Template for Mac 2004 Word to write a novel.

[Guest]

The instructions on how to do styles and templates are quite intimidating. i
simply want something that will allow me to outline the chapters and scenes
within them and then turn this into chapters that are numbered througout as a
novel. The Master Document feature, from what I have read, is a monster
waiting to eat you alive. I have heard that the next edition of Word will
have solved that but don't know.

 

[Anne Troy]

You don't have to use a master, Ted. I've done several books without doing
that. Likely, you only need to do this:
After you type Chapter names, click inside and apply style Heading 1. If you
have subchapters, type them, and apply Heading 2. Turn off other
autoformatting using this article for reference:
http://www.officearticles.com/word/recommended_autocorrect_settings_for_microsoft_word.htm
You may want to use a couple of other styles, like "quote" when you quote
someone else, or perhaps you have "notes" or "tips" or something.
Okay, I've dug up a book I formatted that seems similar. It has script
styles, too. I've uploaded it here:
http://www.officearticles.com/downloads/booktemplate.zip
It's nothing very fancy, but it should give you a great start. There may be
a couple of styles you'll never use. You can use the organizer to delete
them:
http://www.officearticles.com/word/using_the_organizer_in_microsoft_word.htm
Good luck! I'm around if you have any questions, and I think you will.
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

In addition to Anne's advice, you might want to bookmark this page.
http://daiya.mvps.org/bookword.htm

It might be too much information and intimidating--but it also offers some
basics and explanation--it's mostly links, not all about styles.

Also, if you ever have Mac-specific questions (and this wasn't one), there
are also MS MacOffice newsgroups, just by the way.
See here for Google/Entourage gateway to newsgroups for MacWord, MacExcel,
and other MS programs for the Mac:
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/community/community.aspx?pid=newsgroups>