Question about Chapter formatting

Mikey B · Sep 30, 2008

I read in the other thread to hit Ctrl+Enter to get a new chapter. But, After hitting the two keys nothing happens. Am I doing something wrong?

Sorry, noob with a noob question.

Deccydiva · Sep 30, 2008

Can you quote or link to the other thread? I'm having difficulty understanding the question, sorry... :Shrug:

Mikey B · Sep 30, 2008

From Cathy C

Chapter Breaks
Definition: A chapter break is most commonly achieved through the use of a hard page return (pressing Ctrl + Enter/Return after the final line of a chapter to start a new page, regardless of where on the page a chapter ends.) This keystroke method is the same in both Word and WordPerfect.
Use in industry: Both non-fiction and fiction books use hard returns to signal chapter breaks. It is the industry standard.

End quote.

But, when I do what she says...nothing happens.

drachin8 · Sep 30, 2008

Which Word Processing program are you using and what version? That might be helpful toward discovering the answer to this quandary.

-Michelle

Mikey B · Sep 30, 2008

drachin8 said:
Which Word Processing program are you using and what version? That might be helpful toward discovering the answer to this quandary.

-Michelle

I am using Word for Mac Version 11.5.0 2004 version.

IceCreamEmpress · Sep 30, 2008

It's different on Mac. I think the key combination is shift plus the enter key on the numerical pad?

In any case, it's easier to go to the Insert pulldown, and do Insert > Break > Page Break.

The Lonely One · Sep 30, 2008

Couldn't you just hit return until you're on line one of a new page?

That's what I've been doing with my MS. Is that wrong?

Mikey B · Sep 30, 2008

IceCreamEmpress said:
It's different on Mac. I think the key combination is shift plus the enter key on the numerical pad?

In any case, it's easier to go to the Insert pulldown, and do Insert > Break > Page Break.

Ah, thank you so much. That worked!

Mikey B · Sep 30, 2008

The Lonely One said:
Couldn't you just hit return until you're on line one of a new page?

I've done that for other stories and when I send it to be read people get it all messed up.

drachin8 · Sep 30, 2008

Heh, IceCreamEmpress beat me to the answer (my Google-Fu is slow!). Glad it worked for you, Mikey!

As for hitting return until the new page, that is all fine and well until you decide to edit. Then you have to go to every "chapter" and delete or add more returns. And then what if you do ANOTHER round of editing? Much nicer to use the page break option so it will automatically control the formatting for you.

-Michelle

Mikey B · Sep 30, 2008

drachin8 said:
Heh, IceCreamEmpress beat me to the answer (my Google-Fu is slow!). Glad it worked for you, Mikey!

As for hitting return until the new page, that is all fine and well until you decide to edit. Then you have to go to every "chapter" and delete or add more returns. And then what if you do ANOTHER round of editing? Much nicer to use the page break option so it will automatically control the formatting for you.

-Michelle

Thank you so much for your time Michelle.

Dale Emery · Sep 30, 2008

The Lonely One said:
Couldn't you just hit return until you're on line one of a new page?

That's what I've been doing with my MS. Is that wrong?

It isn't wrong. The trouble is that it makes your chapter positioning sensitive to various kinds of edits. For example, if you simply use blank lines to position your chapters, then any of these changes might cause your chapters to move higher or lower on the page:

Add or delete lines in earlier chapters.
Adjust margins.
Send your document to someone else who uses a different word processor, or a different version of the same word processor.

If you start each chapter with a page break, your chapter positioning is less sensitive to those kinds of changes.

Dale

CaroGirl · Sep 30, 2008

The Lonely One said:
Couldn't you just hit return until you're on line one of a new page?

That's what I've been doing with my MS. Is that wrong?

Yes, it's wrong. And what Dale said.

vixey · Sep 30, 2008

Dale Emery said:
might cause your chapters to move higher or lower on the page

Which brings up another question: On what line do you start a new chapter? I usually start mine about 1/3 way down the page at line 3.6. I'm curious what other people do.

blacbird · Sep 30, 2008

About 1/3 down the page is about right.

caw

drachin8 · Sep 30, 2008

vixey said:
Which brings up another question: On what line do you start a new chapter? I usually start mine about 1/3 way down the page at line 3.6. I'm curious what other people do.

I start mine at about line 12, but I can't say I really have any good reason for doing so.

-Michelle

Charlie Horse · Sep 30, 2008

vixey said:
Which brings up another question: On what line do you start a new chapter? I usually start mine about 1/3 way down the page at line 3.6. I'm curious what other people do.

I add exactly 108 pts. space above each new chapter (after a page break). That's it! One hundred and eight points, no more, no less. Why? Because if I don't something really bad will happen. Yep...108...that's the magic number all right. Has to be exactly 108.

I do this in the format paragraph menu option. You can also set up a style for chapter numbers to do the same thing but I never have. It's too anal.

vixey · Sep 30, 2008

I think the way I interpret Word, I come down exactly 3.6 inches, but that seems like a lot. Thanks for the info.

windyrdg · Sep 30, 2008

I make each chapter a seperate document and assemble them into a manuscript when it's complete. That way you never have to worry about edits causing things to go haywire and they're easy to move, delete, ect. As Dale suggested.

What Cathy was saying is insert a hard page break between chapters in your final manuscript. That way things stay put.

RJK · Oct 1, 2008

If we do a little math, we can calculate whare the first line for the new chapter chould be. The page is 11.5 inches long, Divide 11.5 by 3 and you get 3.83333 inches. I start the first line of text at that ruler mark. I put the chapter title above that.

Bufty · Oct 1, 2008

No, no, no, RJ. You should use 6 decimal places to be really accurate. A large magnifying glass helps.

vixey · Oct 1, 2008

Bufty said:
No, no, no, RJ. You should use 6 decimal places to be really accurate. A large magnifying glass helps.

I should be just right at 3.6 then. Yay me!

RJK · Oct 1, 2008

Just keep increasing the Zoom untill it all becomes a fuzzy blur.

bramble · Oct 1, 2008

RJK said:
Just keep increasing the Zoom untill it all becomes a fuzzy blur.

Wine does the same thing for me.

Kate Thornton · Oct 2, 2008

A hard page break between chapters - I hit "page break" at the end of the previous chapter and it positions me at the top of the next page (I use Open Office Writer on a PC) and it can save you a boatload of work down the road.

Revisions and edits do not foul up my formatting or move stuff around, except within the chapter in which I am working.

It's a very cool trick to discover, be you veteran or noob.

Question about Chapter formatting

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