Screen size and writing

Nateskate · Sep 19, 2008

I just changed to a larger screen size, and I feel it really helps in editing. I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed a difference in their ability to edit their novel due to a change in computer moniters or other things, like changing rooms???

The larger print just seems to jump from the page, and mistakes are supersized.

Red-Green · Sep 19, 2008

It made a huge difference for me to get a bigger screen, because I use Word's Document Map function to label and move scenes. With a bigger screen I can keep the Doc Map up without shrinking my text.

caustic · Sep 19, 2008

As far as structure and grammar and small corrections, I always preferred printing and editing with a red pen. Seems to catch more having the ink in your hands as it would be read by the audience.

I still may catch a thing or two in the program afterwards though.

For re-writes, you gotta do it on-screen, yes, and the larger screen helps tremendously.

MsK · Sep 19, 2008

I went in the opposite direction (From a desk top with a 19" monitor to a 15.4" laptop)
I would say the larger monitor most definitely made it easier to catch mistakes. It also made it easier for people to stand across the room and see what I was writing. lol

Clair Dickson · Sep 19, 2008

I've not noticed so much with editing, but I have enjoyed the rectangle screen that my laptop has because I (too) use the document map (and usually have the reference pane [Word2k3]) open, so my text can get pretty small....

Though, I have been playing around a bit with the reading layout. That's a very different way to edit. I have no opinion other than different at this time, but it certainly has potential.

Madison · Sep 19, 2008

At home I used a gigantic mac flatscreen, which I loved. I could have two ms word documents open side by side - outline and rough draft - and see both. It was so helpful to not have to switch between documents every few minutes. Now I use my laptop, which is 11-ish inches by 7. Definitely can't see two ms word docs at the same time. (To its credit, though, I love it very much)

ETA: I guess none of that answered your question about editing...

melaniehoo · Sep 19, 2008

I also have a 21" Mac flatscreen and I view everything at 120%, minimum. I love being able to see two pages side by side and I think it DOES help with editing.

SherriC · Sep 19, 2008

I've not noticed any difference when switching screens, but I recently found that it makes THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD if I have a printout in front of me.

johnzakour · Sep 19, 2008

Yep. If only I could convince my wife I need a 36" screen I'd really rock.

spacekadet · Sep 19, 2008

Oh my god. When I got my 24" external display for my laptop, my productivity went through the roof. It's a special kind of awesome!

smoothseas · Sep 19, 2008

I'll highlight a section, increase the font size and all them little typos - like inverted quote marks, extra spaces, etc. - just jump right out at you. When finished, I reduce the text back down to it's original 12 pt.

RJK · Sep 19, 2008

When I updated my PC, I selected a 22 inch flat panel with a lower resolution so that the font would be a little larger.
I use MS Word with the document Map on the left and the document on the right, displayed in Print Layout at 150% zoom. No more eyestrain.

Nateskate · Sep 19, 2008

caustic said:
As far as structure and grammar and small corrections, I always preferred printing and editing with a red pen. Seems to catch more having the ink in your hands as it would be read by the audience.

I still may catch a thing or two in the program afterwards though.

For re-writes, you gotta do it on-screen, yes, and the larger screen helps tremendously.

Yes, this is also true. I find that it's easier to see mistakes on a hard copy. I'm not sure why that is, though it also doubles the process, because I have a hard time transposing the corrections from paper to computer- perhaps because of ADHD.

Likewise, it impacted me as a musician, because I could never read from a music sheet in real time, as I'd constantly lose my place. However, it forced me to be more creative in that I had to be able to find music parts in my head on the fly. Kind of like that kid in Drumline who couldn't read music, but could create fantastic parts.

Nateskate · Sep 19, 2008

KrystalR said:
I went in the opposite direction (From a desk top with a 19" monitor to a 15.4" laptop)
I would say the larger monitor most definitely made it easier to catch mistakes. It also made it easier for people to stand across the room and see what I was writing. lol

I was going to get a 22 inch widescreen at Samsclub, but they had run out of the 24 inch and let me have the display model for 100 dollars less than it was selling at Newegg.

Lol, my wife said she has screen-envy. It's like a television we can all watch.

tehuti88 · Sep 19, 2008

Nateskate said:
I just changed to a larger screen size, and I feel it really helps in editing. I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed a difference in their ability to edit their novel due to a change in computer moniters or other things, like changing rooms???

The larger print just seems to jump from the page, and mistakes are supersized.

