As I wrote before, the blank page starts out as a draft, making sure you get you ideas in text, and keeping up with your thoughts. Never go back to correct your mistakes while your thoughts are running, because one stop to correct a simple typing error may cause you to lose that thinking process, and change the whole theme of your intended idea.  Computerized documenting software allows us to be liberal in writing, without initial concerns of marginalizing and mistyped words. Even fragmented statements can be corrected after the though is typed out. As you read what you have typed, many office software has little automated tools expressing mistyped words, and fragment statements, and the most current software includes a “spell checking “ tool.  Even the most basic documenting software includes a Thesaurus, either as part of the program, or a link online to find a similar meaning to prevent  a dull theme. There is even a word count tool to assist in essay and journals for print that pay  by sourcing the number of words, paragraphs and topics.

Other frills, such as “Word  Art” can change the title or paragraph theme, creating character to your writings. Adding Tables,  personalized Pictures, and installed clip art has also been something that is included in all , and no limited to document writing software. Indenting and Outlining tools have never been  omitted in these software, as a toolbox of options became so standardized. And still, all this takes place, much after the thought is typed first. Through the View Menu, you can scroll down, and find the Header and Footer menu, which adds the Title of the document up top of the pages, and page numbers to the bottom. And, if you wish to include the dating of the document, it can also go into the Header. This menu allows the Header and Footer to automatically include the title and page on every page.  Some documenting Software allow you to extend the footer to count and include the number of pages, with some work, you can make it list the current page of the total pages of the document, (example: “page 3 of 6 pages”). The Header and Footer Menu keeps track of the pages and the total count, rather than you typing it on all the pages.

After the initial measures are done, it is then, we can go forward, and measure out our margins, and page setup, and prepare to print. Through the File Menu, you scroll down to page setup, and a window opens, allowing the changes to your margin settings to be adjusted.  In this setup, you also choose the type of paper to be printed on, and whether you want it as a traditional “Portrait” format, or like the turning of a page, the “Landscape” format; something tough to do with an old typewriter. Depending on the software program, lined and designed borders can be included, through the Format Menu.  As far as the difference between  the cheaper software, as opposed to the higher priced office programs, is the available tools. One way or another, you can get the same finished results on a basic program, but with more effort in placing and alignment on your part. Although, an office software program also opens new ideas to the styling and theme of future documents.

Finally, Through the File Menu, and clicking on the Print Preview, there is the reviewing of appearance of the pages (and a chance to see how it will break in pages) even before printing; this saves on using paper through many trial and errors. It also gives you a chance to go back and adjust the margins, header and footer setting, and where the  page may pull apart a paragraph, onto the next page. All this giving you the option to see what will happen before you start printing. Later, with some changes that are sometimes caught even after printing, slight changes may lead to you to reprint a portion or remaining pages and save on reprinting a whole document project. Depending on the type of printer and the software tool that came with the purchase of the printer, you can again, make changes to the appearance of the document, and even the size of the print (in percentage of actual print), allowing another option to include as much material on a single page; but more fitting when it comes to graph designs, pictures, and tabled items. In the printers setting, it also gives you the option to alter the final appearance, whether to change the coloring, add watermarks, and stamp it as a sample or copy. Many new printer purchases may include to option to save your article as a file, and may include doing it as an adobe file, which might be more suitable when sending the file in an email, or uploading it to a website.

Everything I have written here sounds like simplified steps to getting a though or idea into print, but the steps can be varying and with little or no guidance to assist you. But I am not out to build simplified processes and steps to every project. I continue to seek a concept that helps you figure how it will appear, and what you would consider a “finished product”, and with personal satisfaction and confidence.

