Microsoft word problem

authorMAF · Aug 8, 2014

I know that when a character cuts another one off while speaking, the dialogue ends with:

- "

However, when I try doing that with word, I can only do it like this:

-"

or else the quotation mark is facing the other way, as though starting a new dialogue (not sure if this makes sense...but it's hard to explain)

Does anyone know how to fix this?

chompers · Aug 8, 2014

You can either type in another letter before the quote so that the quote would face the correct direction, then delete that extra letter, or you can change the quote marks from smart (the curly type) to straight. To change it, go through the AutoCorrect options.

authorMAF · Aug 8, 2014

chompers said:
You can either type in another letter before the quote so that the quote would face the correct direction, then delete that extra letter, or you can change the quote marks from smart (the curly type) to straight. To change it, go through the AutoCorrect options.

it worked! thank you!

I also found out that I could have typed in Alt 8213 that also creates a dash without the whole quotation marks!

I wish word was a little simpler sometimes...

Deleted member 42 · Aug 9, 2014

stormowl7 said:
Does anyone know how to fix this?

Are you on a Mac or Windows?

On a Mac, any Mac in any program:

option + [ = “
option + shift + [ = ”
option + ] = ‘
option + shift + ] = ’

For Windows, see the "shortcut" keys on the page below for “ and ”

Ken · Aug 9, 2014

Yeah. That's annoying. I switched to straight quotes, via Chompers method. So no longer so. Good you found a solution.

morriss003 · Aug 10, 2014

I usually put the quotes in and then use insert>symbol to insert the dash before the end quote. It's the first symbol in the table.

PenTeller · Aug 17, 2014

For general manuscript formatting, using straight quotes is recommended (sometimes smart quotes don't transfer correctly between your computer and an agent's or publisher's).

guttersquid · Aug 17, 2014

stormowl7 said:
I know that when a character cuts another one off while speaking, the dialogue ends with:

- "

Actually, that's wrong. The dialogue should end like this:

--"

That's using two dashes (hyphens) to represent an em-dash, and no space before the quotation mark.

"Quit interrupting me while--"

Note: What I do to avoid typing "--" is assign the em-dash (from the character chart) to the F12 key.

Microsoft word problem

authorMAF

chompers

authorMAF

Deleted member 42

Ken

morriss003

Lurking along

PenTeller

guttersquid

I agree with Roxxsmom.