Re:Word Fails Me - Why doesn’t Microsoft’s writing tool actu...
by derefr on Thursday May 20, 2010 @05:49AM
(#1363625)
> Maybe you're saying that that's too much to ask from the majority of writers
It's not "too much to ask," it's something that requires much training and practice and a good sense of visual aesthetics, and writers shouldn't waste 10x the time to get half as good a result as someone who does it professionally. Of course, you should be aware of how the way in which you do your job affects how others do theirs (i.e. it'sveryhardtotypesetthisline,evenifit'sthewaysomeonesoundedwhentheyspoke), but you shouldn't do [an amateur version of] their job for them.
Re:Word Fails Me - Why doesn’t Microsoft’s writing tool actu...
by billswift on Thursday May 20, 2010 @07:58AM
(#1363786)
Even when the writer does the typesetting or formatting himself, it should still be the last thing done, AFTER all the writing is done. Trying to do the formatting while writing messes with both.
If you get someone who doesn't know how to use Word, teach them. Say, "Can you please turn on Track Changes and redo your changes, without the red bold uppercase?"
> Typesetting should be one of the last steps of document preparation, and the majority of writers shouldn't even be involved in that process.
You get a better product when the writer is aware and competent at that. Maybe you're saying that that's too much to ask from the majority of writers, or maybe that extra increment of quality isn't worth it for the majority of books.