tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post6758800939716020397..comments2023-11-02T02:40:48.410-07:00Comments on Crime Fiction Collective: Basic Formatting of Your Manuscript (Formatting 101)L.J. Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-58352937058011934182013-04-13T15:02:58.759-07:002013-04-13T15:02:58.759-07:00Thanks for your great tips, Terry! I'll have t...Thanks for your great tips, Terry! I'll have to get busy on "Formatting 102" and include these excellent tips!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-15113665683350880022013-04-13T15:01:40.876-07:002013-04-13T15:01:40.876-07:00LOL! Thanks, Gene! We need a little levity on this...LOL! Thanks, Gene! We need a little levity on this topic! Good luck with your formatting!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-9562897713111444652013-04-13T14:59:00.769-07:002013-04-13T14:59:00.769-07:00Thank you Jodie
I noticed that David used the bad...Thank you Jodie<br /><br />I noticed that David used the bad word TAB. That is how beginners like me start thinking TAB is ok. I wish people would stop using that word. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18212577492387116931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-53572248740968504152013-04-10T10:26:32.789-07:002013-04-10T10:26:32.789-07:00One thing I do is set up my chapter headings under...One thing I do is set up my chapter headings under "Heading 1" which means the conversion software will pick them up for their TOC. BUT, after Smashwords dinged me once because I used the basic "center" command, I learned that Word will center the chapter heading based on your margin indent, which means it's going to be slightly off center, and on a small e-reading device, was not "pretty" according to Smashwords. So I adjusted my style settings for the heading 1 to be centered but with no indent. That centers it between the true margins rather than offsetting it by that 0.5 or 0.3 inches (and for ebooks, I use the 0.3, again because the size of the reader can be very small.<br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.com/terrysplace" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><br />Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-17602051852498207872013-04-09T16:56:02.894-07:002013-04-09T16:56:02.894-07:00Raymond, if there are accidental extra spaces betw...Raymond, if there are accidental extra spaces between some words in a sentence, which I see all the time, then when the doc is justified on both sides, those extra spaces will REALLY be exaggerated, to the point of looking ridiculous and amateurish!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-11637765951632482612013-04-09T16:54:25.660-07:002013-04-09T16:54:25.660-07:00Thanks, Drew!Thanks, Drew!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-88769186647495837812013-04-09T08:03:09.770-07:002013-04-09T08:03:09.770-07:00Great article Jodi...I will bookmark this!
I al...Great article Jodi...I will bookmark this! <br /><br /> I always wondered, though, why anyone would worry about extra single "spaces" between words on text "left-justifed" when they turn around and "FULL-justify" exactly the same text when submitting it for PRINT anyway--which introduces all kinds of spaces automatically between words to line the text up on both sides, ie. for a book. Raymond Alexander Kukkeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01347971987435644221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-59041417053763861332013-04-08T20:55:07.212-07:002013-04-08T20:55:07.212-07:00A great reference for all writers, Jodie, that mak...A great reference for all writers, Jodie, that make will make any editor or formatter very happy. Thanks for putting it all in one place for an easy review. ANDREW E. KAUFMANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08835920472268730244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-55804417308639250142013-04-08T17:00:51.358-07:002013-04-08T17:00:51.358-07:00Thanks for your witty comment, D.F.! Made me chuck...Thanks for your witty comment, D.F.! Made me chuckle!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-12447256107455635962013-04-08T16:45:26.206-07:002013-04-08T16:45:26.206-07:00Timely post, Jodie. A clear list with a few quick ...Timely post, Jodie. A clear list with a few quick tricks to smooth out the process for an editor. Super for what I needed today, prior to an upcoming writer's contest. <br />Earlier, I never considered the words 'left-justified' or 'pilcrow'. <br />Except, maybe re:There's nothing worse than a left-wing, politically inclined black bird on drugs. <br />He's a left-justified pilcrow.<br /><br />Now I know the REAL truth.D.F. Barrettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-60291000442024364272013-04-08T13:43:21.848-07:002013-04-08T13:43:21.848-07:00I'm pretty sure I don't have any carryover...I'm pretty sure I don't have any carryover bad habits, but who knows when they might appear? Nice to have a checklist. Thanks, Jodie!Peg Brantleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04906858123466177508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-80283723051031915552013-04-08T07:35:30.993-07:002013-04-08T07:35:30.993-07:00Thanks for your comments, David.