Finding the Art In Writing

       Depending on the document, style and formatting may be the only issue, such as in legal documents, and simple letter writing. If you look at magazines and even the local news paper, there are columns and pictured areas; a common format designed to make a page more of interest and arousing your attention. Greeting cards include pictures and art to enhance the mood of the event. And all these abilities are available to the basic user. I am not changing the topic here, but instead getting you to take notice that appearance is important, and style makes many informal documents more alluring to the recipient and reader.
Much of what started in 2006 was the ability to use creative licensing, and give new definition to the computer, and this virtual and seemingly intangible environment.  I wanted to include the definition of the computer as simply “To Create”. The whole initial theme is also played out as “starting with a blank page”, with the concept of that where many pages may be used while drafting through trial and error, the computer gives you  an unlimited amount of “Blank pages” to save as a file, or in using just one draft, it includes all the correction tools needed to get the final appearance you desire. Many concepts to this also include looking at the blank page as a “new canvas” just starving to be brought to life with image and color.
The art may already be envisioned in the artists mind, but getting started, even an artist seeks a starting point on that canvas to build upon, with no real determined starting point. Maybe its that personal mood that draws the first brush stroke, or just the focusing on one particular point of a blank canvas. Whatever the inspiration, the artist is after only one thing, that final product. That image he was inspired to share. So, whether you see the new page as a blank page, or a starving canvas, the concept is the same; the inspiration to find that end result is within you.

What makes this hard to convince is that what you use when it comes to software, may not actually appear the same on the computer, as when you were creating it on the computer; bringing more meaning to the print preview found in the File menu. It takes an understanding that a blank page is tangible, and whatever results you create on page or canvas as what it will become. On a computer, the final results has to be looked at as done in steps and processes. For that, I continue to “preach” just get you idea started (like an artist choosing a starting point on the canvas, with no real rule or standard). If you can first get that inspiration  completed, you can then build onto the idea to reach that appealing final result. When you do get to staging the initial creativity, stay focused on that one point, like the artist, until you are satisfied with just that one point, and then move on to the next point to build up to the result. This concept can be the only  standard for any program and project. But the idea still starts within your own head.

Print Preview

From time to time, even the artist takes a step back, as to ask, “How am I doing?” When it comes to building your own article, especially with columns and inserted pictures, you also would like to take that step back to see how it will appear in print. Through the File Menu, and clicking on Print Preview, you can take a step back, and see the unfinished result, like a pictured image on what will actually be printed. Even if this is file may actually be done as a web page, print preview will give you, that artist of sorts, a chance to see where to implement, improve, or build onto next. The end result is still up to you.
Some ideas to what you are looking for as an end result can come from other styles and formatting, thought magazines, newspapers, greeting cards, and other websites. Through using the Print Preview, you can get closer to what you desire with every return to this function, like an artist taking steps back on many occasions. Print Preview is the link between this virtual blank page to that tangible finished product, and can be found in  every  software in some form. Use it to further your own next “brush stroke” to build upon.

Borders and Frames

If this was a piece paper many things such as margin settings on a type writer would be one of the first steps, and if including borders and frames, this would most likely be the  next thing to consider; all before typing your thought. I still point out that on a computer, your thoughts in print come first. Through time and mood, your initial idea may change, or the defining  importance of that thought may even vanish.  Worry about the Borders and Framing after your thoughts are typed out on a computer. This way, if there is any need to alter or even delete lines, you  are still making those decisions with the strong meaning of your thoughts in initially done, and altering words and deleting can be done a little more decisively, allowing you to  keep that thought , and its meaning to its strongest possible message. In short, when it comes to any document, the message is still the main purpose, and the appearance is second to making it alluring and attractive. After all, you can lose the borders and frames, and the page will still have meaning. Lose the meaning of your documents, you might just get complements on your choice of borders or framing; but the purpose of the document will be lost. Look at all the additions as a compliment to the main idea, and never let these compliment take control of the article or purpose itself. Let these compliments be viewed as a frill, if it keeps the main objective in place. If when it comes to cutting from the page, let it be the frills that become eliminated first.

