Tuesday, December 01, 2009

A small Problem


I wish I were more of a technocrat but I have to be realistic, celebrate the fact that I can just about find my way around a computer and accept there is a limit to any further progress I could make. At present I am revising my potential book and sending four chapters at a time to a friend who is reading it for me. When I first started sending out to agents some months back I used snail mail which is time consuming and expensive. Whilst dealing with agents I learned about attachments – sending copy attached to an email - and that is what I am doing now.


I have the whole thing in a Word document so I work on the relevant four chapters and then copy and paste them onto a separate document and email that as an attachment. I’m still quite nervous doing this so I always click on the attachment to check it is all there. The problem is the page numbers on the original document aren’t transferred. As my friend prints them out this could be a problem if the pages were disturbed. Is there a simple remedy? Nothing too complicated as my heart is in my mouth every time I do it.

18 comments:

Z said...

I suppose the original document numbers the pages automatically.
You could simply type the page number at the top or bottom of each page when you've copied and pasted it. That would probably be the simplest way and the least technical.

Anonymous said...

Can't help you there I'm afraid- but it's all a learning curve, I'm sure you'll figure it out. By the time you're publishing your 10th book, this will all be old hat! Godd luck with it :)

Pat said...

Z: thank you. That should be do-able. I'll give it a go:)

Cinnnamon: I love your optimism:)

Unknown said...

No idea, but good luck!

Pat said...

John.g: ta ducks:)

DILLIGAF said...

Z is a very clever lady.

I usually just growl and hit the pc.

Strangely this doesn't seem to work...

David Edward said...

agree with zee

Pat said...

Four'D and David: you are both right about Z. I can't help thinking she would make a better stab at it than I did just now. You have to squeeze the number in somewhere and it keeps shooting on to the next page. I'll be more prepared with the next lot.

Z said...

Try going to Format, then Document and changing the bottom page margin enough to squeeze in an extra line?

Otherwise, if this seems a nuisance, your friend could mark the page numbers himself before he prints them out, or simply write a number on each page as it comes out of the printer. Remember, if he drops the lot and mixes them up, he still has the downloaded document on the printer so he can check the order of the pages.

Thanks for kind words, darlings. I'm self-taught too and just muddle along.

angryparsnip said...

You are so far ahead of me on the computer learning curve.
I'm still in awe that you can put several pictures at one time on your blog. I can only do one at a time.

When I run into a problem my son in Japan logs into my computer and helps me long distance. Then I try to write thing down but. . .

Good Job Pat !

Pootle said...

Do you know what version of Word you are using? Word 2007 (it looks like this or an older version?

Leigh Russell said...

I sent my final draft of Road Closed to my editor while I was on holiday in Italy, then worked on it some more and sent the final draft when I returned home. It was late at night, I was very tired from travelling, and . . . I forgot to attach the document. My editor and publisher understandably thought I was resending the same document in case it hadn't arrived from Italy . . . I didn't notice for about a week that I hadn't attached the ms.
I always make some sort of mess of technology. My computer crashed just as I was due to send the ms of Cut Short to my publisher . . .
Back up regularly, save everything, and don't rely on saving your writing in just one place!!!!!

Pat said...

Pootle: it's an older version (Microsoft Word) which I got when I bought my computer in 2002. Time flies!

Leigh: what a nightmare. I wonder you didn't have a nervous breakdown. I'm always backing up but one has to remember to back up the latest version. Thanks for the excellent advice:)

Pat said...

Z: yes that is reassuring - I'll have a word with him and try the format thing when I'm fresh - it's bed-time now.

Parsnip: it is difficult getting help at a distance and over the phone but my sons are very encouraging and tell me I'm clever to do what I do...(at my age!!)

Kim Ayres said...

Pat - there is a simple solution!

Go to Insert > Page numbers.

In the box that comes up, click on Format on the bottom right button.

At the bottom of the next pop up box, there's an option that says "start at"

Just start the page number of the section to match the original.

You can give me a peck on the cheek next time we meet :)

Pat said...

Kim: you are my lucky star...
I'll put by a big smacker for you;)

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Oh, I'm so glad you are getting the advice you need, dear Pat...I wouldn't have a clue! Or, I sgould say....I do NOT have a clue...lol!
Much Good Luck with it, my dear...!

If you get a chance, I have a sort of sweet post up.

Pat said...

Naomi: I came along and forgot to answer this.