I assume you mea...Thanks for your comments, David.<br /><br />I assume you meant "don't indent" not "don't intend" the first line of a new chapter. LOL. This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, just a current custom, as I said, as you'll notice in most published novels.<br /><br />You'd think most of these "rules" would be well-known by now, as well as the tips for seeing them (the pilcrow), but not so, judging by the formatting of manuscripts I receive for editing. And writers have enough to think about without having to spend time on formatting, too, so I'm glad to offer some quick tricks for keeping your editor or agent happy!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-73136623149899483942013-04-08T07:24:32.292-07:002013-04-08T07:24:32.292-07:00The more things change...Those rules, with a few v...The more things change...Those rules, with a few variations (like 12 & 13 - paragraphing used to be standard) have remained the same since the first typewriter. (However, I don't understand the "don't intend first line of a new chapter" rule, unless typographers want to do funny things with the line - BIG FIRST LETTERS or something).<br /><br />Some of the no-nos (5 spaces for an indent instead of the tab key) are left over from the MANUAL typewriter days (ah, I remember those!). Even when the electronic ones came out (I had an IBM that doubled as a jack-hammer when it hit a wall), old-timers still spaced because the tab key strained the pinky.<br /><br />The advent of word processors makes some of the rules best only for print, though the convention still holds. I tell my students they can single-space, because I use "comments" to comment rather than write between the lines - but that applies only to essays turned in electronically.<br /><br />I'd say it's surprising that after all these years, the simplest parts of basic formatting (left-justified, double space, space down three lines (minimum) for new chapters, etc.) aren't obvious - or taught in middle-school. But then I see what some of my college students do, and sigh, shake my head - and look for the old IBM sledge-hammer.<br /><br />Good article, fun and memories.<br /><br />Thanks, Jodie.<br /><br />David Y.B. Kaufmannhttp://www.davidybkaufmann.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-509128171459616802013-04-08T06:31:52.392-07:002013-04-08T06:31:52.392-07:00Thanks, Jenny, Lindsey Ann, and Richard. Glad you ...Thanks, Jenny, Lindsey Ann, and Richard. Glad you find these instructions understandable and helpful!<br /><br />Lindsey Ann, I've never used a Mac, so am not sure of the differences there.Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-56713033708722412882013-04-08T06:21:57.002-07:002013-04-08T06:21:57.002-07:00Jodie, Excellent post. I shared it with one of the...Jodie, Excellent post. I shared it with one of the writers' loops of which I'm a member. And who knew what a pilcrow is before this? Thanks.Richard Mabryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15993592219849830777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-37360940284059815352013-04-08T03:17:59.404-07:002013-04-08T03:17:59.404-07:00Thank you Jodie, this is super helpful!
I found, ...Thank you Jodie, this is super helpful!<br /><br />I found, since Microsoft Word for Mac (2011) automatically inserts a "Section Break (Next Page)" before and after text with new margin settings, I had to insert a "Section Break (Continuous)" after my chapter heading and then set my top margin setting to 3.0 with the Section Start set to "New Page" under the Layout tab of the Custom Margins tool. So now, each chapter has a "Section Break (Next Page)" at the end instead of a "Page Break." This was the only way I could get the margin settings to work without it creating a single page for the chapter heading or applying the margin settings to the entire document.<br /><br />I write in the Print view and also found it helpful to learn that you can easily manage and delete page formatting while in the Draft view.Lindsey Ann McCannhttp://www.thegreenzeppelin.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-61256028609236354272013-04-07T16:54:29.674-07:002013-04-07T16:54:29.674-07:00This is so helpful. Thank you, Jodie. Whenever I s...This is so helpful. Thank you, Jodie. Whenever I send my manuscripts for formatting they seem to have errors. Your post has helped me see why.Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10384070533603453713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-28810830705160676912013-04-07T15:38:14.674-07:002013-04-07T15:38:14.674-07:00Thanks for your comments, J.H. and Lee! I'm gl...Thanks for your comments, J.H. and Lee! I'm glad you find my advice here useful and clear.Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-85490386535838682232013-04-07T15:30:36.787-07:002013-04-07T15:30:36.787-07:00I also do freelance formatting and grammar editing...I also do freelance formatting and grammar editing, Jodi, and couldn't have expressed more clearly how to format. This is an excellent article.Lee Carverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16861388833803744920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-22269355791180007462013-04-07T14:09:41.193-07:002013-04-07T14:09:41.193-07:00I feel like I'm back at school! Excellent post...I feel like I'm back at school! Excellent post, Jodie!J. H. Bogránhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11139508453464446992noreply@blogger.com