Removing formatting

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Topcat
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Removing formatting

Post by Topcat »

Hi, this is not strictly a question about holiday letting. However, I could do with some help.

Does anyone know how to remove all formatting from text? What's happened is that I've completed my novel, but my publishing site don't like the way I've formatted it. I know (now) how to put in the formatting that they require, but first I've got to remove all the formatting that I've already used. For instance, I use tabs for paragraph indentation and they don't like that.

The thought of going through 90,000 words, removing all formatting, is horrendous. Is there a quick way?

Thanks in advance,

TC
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Post by Hells Bells »

Can you select the whole document, and copy and paste it into notepad where it would be saved as plain text?
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Topcat
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Post by Topcat »

Oh, I could try that, thanks. Then presumably I could put it back into Word and it would retain that plain text so that I could start again? They'll only accept it in Word.

TC
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Post by Hells Bells »

I think there may be an option in Word to remove formatting, but I haven't got it on this laptop to check.
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Topcat
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Post by Topcat »

Well, there is, but as far as I can see you have to do it one step at a time.

God, I could scream! After seven drafts I'm already sick of the sight of this novel!

TC
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Which version of Word have you got, TC? I have 2010 and there's a 'remove formatting' button (it has Aa and an eraser) - I can select the whole document with Control+A then click the button.

If you could do that, could you not then use 'Styles' to refomat the document to your publishers' satisfaction?
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Nemo
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Post by Nemo »

French Cricket wrote:Which version of Word have you got, TC? I have 2010 and there's a 'remove formatting' button (it has Aa and an eraser) - I can select the whole document with Control+A then click the button.
Thanks FC, there are so many buttons I haven't explored a fraction of them yet!

You could use Notepad, but I suspect that would be quite unwieldy to do a whole novel in? I think you would have to do sections at a time.

Is format painter meant to re-format if you swipe over a paragraph formatted as you want then swipe over the rest? I know I find it a bit hit and miss as to what it does!
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Post by e-richard »

Thanks FC, I've never spotted that tool before.

a) It exists in Word 2007 as well
b) It does not quite do what TC needs (remove tabs for example) unless they were part of a "style".

I think NotePad is the optimal answer, but be careful, there may be a limit on the size of document.
** Richard
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Nemo, yes, with Format Painter you click (no need to swipe) in the paragraph whose formatting you want to copy, then highlight the text you want to reformat. A single click will only do it once; if you double click you keep on doing it and then have to click the Format Painter button to stop it.

It's easier to do than to explain!
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

TC, another idea - what about saving a copy as 'plain text', which will remove all the formatting (I think) and then using Styles to reformat it, then re-saving it as .doc? No idea if that would work but can't see why it shouldn't?
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Wonkeye
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Post by Wonkeye »

Simply type remove formatting in word into google and take your pick!
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Post by RichardHenshall »

In Word 2000 :oops: you can use the Edit .. Find & Replace option to find the Tab character and replace with nothing. Obviously you will need to re-insert any tabs that were used for anything other than a paragraph indent.
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Topcat
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Post by Topcat »

Thanks for all comments. I have Windows XP. I don't know what version of Word I have - I looked under properties but it didn't tell me that.

I've tried all suggestions but to no avail - I either don't have that facility or can't find it. I can't save so much to notepad, Idon't have 'plain test', just RTF and Text Only and neither of them works.

However, a Good Samaritan has ridden to my rescue and offered to look at the text for me and see what she can do.

Best,
TC
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Topcat
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Post by Topcat »

Thanks for all the offers of help. It's been sorted by a member of this forum - I'd name her but she might not want me to - and has been resubmitted. I haven't heard back yet but hopefully everything's fine.

I'll let you know how it goes.

TC
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Topcat
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Post by Topcat »

My thanks to everybody for advice and help. It's finally made it to the Amazon list. Here's a link if anyone is interested.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hangmans-Wood-e ... 830&sr=8-1

TC
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