| Author |
 Topic |
|
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
 Posted -
23/01/2010
:
16:58
|
This forum is for anyone with an interest in publishing on Lulu.com. Post questions and messages here.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
|
|
| Replies |
| Author |
|
|
colsack
|
Posted - 27/01/2010 : 09:05
Cheers pete and Stanley, head down, fingers tapping.
 |
colsack
|
Posted - 27/01/2010 : 19:05
The Times New Roman on my comp. are slanted, no mater what font I try, I can’t get the letters to stand perpendicular like yours. Any ideas?
|
panbiker
|
Posted - 27/01/2010 : 23:11
Make sure you dont have Italics enabled.
In MS Word look along the top above the edit window for the icons for Bold (B) Italic (I) and Underline (U, make sure that the I is not highlighted.
Hope this helps.
Ian |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 28/01/2010 : 06:07
Many lists of fonts give the name of the font in the same font. Have a look at the list and see if it's slanted there. Puzzling really and Panny may have given you the answer. If you hit the 'I' on the menu in this reply box you get the same thing. Knocking it off gets you back to the normal font. Try it on your WP.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Tizer
|
Posted - 28/01/2010 : 11:32
Another way is to highlight (`select') text with your mouse cursor and then press the Control key (the key with Ctrl written on it) and `I' key at the same time (in shorthand: press Ctrl I). You can `toggle' this - do it several times on the same bit of text and you'll see it go in and out of italics (same thing for Bold with Ctrl B and for Underline with Ctrl U).
When we say highlight (or select) a word we mean put your cursor at the start of the word, hold down the left mouse button and drag it to the end of the word. This leaves the word as if you've used a highlighter pen on it. While it is highlighted you can do the above operations, or you can copy the word, or delete it etc. You can highlight backwards too by reversing the instructions. You can do all this with a letter, a word, bits of sentences, whole paragraphs, or even the whole document.
Don't forget to back-up your computer files frequently so you don't lose all your work (i.e. make copies of your files for safe-keeping on a different disk). This is on two levels. You should make back-ups at regular intervals of all the files you have created on your computer. Say once a week perhaps - it depends on how often you use the computer to make or edit files. But also if you are working on a big document like a book I would advise backing up that file to another folder on your PC every time you do work on it. Go into your File Manager, copy the file and paste the copy into a different folder (in case your main folder gets deleted). Next time, do the same but when you paste the file into the back-up folder your PC will say "File of that name already exists. Replace or Cancel?" Tell it to Replace. That way you keep renewing the back-up file.
Another tip. You'll probably find yourself spending hours at the computer keying in your life story. Watch out your joints don't seize up! No, I'm not joking, we've discussed this problem on OGFB before. Using a PC isn't like working at a desk writing. At the PC we tend to sit rigid with only our hands moving, a very unnatural behaviour. It's particularly bad for the neck, shoulders and back. So break off frequently and have a walk around even if only to brew up. Even more important, as you type, think about your neck and arms often and try to relax them. Change the position of your back, straighten up. You should also give your eyes a rest in between those brew-ups by looking at something other than the screen.ideally have a look out of the window often. What's needed is for your eyes to re-focus on something distant instead of the screen.
If you need basic information on using a computer then I suggest the `In Easy Steps' series. These books are about £11 each which is cheap for good computer books (computer books always seem to get priced higher than others). They are not boring and they usually have one double-page spread per topic. Have a look at their web site on the link below. They do them on all aspects of computing but you will see there are special basic ones for beginners under `General' in the dropdown menu on the home page.
http://www.ineasysteps.com/
Edited by - Tizer on 28/01/2010 11:40:16
|
colsack
|
Posted - 28/01/2010 : 13:11
Thanks a lot, silly me, got it sorted.
|
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 28/01/2010 : 17:21
Another good tip is buy the biggest flat screen you can afford. Mine's a 22" widescreen and such a godsend.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Sue
|
Posted - 29/01/2010 : 13:15
Well Stanley , I have got the writing group interested. We have decided to put together some of our favourite/best pieces of work and publish . Hopefully by June but as we only meet twice a month and have lots of other things organised i don't see that we will make the target but at least it has us motivated
Sue
If you keep searching you'll find it |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 30/01/2010 : 06:53
Wonderful! You know where to come if you need any help or advice. Don't worry about the mechanics of it, just get them writing and we can soon stitch something together. I promise, once they have cracked it and see their work in print there will be no stopping them!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Sue
|
Posted - 30/01/2010 : 10:59
Its all written already Stanley but some is handwritten so will need typing up . I suggested each person is responsible for their own work initially and that they try and find some appropriate illustrations to go with it
Sue
If you keep searching you'll find it |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 31/01/2010 : 07:19
Any help at all.... If you get stuck, put all the material on a CD and send it to me and I'll make a publishing file for you.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
colsack
|
Posted - 31/01/2010 : 08:51
Stanley, Pete, another question. Iv'e set some pics into the text but there in colour, how do i change them to black and white, can you recomend a free photo shop i can download? Also, when i set out the front cover, do i have to place it before the first page og the text, or can it go after the last page? Cheers for your help lad's.
|
Tizer
|
Posted - 31/01/2010 : 10:43
Covers are dealt with separately on Lulu and Stanley can give you advice on that and the photos. Have you finished your writing? I would leave photos out until all the writing is finished, otherwise you will spend time fixing your photos in position then find you add some extra text and it all needs doing over again.
When I used Windows I had IrfanView which is free:
http://www.irfanview.com/ (and click on the link `What is IrfanView')
but I used it mostly for converting and sizing images - I don't know how good it is at improving images etc. One of the members uses it (`panbiker') and you could PM him and ask what he thinks.
Edited by - Tizer on 31/01/2010 10:44:39
|
colsack
|
Posted - 31/01/2010 : 19:55
Thanks Pete, have not finished writing yet but getting there.
|
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 01/02/2010 : 08:00
My path is write first draft, edit and expand where necessary, index (editing again as you do so), Insert pics and adjust format so that every chapter starts on an odd page number and fill any gaps with pics. Once you have the body done add the front pages and index giving a fly leaf at each end. Check edit the whole thing again. Covers are just 9x6 JPEGS of what you want. Leave room on back cover at bottom for the barcode they will print. I use the old cover-making programme which is dead simple once you have cracked it.
As usual, any help you need, give a shout. When you are indexing do all proper names, locations and items that would interest you. All indexes are idiosyncratic, they never suit everyone. Don't worry about this, just think what you would want to use it for to find something in the book.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
PUBLISHING ON LULU.COM
