The right way to write a ebook with Microsoft Phrase
If you want to write a book, you need book writing software that is up to the task. Yes, you can invest in special book writing programs. But you don't have to: a great writing tool is probably already available by the time you know how to write a book in Microsoft Word.
There is a lot of software out there for writing books. Many of these programs are intuitive to use, help organize, and even say they save you from distraction. The options can be overwhelming.
There's one more tried and tested option if you're not interested in all of that (or can't afford the fancier programs): Microsoft Word.
I write most of my books in Microsoft Word, not to mention short stories. Here's how to write a book using Microsoft Word and why it might be your best choice.
The Benefits of Microsoft Word for Book Writing
You most likely already have it. And everyone else too. Word is the standard that is accepted across platforms and is easily accessible to non-authors (your beta readers). It's always been around, so most people know how to use it.
There are book formatting templates. A ton of them. You have them for the short story format and for the manuscript format. Personally, I don't use these templates, but they make a great base for beginners or even old hats who just want to hurry up and write without setting up their document first.
It's simple and clear. There are a variety of apps and programs with which you can always have your notes on the plot structure at hand, rearrange your chapters at the push of a button and keep detailed character profiles right in the program. It's all a little too much for me. I prefer handwritten notes and nothing else is blocking my screen while I type and Word gives me that.
It's worth noting that if all of this sounds nice to you, you can do these things in Word, it just isn't as fancy as other programs.
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Are you ready to write your book? With a few tweaks, Microsoft Word might be the perfect writing tool.
Hey writers: The first step in writing a book is a great idea. The second step is to find out the structure of your book. If you have an idea but need some help with structure, check out my new book The Write Structure. You will learn how to use timeless principles of story structure to write a great book. You can get the book for a limited time price. For the writing structure, click here ($ 2.99).
How to Navigate Your Book in Microsoft Word
When you have a 90,000 word manuscript it becomes daunting to navigate. Fortunately, there are ways to do this in Word that make it easier if you know where to look.
Chapter headings
Word does not divide your book into chapters like some other programs. There's no easy way to click and drag to rearrange chapters.
What I recommend is the use of headings. Standard headings are already listed on the Word start page. Definitely mess with them and change their formatting to something simple.
Nobody needs huge blue words for chapter headings. (You can also set your simpler formatting as the default style so you don't have to change it every time.)
Make the title or number of each chapter a heading. You can then easily switch to different chapters in the navigation area (activate the Navigation area check box in the View menu).
bookmark
These basically work the same as headings, but apply to all areas of your document. Do you have a specific scene that you need to research more about? You can bookmark it and refer to it later.
Set bookmarks by clicking Bookmarks on the Insert menu. Name your bookmark and voilà. You can also just delete them from the pop-up menu.
Search and replace
Ctrl + F invokes a simple search option to find words and phrases in your document. CTRL + H displays the full game. This dialog box allows you to search, replace certain words with others (i.e. Jennifer will now become Julia throughout the manuscript), and go to any page, section, heading, bookmark, etc. you need to go to.
Microsoft Word is great for editing your book
Word offers a variety of options for editing your story, including comments, tracking changes, and comparing documents. All of these are in the Review menu.
I use the comments feature to take notes where I need to double-check facts or add a description later. You can easily navigate through the comments using the search function or the buttons in the Review menu. Don't forget to remove all of them before saving your document as a PDF or sending it to an editor.
Tracking changes is fantastic and a lot of editors (for short stories anyway) use this feature to collaborate with you during the editing process. You can accept or reject changes, or even go back to the original.
Finally, make sure you have grammar and spell checking enabled! You can even use the grammar checker to check for style issues (such as the correct use of ellipses) and passive language. It's priceless.
Pro tip: Turn off some of the fine-tuning features of the grammar checker to keep you in the know as you write. There is nothing that ruins your flow more than a series of underlines to deal with right away. I recommend taking the full exam when you're done (or at least ready for the day).
Formatting your book in Microsoft Word
Make sure that you are familiar with the standard manuscript format for novels and the formatting of short stories. Take a look at these links and follow their directions. You don't want to be immediately rejected for trying strange formatting that is difficult to see.
One of the biggest problems I see editors face is writers using spaces to indent paragraphs. Do not do that. It makes it very difficult for them when they are putting together a book. Instead, use the ruler in Word (on the View menu) or Paragraph Settings (on the Home menu) to customize your tabs. Half an inch is standard.
Regardless of what most of us learned in school, the standard now is one space at a time, not two. This is another sticking point with editors. So don't do it. If you're used to two, there is a grammar checker feature in Word that you can turn on every time you use two spaces.
Finally, use the Page Break option to break for a new chapter, not a million spaces. You can find the page break in the Insert menu.
Pro tip: If you have any doubts about your formatting, you can turn on the Show / Hide option in the Home menu (looks like a paragraph icon) to see all of the formatting icons.
After you've mastered Microsoft Word, write your book
Don't let writing software choices stagnate your writing. Don't overthink it. You don't have to keep up with the Joneses with the latest writing technology used in technical forums and chat writing.
The most important thing about writing a book is actually writing it. No fancy book writing software will help you with this.
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The most important thing about writing a book is not the software you choose, but the fact that you are writing. Write!
So write!
Have you ever used Word to write a book? Do you have any other tips for writing a book in Word? Let me know in the comments!
WORK OUT
Take fifteen minutes to write. Just write. Don't worry about the setup, formatting, or the program you plan to use. Open Word or get out a pen and paper if you want!
When you're done, share your writing in the comments. Don't forget to comment on your colleagues' work!
Sarah Gribble
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