I heard an author say that before you send the manuscript you should change all the words in italics to underlined, because IF they accept the ms it's likely that the italics disappear when changing font. Now Is there any way of finding all the words in italics without looking at every page manually? Like when you search for certain words and change to others?? I can't find any option for finding all the italics with a simple search. ---------- Post added at 03:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:27 PM ---------- i forgot to say Im using Ms Word 2010 (i think, the latest version anyhow).
I use Word 2007, but I think it works the same way. 1) Go to Find and Replace (Ctrl+F, and click the replace tab) 2) Click "More" 3) Click into the "Find What:" box, and then click ""Format" at the bottom, and then "Font" 4) Under "Font style" select "Italic", and then "OK" 5) Click into the "Replace what:" box, and then click "Format" and "Font" again. 6) Under "Font style" make sure "Italic" is unselected, before clicking the "Underline style" dropdown box and selecting the single underline". Then click "OK". 7) Click "Replace All", and you're sorted. I hope that both works, and helps.
It worked!!! and it was very helpful, thanks a lot. I figured there must be a way of doing it like this instead of going through the entire ms and change one at a time. This saved me A LOT of work! You're a Hero!
I read somewhere else that you didn't have to underline where you wanted italics, that italics are just fine. Methinks, before you start whole scale changes on your manuscript, you'd be best to ask the publishers with whom you are going to entrust your manuscript as to what their preference are. From the horse's mouth, so to speak.
I agree. A lot of places no longer do this (require underlining for italics). Some still do, I think. It's definitely worth the effort to make sure before sending.
All that will do is remove all italics. It won't replace it with underlining. This is true, a lot of publishers now do ask for italics to be represented as italics. But underlining is still standard manuscript format. Whenever you're submitting, you should read and closely adhere to the particularly publisher's specific guidelines. However, if no mention is made of italics, then they should be represented as underlining as the standard.
Double check. Then check again. Especially if what other people say about presentation of MS's being the toe in the door... we can't afford any stuff ups, can we?
banzai: should they be italics PLUS underlined or just underlined? sheez, I don't know what to do now. Maybe it's better to leave it and IF someone accept it (crossing fingers) they could even ask me to change it then...
I don't know about this. I would go the other way around in today's writing world that uses word processors instead of typewriters, mostly. Underlining came about for typewriters because most do not have italics or it was more difficult to get italics than add another keystroke to the manuscript. But it's also important to use underlining for certain fonts in word processors because their italics are difficult to see, like Courier. You probably should underline italicized text if you use Courier, even if the publisher makes no mention of it, but I don't think it's necessary unless specifically asked for if you use Times New Roman. In a page of regular text, it's difficult to see an italicized word in Courier, less so with TNR. In the end, it all comes down, as you said, to the submission guidelines, which fonts they prefer and whether or not they request underlining for italics.
should be underlined only... or in italics only... and be consistent throughout the ms... i agree with banz on using underlining, unless the agent/publisher guidelines specifically say not to, as no one will mind that, while some will mind italics, since in some fonts it's easier to see the underlining, than the italics...