Let’s Print One…

I can vaguely remember back in the late 1970’s, one of the selling points to owning a computer was it would allow the individual to save on paper. In theory, it does; but it takes time for someone to get comfortable to what they can see as the end result on paper, even with using the Print Preview function. And, even the last process to sharing the work is to look over the finished product, with one last chance to improve on its appearance, while catching any overlooked errors. Sometimes, even in a “rough draft”, just seeing how an article with a picture may layout might come in handy to print one page. It becomes expensive in ink when this tease to print an unfinished document multiple times though, and it is up to you to keep the printing limited. If you are going to print an unfinished document, put it to good use. Go over it with your version of guidelines, such as the marginalizing, borders, letterhead, style, column, and overall appearance. If you went through the process of printing something mid-way, take a break, and read over your article, to make sure it holds that same meaning you initially  had. Before you just click on the print function, go through the process of page setup, and starting getting a feel of how close the print preview shows you, compared to the printed page. And, while you are at printing a raw product, go through the printer settings to not only give yourself an idea of the final version, but to find a setting that is something new. Except for the advanced setting, such as the  rainbow functions, you can experiment with another printer option never used, and  making it a learning period.

One word of advice; anything changed in the printer setting needs to be manually unchanged; there is no “Un Do”  function in the printer program (yes, once you press print, you now opened up another software window that directly controls the printer settings itself). Just make one change as an experiment. If you don’t like it, change it back. Just one change and lesson at a time. Making too many changes may mean uninstalling the printer driver, and reinstalling it to go back to its default settings, unless the printer software shows a default setting button.  Even though you may make more work for yourself, if you have the time to make a change, then do it. Otherwise, if this project has a deadline, stick with what you already know. But definitely check out the options you have with the printer software by clicking Printing Preferences, and see the different function options in each of the three tabs of this printer window. These printer preferences will help enhance your final product. Get to know them with your rough draft, and use the other side of the page to make a second print with another change. After all, this is just a rough draft, right?  Less stress in making a mess of a draft5ed print, rather than frustrating changes with the final product.

Always remember one more thing, except for the actual computer itself, anything done can either be undone, or reinstalled. The initial anxiety is that it will never function again.

Approaching The finished Product

For the novice writer, manage your time to allow for lessons to be learned from, and unless this is the only moment you have to make this project complete, do it in sessions. Excepting for simple emails and texting friends,  writing is pretty much an art. By making a document a project, done over time, you offer a chance to come back to it with a different perspective and approach. In your first session, just do the most important thing first…get that thought in text! It should be the only thing that needs  to be important. Even in writing a book, you should make sure you have time to sit for each chapter to be completed, and save your work to return to for the next chapter.

When it comes to printing, know that there are things that will arise, such as no ink left, the type of paper to be used (pictures themselves have a photo paper, or you may wind up with excessive ink bleeding through the paper, alternate the option to print in black and white – read the printer instructions). Don’t settle with what looks good enough. The steps to writing and printing  is indeed a process; might as well invest the time to make sure you caught that impression you started out  with, or was looking for. Don’t consider it like work. Approach it as a project, and seek the final product to be a work of art.

Finally, learn the printer settings. Here you may print out multiple copies of the same page, or multiple pages of the same project. You have the enhance ability to manage the size of the print, and if it is done with a little more experimenting and measure, even a book page can be printed in page halves, once you sit and figure out in what order to make the pages in. Readers Digest actually has a Craft & Hobbies book out there, that gives you basic tips to building pages into a book, and from there, you can manage the finished product as a second process. You can also chose to just print the selected page you are working on, and even print all odd pages first, and with understanding, reload your printed copies to print the even pages on the other side. Much of this takes a little thought and understanding. But, then again, every part of building this document began with a thought. And, in those thoughts, you  created a text. That same effort of needing to convey a certain message to share in print should be the same effort in every aspect of the finished product.

Writing is an art. It is what we use to make as a testament to thought in a period of time. It includes moods and feelings, shared with importance and style. It reaches out to be read by others to share a certain perspective that occurred in a period of time. So, except in casual letter writing, email ,or text messaging., approach this idea as an inspiration, and make it a piece of art. As time goes by, and with constant use of writing, your skills will be its own style, your thoughts a concept shared, and if attractive enough, others will come…and desire more. If it is considered an art, then it will be worth something in print. Manage your skills by the type of writing your are doing. If a news reporter or journalist is what you are seeking, then the creative themes of a  story  has strict limits to its style, and must be understood. The same goes for understanding the rules and guidelines of legal letters.  For me, writing is a chance to help others find a working concept that will make them explore the possibilities of a computer, the computer I define as simply, “To Create”.