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Post by beckyminor on Dec 29, 2009 14:20:15 GMT -5
Well, I know I found this option in an old version of Word, but now that I'm running 2007, I can't find it...
How in the world do you make sure Word 2007 is using Smart (curly) quotes instead of straight quotes? Every time I look at my manuscript, I find another spot where a rogue straight quote has made it through the editing process, and I'd really rather not have to ferret every one of them out manually.
Any suggestions? (In computer not-so-savvy terms, please...I'm only just this side of techno-literate.)
Thanks a million!
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lexkx
Full Member
How nice to know that if you go down the hole, Dad will fish you out.
Posts: 125
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Post by lexkx on Dec 29, 2009 15:44:59 GMT -5
I would use the "find and replace" feature. I've used it in MS 2007 documents where I've pasted and compiled. Control + H will pull up the box, then type " in both fields. You will want to check " marks at the end of em-dashes, and I usually do that with the same find and replace feature. (Even though smark quotes show up in boxes, the program will differentiate when placing them in the ms, so type two '' marks in quick succession, then delete the first one if you're trying to get specific end quotes.) Good luck!
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Post by beckyminor on Dec 29, 2009 16:34:55 GMT -5
As far as I can tell, that did it, Lex. You get a gold star in my book!
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Post by Jeff Gerke on Dec 31, 2009 11:51:57 GMT -5
Lex told you the correct way to do it, Becky. You'll want to check through it carefully though because occasionally it will switch the curlies to point in the wrong direction, especially when you end a line of dialogue with an em dash: "Where will you--" (That last quotation mark will likely get flipped to the wrong side.)
As you're typing, Word should be correcting your straight quotes to curly quotes on the fly. If it's not doing that, mess with your autocorrect settings.
Note that when using the apostrophes and quotation marks for feet and inches, publishers usually prefer the straight kind--not the curlies.
Jeff
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Post by beckyminor on Dec 31, 2009 13:50:18 GMT -5
Yeah, I think most of my straight vs. curly issues cropped up when I moved my work from an old version of Word to Word 2007.
And as for the m dashes...yeah, I had to fuss with them as well...I've adopted the tactic of typing --m" whenever I need the curly to go the right way, then deleting the m after the m dash autocorrected.
Things get sticky when the computer tries to think too much without the user.
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Ginny
Junior Member
Posts: 53
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Post by Ginny on Jan 18, 2010 0:42:06 GMT -5
If anyone has had a problem with MS Word arbitrarily putting a solid, un-deletable black line across the middle of a page for no apparent reason, let me know. It took me three years, but I finally found someone who told me how to fix it. E-mail me for the answer: vjaques@shaw.ca
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Post by Jeff Gerke on Jan 18, 2010 9:32:48 GMT -5
Is that the three asterisks and a hard return line or the page borders line?
Both are maddening.
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ryain
Junior Member
Fantasy.... Fashion....
Posts: 90
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Post by ryain on Jan 18, 2010 9:40:18 GMT -5
I don't want to sound stupid here, but what is the difference between curlies and straight quotes? And is there a certain one we as authors of fiction are supposed to have?
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Post by beckyminor on Jan 18, 2010 9:40:52 GMT -5
Sometimes Word just tries to think too hard. Some features I get, but others, I have not yet weeded through.
Thank goodness for folks here to ask our "whuzzuh?" type questions.
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Post by beckyminor on Jan 18, 2010 9:45:10 GMT -5
I don't want to sound stupid here, but what is the difference between curlies and straight quotes? And is there a certain one we as authors of fiction are supposed to have? The curly quotes (ones that look like upside-down apostrophes with a ball and a curve at the beginning of the quote, and then right side up ones at the end of the quote) are preferred by many publishers, (if not all) from what I've gathered. Word calls them smart quotes. Does that help or just muddy the water?
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ryain
Junior Member
Fantasy.... Fashion....
Posts: 90
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Post by ryain on Jan 18, 2010 10:08:33 GMT -5
Oh no, that helps. Thanks.
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Ginny
Junior Member
Posts: 53
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Post by Ginny on Jan 25, 2010 1:51:04 GMT -5
Yes, Jeff. That sounds like the problem. It is a borders thing. When you type the same three characters in a row without spaces between it puts a border in your text. I had to go into the format tool and remove the border.
I have another question and I don't know if this is the place to ask or not. Has anyone heard of Xulon Press? Claims to be a Christian self-publishing press that has published 2000 Christian books, but I've never heard of it. Is it legit?
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Post by Kristen on Jan 25, 2010 21:44:59 GMT -5
Ginny -- I've had a couple of people recommend Xulon. Near as I can tell, they're no less legit than any other self-pub house, but I didn't really research the matter because I'm not prepared to wade into the self-publishing waters.
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Ginny
Junior Member
Posts: 53
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Post by Ginny on Jan 26, 2010 2:24:24 GMT -5
Thanks, Kristen. I don't think I am ready yet either, but I'm keeping all options open.
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Post by Grace Bridges on Jan 26, 2010 17:16:57 GMT -5
Ginny, a friend of mine went with Xulon and regretted it ever since. You do have to pay them, you know, and they get your rights. I'll see if I can get her to come on here and explain a bit more.
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