations

            STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

            Buy now!
            STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT
            INTIMATE RELATIONS
            THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy
            FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

            SAVAGED SURRENDER

            Buy now!
            SAVAGED SURRENDER
            WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
            SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

            THE LIFE OF RILEY

            Buy now!
            THE LIFE OF RILEY
            FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

            GIRL IN THE MIST

            Buy now!
            GIRL IN THE MIST

            THE FIX UP

            Buy now!
            THE FIX UP

            GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

            Buy now!
            GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

            #Me Too

            Buy now!
            #Me Too

            HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

            Buy now!
            HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

            FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

            Buy now!
            FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

            LEIF Viking Glory Book One

            Buy now!
            LEIF Viking Glory Book One

            THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

            Buy now!
            THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

            DANGER MUSIC

            Buy now!
            DANGER MUSIC

            THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

            Buy now!
            THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

            THE WOULD BE MOMMY

            Buy now!
            THE WOULD BE MOMMY

            A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

            Buy now!
            A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

            COWBOY KARMA

            Buy now!
            COWBOY KARMA
            BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

            A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

            Buy now!
            A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

            CITY OF BLAZE

            Buy now!
            CITY OF BLAZE

            LET IT SNOW

            Buy now!
            LET IT SNOW

            ILONA’S WOLF

            Buy now!
            ILONA’S WOLF

            COME FLY WITH ME

            Buy now!
            COME FLY WITH ME
            THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

            WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

            Buy now!
            WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

            SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

            Buy now!
            SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

            HOSTILE WITNESS

            Buy now!
            HOSTILE WITNESS

            LOVE NOTES

            Buy now!
            LOVE NOTES

            THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

            Buy now!
            THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
            2019

            HER COWBOY KING

            Buy now!
            HER COWBOY KING
            CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES
            THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

            THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

            Buy now!
            THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

            THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

            Buy now!
            THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
            SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
            OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories

            THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

            Buy now!
            THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

            SHADOWS AT DAWN

            Buy now!
            SHADOWS AT DAWN

            DEAD BLOW

            Buy now!
            DEAD BLOW
            WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

            HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

            Buy now!
            HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
            LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

            REWRITING THE PAST

            Buy now!
            REWRITING THE PAST

            CLEAR INTENT

            Buy now!
            CLEAR INTENT

            HIDDEN BETRAYAL

            Buy now!
            HIDDEN BETRAYAL

            HER LOST LOVE

            Buy now!
            HER LOST LOVE

            TWO BITES TOO MANY

            Buy now!
            TWO BITES TOO MANY

            ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

            Buy now!
            ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST
            COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
            #PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

            TRACKING SHADOWS

            Buy now!
            TRACKING SHADOWS

            THE DECEPTION

            Buy now!
            THE DECEPTION

            THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

            Buy now!
            THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

            HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

            Buy now!
            HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

            FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

            Buy now!
            FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

            LEIF Viking Glory Book One

            Buy now!
            LEIF Viking Glory Book One

            DARK WINE AT DUSK

            Buy now!
            DARK WINE AT DUSK
            SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

            THE DEVIL’S CARESS

            Buy now!
            THE DEVIL’S CARESS

            GAME TOWN

            Buy now!
            GAME TOWN

            THE WITCH OF BERGEN

            Buy now!
            THE WITCH OF BERGEN

            THE CONSPIRACY

            Buy now!
            THE CONSPIRACY
            THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

            FOR A GOOD PAWS

            Buy now!
            FOR A GOOD PAWS

            THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

            Buy now!
            THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

            ONE TASTE TOO MANY

            Buy now!
            ONE TASTE TOO MANY

              ×
              A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.

              Copyright ©2017 A Slice of Orange. All Rights Reserved. ~PROUDLY POWERED BY WORDPRESS ~ CREATED BY ISHYOBOY.COM

              >