Tag Archives: Microsoft Word

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Editing Your Book with Track Changes

When you work with an editor on your book, you will probably use the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word. This can be a little daunting if you’ve never used it before, especially when you get a file back with more red on it than Sweeney Todd’s apron.

First, don’t panic. Remember your editor is there to help you, and those red marks are meant to be instructive, not destructive.

Schedule a time when you can go through your manuscript slowly. If there‘s a change you don’t understand, feel free to ask. Continue reading →

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Use styles to keep your manuscript in order

Document outlineWe all want our documents to look good. Here are some advanced techniques to make sure your manuscript is not only good-looking, but orderly, whether you’re submitting traditionally or self-publishing.

The first thing to remember is that your manuscript needs to be edited before it’s designed, so save the design work for later. Too often I see amateur writers spending lots of effort on designing their manuscripts prior to editing. This just complicates the editing process.

A lot of us have a case of Stockholm Syndrome with Microsoft Office, but one thing it does really well is styles. Word’s styles integrate nicely with Adobe InDesign, which is the app most professionals use for book design. Continue reading →