How to Format Your Manuscript for an Online Critique Group

Online critique groups for fiction writers often require submissions to be in plain text or to use certain HTML codes for formatting like italics or underlining. That prevents the manuscripts from appearing as gibberish on the various computer systems used by members, but it can add several tedious steps to the submission process.

Both Microsoft Word and the free OpenOffice.org Writer offer a search and replace function that can streamline the conversion. The programs also simplify adding a blank line between paragraphs, which makes the manuscript easier to read on screen.

Both programs provide an easy way to record macros for each conversion.

Before performing any search and replace, it is a good idea to make a backup copy of the manuscript.

Converting Italics or Underlining

Important Note: In this article, angle brackets are denoted by curly brackets. If the instructions say to type {u}, you should type a u enclosed within angle brackets.

In plain text, italics or underlining are usually denoted by surrounding the italicized or underlined text with underscores, _like this._ If your workshop allows HTML, you can use the underline tag, {u}like this,{/u} or the italics tag, {i}like this{/i}.

Microsoft Word provides a very simple way to change all your underlined or italicized text in one step:

To replace underline with _underline_ for a plain text file in Word:
1. From the Edit menu, select Replace to open the Find and Replace dialog. Select the Replace tab.
2. Click More.
3. Put the cursor in the Find what box. Click Format and select Font from the drop-down menu.
4. On the Font tab, select the underline style used in the manuscript, most likely the single underline. Click OK.
5. In the Replace with box, put _^&_.
6. Click Replace All.
7. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.
When you save the file in text format, the formerly underlined text will be _underscored_ instead.

To replace underline with {u}underline{/u} for an HTML file in Word:
1. From the Edit menu, select Replace to open the Find and Replace dialog. Select the Replace tab.
2. Click More.
3. Put the cursor in the Find what box. Click Format and select Font from the drop-down menu.
4. On the Font tab, select the underline style used in the manuscript, most likely the single underline. Click OK.
5. In the Replace with box, put {u}^&{/u}. (Remember to use angle brackets, not curly brackets.)
6. Click Replace All.
7. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.
8. Save the file in text format.
The formerly underlined text will be {u}underlined{/u} instead.

To replace italics with _underline_ for a plain text file in Word:
1. From the Edit menu, select Replace to open the Find and Replace dialog. Select the Replace tab.
2. Click More.
3. Put the cursor in the Find what box. Click Format and select Font from the drop-down menu.
4. On the Font tab, select Italic in the Font style section. Click OK.
5. In the Replace with box, put _^&_.
6. Click Replace All.
7. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.
When you save the file in text format, the formerly italicized text will be _underscored_ instead.

To replace italics with {i}italics{/i} for an HTML file in Word:
1. From the Edit menu, select Replace to open the Find and Replace dialog. Select the Replace tab.
2. Click More.
3. Put the cursor in the Find what box. Click Format and select Font from the drop-down menu.
4. On the Font tab, select Italic in the Font style section. Click OK.
5. In the Replace with box, put {i}^&{/i}. (Remember to use angle brackets, not curly brackets.)
6. Click Replace All.
7. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.
8. Save the file in text format.
The formerly italicized text will be {i}italicized{/i} instead.

In OpenOffice.org Writer, the procedures are just as simple but not quite as obvious:

To replace underline with _underline_ for a plain text file in Writer:
1. From the Edit menu, select Find & Replace to open the Find & Replace dialog.
2. Click More Options in the bottom left and check Regular expressions.
3. In the Search For box, put (.*?).
4. With the cursor still in the box, click Attributes in the bottom right and check Underline. Click OK.
5. In the Replace with box, put _&_.
6. Click Replace All.
7. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.
When you save the file in text format, the formerly underlined text will be _underscored_ instead.

To replace underline with {u}underline{/u} for an HTML file in Writer:
1. From the Edit menu, select Find & Replace to open the Find & Replace dialog.
2. Click More Options in the bottom left and check Regular expressions.
3. In the Search For box, put (.*?).
4. With the cursor still in the box, click Attributes in the bottom right and check Underline. Click OK.
5. In the Replace with box, put {u}&{/u}. (Remember to use angle brackets, not curly brackets.)
6. Click Replace All.
7. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.
8. Save the file in text format.
The formerly underlined text will be {u}underlined{/u} instead.

OpenOffice.org Writer will save the Attributes settings, so if you want to search for something that is not underlined, click Attributes again and uncheck Underline.

To replace italics with _underline_ for a plain text file in Writer:
1. From the Edit menu, select Find & Replace to open the Find & Replace dialog.
2. Click More Options in the bottom left and check Regular expressions.
3. In the Search For box, put (.*?).
4. With the cursor still in the box, click Format in the bottom right. Select the Font tab, and select Italic in the Typeface section. Click OK.
5. In the Replace with box, put _&_.
6. Click Replace All.
7. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.
When you save the file in text format, the formerly italicized text will be _underscored_ instead.

To replace italics with {i}italics{/i} for an HTML file in Writer:
1. From the Edit menu, select Find & Replace to open the Find & Replace dialog.
2. Click More Options in the bottom left and check Regular expressions.
3. In the Search For box, put (.*?).
4. With the cursor still in the box, click Format in the bottom right. Select the Font tab, and select Italic in the Typeface section. Click OK.
5. In the Replace with box, put {i}&{/i}. (Remember to use angle brackets, not curly brackets.)
6. Click Replace All.
7. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.
8. Save the file in text format.
The formerly italicized text will be {i}italicized{/i}instead.

OpenOffice.org Writer will save the Format settings, so if you want to search for something that is not italicized, click No Format.

Adding a Blank Line Between Paragraphs
To create an extra blank line between paragraphs (for easy reading on screen):

In Microsoft Word:
1. From the Edit menu, select Replace to open the Find and Replace dialog. Select the Replace tab.
2. In the Find what box, put ^p.
3. In the Replace with box, put ^p^p.
4. Click Replace All.
5. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.

In OpenOffice.org Writer:
1. From the Edit menu, select Find & Replace to open the Find & Replace dialog.
2. Click More Options in the bottom left and check Regular expressions.
3. In the Search For box, put $.
4. In the Replace with box, put \n\n .
5. Click Replace All.
6. Click OK. Click Close to close the dialog.

Making it Simpler with Macros

Macros allow you to turn any of the above procedures into a single step.

To record a macro in Microsoft Word:
1. From the Tools menu, select Macro and then Record New Macro.
2. Type a name for the macro in the Macro name field. Names cannot include spaces. Click OK.
3. Follow the steps for the procedure you want the macro to perform.
4. Click the square stop button on the pop-up window.

To run the Word macro later:
1. From the Tools menu, select Macro and then select Macros.
2. Select the macro you want to run and click Run.

To record a macro in OpenOffice.org Writer:
1. From the Tools menu, select Macros and then Record Macro.
2. Follow the steps for the procedure you want the macro to perform.
3. Click Stop Recording on the pop-up window.
4. Type a name in the Macro name field and click Save.

To run the Writer macro later:
1. From the Tools menu, select Macros and then select Run Macro.
2. Select the macro you want to run and click Run.

Read through your manuscript before you submit it to the workshop to make sure everything worked correctly.