I unfortunately notice no such differences on different monitors. (I loathed our widescreen which came with this computer...I just can't stand widescreen. It mangled my photos and the text was always too big or too small no matter how I adjusted it. Had to switch back to the regular monitor. Unfortunately, almost everything seems widescreen nowadays.

) Reading is as difficult on one monitor as on another. (I have trouble focusing, not seeing.)

The only thing I can say with certainty is it's easier to focus on words on a page rather than on a monitor but I think this has more to do with simple ease of reading and being able to carry it around to quieter locations. I can't rightly print out all my stuff though, especially unproofed pages, there's so much of it!

Oh yes. Some fonts make it more difficult to focus than others. I can't stand Courier New. I just can't read that. I change things to Verdana most of the time, or Times New Roman.

But aside from that my writing looks like my writing anywhere I'm looking at it, and it always looks the same to me. :/

Telstar · Sep 19, 2008

caustic said:
As far as structure and grammar and small corrections, I always preferred printing and editing with a red pen. Seems to catch more having the ink in your hands as it would be read by the audience.

I still may catch a thing or two in the program afterwards though.

For re-writes, you gotta do it on-screen, yes, and the larger screen helps tremendously.

Same as the above poster.
I do a bit of editing on screen when writing, but the real one is red pen on paper.

Sorry for the trees.

2Wheels · Sep 19, 2008

I have a 22", which is useful for side-by-side windows, especially as I am re-writing an earlier MS and it's easier to rewrite from scratch rather than try to edit the original. When push comes to shove though, a hard copy is essential to catch the silly stuff. I can read and read, and scrutinise in depth over and over on screen, and as soon as I print a hard copy - Bingo! - there's the stupid comma I missed, or "at" or something.

alyssalynne · Sep 19, 2008

I use a small laptop so I make the text 140% in Word. I do some early editing on the computer but end up printing it out to catch errors.

Tachyon · Sep 19, 2008

I have a 15.4" laptop screen. A month or so ago, I bought a 20" monitor so I could have a dual-monitor set up. I find that this does help, because it allows me to have something fullscreen on one monitor and something else on the other monitor. In daily usage, I have whatever I'm working on (browser, email program, word processor) on the laptop monitor, then I have my chat windows and music player on the secondary monitor. When I'm writing, I put my word processor on the laptop monitor and then I can have research or notes up on the other monitor.

More screen real estate can definitely help. However, it is not a magic solution. It can just easily lead to more distractions and open up a hole for the evil multitasking imp.

cethklein · Sep 19, 2008

johnzakour said:
Yep. If only I could convince my wife I need a 36" screen I'd really rock.

It's a business expense. You NEED it.

*looks at prized collection of old muscle car literature*

Yep, definitely needed those for "research". Definitely.

Definitely. That's what the wife thinks.

Definitely.

Nateskate · Sep 21, 2008

tehuti88 said:
I unfortunately notice no such differences on different monitors. (I loathed our widescreen which came with this computer...I just can't stand widescreen. It mangled my photos and the text was always too big or too small no matter how I adjusted it. Had to switch back to the regular monitor. Unfortunately, almost everything seems widescreen nowadays. ) Reading is as difficult on one monitor as on another. (I have trouble focusing, not seeing.)

The only thing I can say with certainty is it's easier to focus on words on a page rather than on a monitor but I think this has more to do with simple ease of reading and being able to carry it around to quieter locations. I can't rightly print out all my stuff though, especially unproofed pages, there's so much of it!

Oh yes. Some fonts make it more difficult to focus than others. I can't stand Courier New. I just can't read that. I change things to Verdana most of the time, or Times New Roman.

But aside from that my writing looks like my writing anywhere I'm looking at it, and it always looks the same to me. :/

I can relate. When I first plugged into my computer, the new monitor stretched the images to fit the screen, making things slightly distorted. Fortunately my graphics card makes it easy to change resolutions.

What I did was to use a resolution that made things proportional- words/pics. Then I used various program properties to enlarge icons and words to what was comfortable. That way things aren't all stretched out and awkward looking. And as for M-word, I could set the screen to what percent of screen I preferred. For me it was worth the fiddling.

Screen size and writing

Nateskate

Red-Green

KoalaKoalaKoala!

caustic

MsK

Clair Dickson

A dark core to every cloud

Madison

summertime...

melaniehoo

And thus we begin the edits

SherriC

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

spacekadet

smoothseas

Life sucks... Then ya die...

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

Nateskate

Nateskate

tehuti88

Mackinac Island Fanatic

Telstar

I create people

2Wheels

Anachronista

alyssalynne

Tachyon

cethklein

Nateskate