Are you an author or an editor who uses Microsoft Word for your manuscripts? If you don't use Word, you should. It is one of the most powerful desktop publishing tools available anywhere and has many built-in features to make it easier for you.

In fact, do you know that there are over 200 shortcuts available in Word? And those are only the shortcuts. That's not to mention the other tools that are available.

But how do you learn to use those features? When you want to write, you want to write - not spend time learning software. As an author or an editor you want the manuscript you submit to a publisher to be clean and professional looking. It also needs to be easy for the publisher to use.

Let's look at just a few Word tools that you, an author or editor, should know. Publishers do not like auto formatted bulleted or numbered lists. The general rule is, if you can't highlight it (with your mouse), don't use it. To turn off bulleted and numbered lists, go to Tools, Auto Correct, Auto Format As You Type and uncheck auto bulleted and auto numbered lists. You can create your own lists with numbers and figures but make sure you are able to highlight everything you type.

While you are in the Auto Format As You Type section, uncheck Replace Straight Quotes with Curly Quotes. Your publisher might or might not care about this but why take the chance. You don't want your manuscript returned for something that you can easily correct before you submit it.

This is the first in a series of articles for authors and editors on using Word for your needs without becoming a Word guru.

Cathy Perkins is an author, Word expert, and WordPress guru who lives in the beautiful foothills of North Carolina. Please take the Word survey at http://www.wordforauthors.com to have your questions included in her upcoming book, Word: The Ultimate Guide for Authors and Editors.

Source: www.a1articles.com