elipses (...)

reenkam · Jul 2, 2007

Why is it that when a manuscript is in "manuscript format" (courier, 12 pt.) elipses are so close together? I feel like it makes the whole line look wrong.

Does this happen to everyone or did I do something weird to my computer??

alleycat · Jul 2, 2007

Do you have your options set to replace . . . . with... ? (It's hard to do that and make it look exactly right.) Are you using Word or something else? I can tell you were the option is in Word.

I always put them in manually . . . like this.

Ziljon · Jul 2, 2007

I had learned that you're supposed to put actual spaces between the periods . . . like that.

not...this
but . . . this. Spaces for and aft and in-between. That way, no matter what your settings, they won't be replaced or changed . . . or whatever.

reenkam · Jul 2, 2007

That could be it. Do you know how to change it in Word 07?

Edit:

Oh, thanks Ziljon!

alleycat · Jul 2, 2007

After you do it manually a few times it will become second-nature.

reenkam · Jul 2, 2007

I found found that if I do 3 periods in a row it changes it to the squished ellipsis, but then if I hit backspace once then it turns into a nice, perfectly spaced ellipsis.

Find > Replace fixed the rest of them

alleycat · Jul 2, 2007

reenkam said:
I found found that if I do 3 periods in a row it changes it to the squished ellipsis, but then if I hit backspace once then it turns into a nice, perfectly spaced ellipsis.

Find > Replace fixed the rest of them

The option to change that in Word is in Tools > Auto-Correct Options; however, you should be able to just do space-dot-space-dot-space-dot-space and be done with it.

ResearchGuy · Jul 2, 2007

alleycat said:
The option to change that in Word is in Tools > Auto-Correct Options; however, you should be able to just do space-dot-space-dot-space-dot-space and be done with it.

Professional advice: use non-breaking spaces. Fix Word's autocorrect to do that (three periods separated by nonbreaking spaces). That prevents the ellipsis from breaking at end of line.

--Ken

rugcat · Jul 2, 2007

Ziljon said:
I had learned that you're supposed to put actual spaces between the periods . . . like that.

If you don't, the copy editor will do it for you.

reenkam · Jul 2, 2007

Well, it took forever to find (they took away 'Tools' in Word 2007) but I changed it.

Thanks everyone!

alleycat · Jul 2, 2007

reenkam said:
Well, it took forever to find (they took away 'Tools' in Word 2007) but I changed it.

Oh, great. Where, pray tell, did MS put those options in Word 2007? I still use Word 2003.

ResearchGuy · Jul 2, 2007

rugcat said:
If you don't, the copy editor will do it for you.

Oddly, after I had fixed all of the numerous ellipses in the manuscript of Dandelion Through the Crack, the publisher removed the spaces and used the Word default of three unspaced dots... (like that). Go figure.

At least they were consistent. And only copy editors (probably a small segment of the audience for that book) will care about the deviation from standard style in commercially published books.

--Ken

reenkam · Jul 2, 2007

You have to click on the...uh "Microsoft Office" sign at the top left, then click "Word Options" then "Proofing" then "AutoCorrect Options"

it is in no way simple or intuitive...

Tallymark · Jul 2, 2007

The 'Autocorrect' function can be a dangerous weapon. XD In college, there was someone who, when their roomate left their computer unattended, went into the autocorrect and started...messing things up. Like, when the person came back and typed in "the", it would change to "teh", and when they typed in "3" it would change to "2"--little things that drove the poor victim crazy trying to figure out why they were suddenly typing so bad.

But they figured it out when they tried to type their name, and it kept replacing with a swear word.

So yeah, autocorrect is really easy to use. You can make it do just about anything. XD

elipses (...)

reenkam

aka cupcake

alleycat

Still around

Ziljon

Tortilla di Patate

reenkam

aka cupcake

alleycat

Still around

reenkam

aka cupcake

alleycat

Still around

ResearchGuy

Resident Curmudgeon

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

reenkam

aka cupcake

alleycat

Still around

ResearchGuy

Resident Curmudgeon

reenkam

aka cupcake

Tallymark