Thread: Dealing with a long document

I'm having some issues with my word processor reacting slowly when I open and work on a large manuscript. This is the first time I have created a document this large. It is about 160 pages at this point. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions. I thought about creating various files for each chapter, but I tend to backtrack and correct throughout the document so I would have numerous documents open at the same time creating another barrier to efficiency.

Any thoughts (getting a new computer is not really an option at this point )

thanks

Breaking it up by chapters seems like a good idea. It will mean a little extra hassle going back and forth between them, but your computer won't lag so much and if you put the whole project in its own folder and organize the files well (alphabetic titles), jumping from one to another shouldn't be that hard. If you have too many chapters to make that feasible, breaking up the project by something like five at a time is an option, too. My 2 cents.

Taskryr - What word processor are you using?

I had it in Word, but I have transferred it to google docs. Both seem to have issues.

Both are loaded with all the things you don't need when you are writing and editing, and both can be cumbersome to use when you have a document that goes over a hundred pages.

You might try moving to WordPad until it's time for final formatting. WordPad is an early version of Word stripped of all its bells and whistles. It is a word processor and you can do basic formatting but nothing fancy. Look for it in Accessories.

I never use any word processor to write or edit. I move to Word when the time comes for final formatting, but work strictly in Notepad until then. Notepad is a text editor, not a word processor, and is the fastest way to deal with writing and editing until you get your copy ready for final formatting, and that's when word processors are needed. When I'm dealing with a long document I may have it open two or three times in different places, along with reference files. Since Notepad has no elaborate toolbars you can squeeze four or five files onto your screen at once.

As for Word, you might try turning off every part of it you don't need. That might speed it up a little.