4. Forget about what your
typing teacher told you.
Computers
aren’t
typewriters.
They’re
typesetters that
can think.
5. Today’s writers need to be
aware – constantly – of the
brain inside the computer.
6. So you have to be careful
not to send confusing
messages…
…to that
typesetter
who’s hiding
inside your
computer.
7. If you don’t respect your
computer’s brain…
…you can expect
a disaster when
you try to publish
your book.
8. Because we all own computers
(which are actually typesetters!)…
…writing a
manuscript is
no longer
enough.
9. Writers need to create a
computer file that’s ready
to be published.
10. That means following
some rules.
Use the space bar
only once after a
period and after
a word.
Never use the
space bar for any
other purpose.
Never use the Tab
key.
Set up your
Styles before you
start writing, and
stick to them.
21. Here’s a lifesaver you
should get to know:
The “show all
nonprinting
characters”
symbol.”
It will reveal
some of the
hidden
formatting that
may be causing
problems.
23. Rule 1: Limit yourself to a few
Styles.
Recommended Styles for basic writing
tasks:
Heading 1 (for your title)
Normal (for your text)
24. Some situations call for
additional Styles:
Bullet list
Numerical list
Heading 2
Heading 3
Title (if you’re writing a book)
25. Let’s review what
you’ve learned.
Computers aren’t typewriters: They’re
typesetters.
Computers can think.
Computers make their own decisions (if you
let them!)
26. You want to maintain control
of your manuscript.
Use the Space Bar only once after a period and after
a word.
Never use the Space Bar for any other purpose.
Never use the Tab key.
If your run into a formatting problem, try deleting
the hard return at the end of the previous paragraph.
When all else fails, save your document as a .txt file
and start over, using Styles this time.