In Praise of Rich Text Format — the Universal Format for Writers
Filed under: 2-Quick Start Advice, 3-PUTTING WORDS ON PAPER, Uncategorized
With release of Microsoft Word 2007 and yet another new file format just days away, this is an appropriate time to discuss the importance and applicability of Rich Text Format for fiction and non-fiction writers. Sounds like a dull topic? OK. But there are major implications for the serious writer.
Most of us never think about “formats.” We just click and save.
Yet the more active we become as writers, the more likely it is that we must trade our work with others, manipulate our text in other programs, like page layout programs, or post our articles on a blog. There is one format that can easily move our text, along with its formatting of type font, boldface and italics, to other writers and programs — and even between PC’s and Mac’s. Of course, that format is RTF, or Rich Text Format.
Microsoft Word, which most of us use, by default saves files in the well-known .doc format. The new Word 2007 introduces the .docx format, which earlier versions will be unable to read.
It’s easy enough to work around these formats. Click the “Save As” command, rather than “Save.” Then you will be presented with other format options, including RTF, if you scroll down far enough.
It’s time for us to begin thinking and using RTF. Why do I make such a point of this? Because once we begin thinking Rich Text Format, many other word processing options present themselves to us — and many of them are better tailored for ficition and non-fiction writers than business-oriented Word.
Over coming weeks and months, we will examine in detail a number of these word-processing options, with enough screenshots that you can understand the capabilities they present particularly crafted for writers. Chances are good that one or another may appeal to you.
The major point of this blog is to help you find and choose the options best suited to you. Without such a guide, it is a daunting task to search them out, to test them, to make informed comparisons. I’ve been sorting through many of these options for the past year and a half — and I’m beginning to turn to some of these options frequently. I hope my experience will save you a great deal of time and will lead you to options that will make you more productive.
If you want to see just how many word-processing options there are, take a glance as Wikipedia’s Word Processor Charts. Overwhelming, isn’t it? And even this list is not complete. Well, within a few months, we’ll pick out the gems for serious writers and acquaint you with them.
If you want to read a more complete explanation about word-processing formats and the particular utility of RTF, take a look at Richard Salsbury’s article on the subject. He knows it well, as he’s the developer responsible for the Rough Draft word processor, which I’ll write about a few days from now.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Comments
1 - THINKING
2 - ORGANIZING
3 - WRITING
4 - PROMOTING
________________
Add this to your site
-
Skype Online Status
