Hello everyone,

Me again! Getting a little lost on the technical side of this writing lark!

I was once told to justify my work, but since reading this site am I right in thinking this is wrong?

Some have mentioned 'left' alignment. This is going to sound so naivee, but by this do you mean going to the format paragraph tab on Word and just chosing left alignment on the options.

Sorry to sound so picky, I just want to get as much right as possible.

Many thanks

Eve

by this do you mean going to the format paragraph tab on Word and just chosing left alignment on the options.

Yes. Sometimes it's called 'ranged left' - same thing. Justifying makes it hard to judge how long something is, and makes the spacing of the lines weird too (specially since you don't want to be hyphenating) computers not being as clever as proper compositors at avoiding this.

Emma

Or you may have the icons on your toolbar. They’ll look like clumps of horizontal lines, and there’s one to align left (normal), one to align right (useful for addressing letters), one to centre (for titles, chapter headings) and one to justify (which you never use).

If they’re not on the toolbar, you can easily put them on.

Dee

I'm still getting used to left justification. It's really weird because ever since moving from a typewriter I've always, always used justification. I loved to have everything look neat and tidy, even when it looked really shit (using an Atari ST and a nine point dot matrix printer).

I'm like a kid with a new toy now: Courier font, left justification - I've even got a program that makes typewriter click noises as I type... and the carriage return is fab!!!

It's like being fifteen again (go on, click here)


Colin M

Colin, I was looking for a link to that typewriter clicky sound programme thing... have you got one?

Dee

Ooo, yes please. I love that noise, specially the zzzzip-ping of the carriage return. Besides, I'd love to try it on an unwitting techy!

I have to set my mobile to ring something that sounds like a proper telephone bell, otherwise I don't respond to it, just look round thinking 'who's playing The Lone Ranger?' or whatever. Though when the children are annoying me I do threaten to download the Archers' theme tune and have it go off at the school gate if they don't behave. Works every time.

Emma

Here's a direct link to the download (it should take seconds - it's very small).

Any probs, or help with registering the wwmail me.

Colin
(note - it takes a bit of play to get it right. I use the type3 sound for general keys because my old manual was one of the small types, and I swapped the sounds for RETURN with CAPS LOCK as CAPS LOCK is the fab carraige return zoom sound thing). You can customize it to anything though, burps farts or the sound of a hammer hitting a nail

Thanks for all your advice! Sorry its taken me awhile to post back.

I all seems so blimmin' obvious now, its funny how its always the small things that confuse you!

Here's to a long weekend writing!!

xx

Hi there - I downloaded the file that you recommended and it is great fun! I do like the bell when hitting carriage return.

Takes me back to the days when my SCOTVEC Typing modules were laboriously completed on a manual typewriter.

Long live technology :-)

Alison Cross

Hi Guys

I've just loaded the software for the typewriter. Takes me back to my days as a junior shorthand typist!! When I became a secretary, I insisted that I had an IBM Selectrix, which had a golfball instead of those things that used to come up and strike the paper (can't remember their name now).

I'm set for the weekend now but, as I write on the dining room table that is in the through lounge, I think the rest of the family might get a bit pee'd off.

love
di

Di - (see? I told you I'd sign up ;-)) download the Smith Corona scheme - very satisfying carriage return and bell.

Finally got round to installing it! What fun. Can't absolutely promise I'll write every word with it on in the future - not sure it really goes with The St John Passion (current writing music of choice) but it'll certainly make me laugh while deleting spam! (and yes, must make Return have the proper noise.)

Thanks, Colin!

Emma