Blank space at beginning of outline

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan Schaffer
  • Start date Start date
D

Dan Schaffer

Hi,

When I type an outline in Microsoft Word 2002, I sometimes begin with a
title that is plain text, not part of the ourline. Word often makes the rest
of the page after that title blank, starting my outline on page 2 of the
document.

I'd be grateful if someone can explain the cause and cure of this ailment.

Many thanks, Dan Schaffer
 
If you're using Word's built-in heading styles for your outline, then that's
the explanation. Because Word expects headings to be followed by body text,
Heading 1 through Heading 4 are formatted as "Keep with next." This of
course wreaks havoc when you're using them for an outline. Remove the "Keep
with next" property from all but Heading 1 and maybe Heading 2 (depending on
how much detail your outline has).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Hi Suzanne,

Yes, that was the problem. Many thanks. By the way, what does "keep with
next" mean in formatting and why does it make my first line *not* keep with
the next paragraph.

By the way, I used your method of setting up outlining, with styles, and
it's made my life a lot easier. So, extra thanks.

Good luck, Dan Schaffer
 
"Keep with next" keeps a paragraph with the following paragraph. Assuming
that "Widow/orphan control" is also enabled, that means that if there is not
room for at least two lines of the following paragraph, both paragraphs will
move to the next page.

If you want to keep all the lines of a paragraph together (not just the
first or last two lines), you have to use "Keep lines together."

If "Keep with next" doesn't keep your heading with a following paragraph,
the likelihood is that the following paragraph *isn't* the next paragraph.
Users often press Enter twice to insert a "blank line" and then overlook the
fact that the second Enter creates an empty paragraph; this is the one Word
is keeping the heading with, not the body text paragraph that follows. A
better way to insert a "blank line" between paragraphs is to add Space
Before or After to one or both of the paragraphs. By default, Word's
top-level headings have 3 pts Space After, and 6 pts is usually enough
between body text paragraphs, but if you really want a full line, an easy
way to get 12 pts Space Before is to press Ctrl+0 (zero).

For more explanation related to these settings, see
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/BottomLine.htm

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for the lucid explanation.

Yes, I'm one those people who puts in an extra empty line, not realizing
I've created an (empty) paragraph.

Gratefully, Dan
 
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