1. citric acid

    citric acid New Member

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    Double Spacing

    Discussion in 'Revision and Editing' started by citric acid, Nov 19, 2009.

    Sorry if this is a stupid question but i don't understand whether when it is said that manuscripts should be 'double-spaced', does that mean an extra space between lines like

    this.

    or an extra space between words. it just seems a lot of work to put an extra space in between of every single word, unless there's some shortcut with the keyboard i dontknow of.

    again, apologies for the stupid question.
     
  2. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Your first example is the intended meaning.
     
  3. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    yes...

    your wp program should have a setting for double-spacing, that will make your whole document be that way automatically, so you don't have to do it 'by hand'... in ms word, that's either on your tool bar already [2 lines, labeled 'double space'], or can be found in 'tools' when you select 'customize' and go to the 'format' file, scroll down till you see them... you can then click and drag the icon to your tool bar, so it's handy when you need it...
     
  4. InkDream

    InkDream Active Member

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    Yes, that's what it means. It allows an editor room to make notes and makes it easier to read. Most writing programs (I have Microsoft Word) have a setting you can use to make it automatic. Sometimes when you go through and do it manually by hitting the "Enter" key it can really create issues with the format and line breaks, etc.
     
  5. citric acid

    citric acid New Member

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    thanks, i thought so. i had already found by accident that i could add extra spaces between lines by pressing shift+2.
     
  6. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    I think you mean CTRL-2, which is a keyboard shortcut in Word to double-space the current paragraph. But you're better off setting your Normal paragraph style for the entire document as double-spaced.
     
  7. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    yup!
     
  8. writewizard

    writewizard New Member

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    No question is a stupid question unless it remains unasked. ;)

    Double-spacing is when you double space an entire document. To do so select your entire writing and press Apple 2. It is very easy. I love to double space ;)

    (OR: It's CTRL two, I guess, as Cog posted!)
     
  9. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    that only works on a mac...

    the simplest way to double space a document is to keep the line-spacing icons on your top tool bar and set the entire document to the spacing you want, before starting to write...

    simplest/quickest yet, is to keep on your desktop a blank document that's been set up for the standard ms format [double-spacing; 1" margins all around; courier 12pt font; etc.]... then, all you have to do when wanting to create a new piece of writing is to open it and start typing... when done, or ready to close it, hit 'save as' and put the title in, so it'll be saved and the blank doc will be ready for the next time...
     
  10. Delphinus

    Delphinus New Member

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    I really hate writing in a double-spaced format, though, because it makes me go over events twice as quickly, presumably because I work heavily on image/word combinations rather than words alone. Double-spacing throws my sense of pace completely off, so I always format the document to manuscript style after I've finished. Does anyone else have this problem?
     
  11. Amarea

    Amarea New Member

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    I prefer writing it in manuscript format as I go along, personally. Its so important when submitting, and I've had one editor-type person comment on the fact that I'd managed to do it right, so I like knowing that it's right from the start. It avoids having to go back and have to sift through for all those little punctuation bits like two spaces after the end of sentences. I'm used to the way it looks now though, so it doesn't irritate me as much as it did.
     

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