Paragraph spacing in draft document

[Trionyx]

I am trying to get a story set up in the draft section but there is a recurrent problem with the paragraph spacing. For the first ten percent of the story the paragraphs are spaced apart as in my original with a full empty line between paragraphs. Later on, those spaces disappear and it looks like entire Lit pages would be one long paragraph. The entire story was written on the same program using the same format.

Is this just a fluke of the draft section? Will the correct spacing return upon publication?

Thanks.

 

[NotWise]

I am trying to get a story set up in the draft section but there is a recurrent problem with the paragraph spacing. For the first ten percent of the story the paragraphs are spaced apart as in my original with a full empty line between paragraphs. Later on, those spaces disappear and it looks like entire Lit pages would be one long paragraph. The entire story was written on the same program using the same format.

Is this just a fluke of the draft section? Will the correct spacing return upon publication?

Thanks.

Don't count on that.

The first thing I'd do is make sure that the paragraph format in the word processor is the same throughout the whole document. Changes can be introduced accidentally. There should be no changes.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Turn on the "show format" control in your software - usually the tilde button - looks like a bit like a P with a line attached to its left (my keyboard doesn't have it). That should show your paragraph returns.

For Lit submissions, you always need two para returns.

 

[Trionyx]

Turn on the "show format" control in your software - usually the tilde button - looks like a bit like a P with a line attached to its left (my keyboard doesn't have it). That should show your paragraph returns.

For Lit submissions, you always need two para returns.

I appreciate the responses.
I manually went through the preview and added paragraph returns.
When I went into Word and checked for the paragraph returns, they were all in there.
Interesting.
In retrospect I recall this happening once before and I did the manual thing then. I hope it doesn't occur too often.

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

Is this just a fluke of the draft section? Will the correct spacing return upon publication?

Absolutely, unquestionably a fluke of the draft section. You don't need two returns between paragraphs, even switching between two and one return has no effect. The lit script cleans it all up before posting.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I am trying to get a story set up in the draft section but there is a recurrent problem with the paragraph spacing. For the first ten percent of the story the paragraphs are spaced apart as in my original with a full empty line between paragraphs. Later on, those spaces disappear and it looks like entire Lit pages would be one long paragraph. The entire story was written on the same program using the same format.

Is this just a fluke of the draft section? Will the correct spacing return upon publication?

Thanks.

I have run into this too. I found that my left hand would sometimes press the ctrl key down as I hit the enter key thus making the that return a manual line feed instead of a paragraph mark. That's in word and any of the word like clones.

I just do a find and replace in the word doc looking for that manual line break to a paragraph mark.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Absolutely, unquestionably a fluke of the draft section. You don't need two returns between paragraphs, even switching between two and one return has no effect. The lit script cleans it all up before posting.

You do need two returns to get the space between paragraphs.

Just like I had to press return to start typing this line.

And this one.

And so on.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Absolutely, unquestionably a fluke of the draft section. You don't need two returns between paragraphs, even switching between two and one return has no effect. The lit script cleans it all up before posting.

I have submitted 100 chapters/stories on this site, a million words, all drafted in .doc, .docx, .txt, or .rtf; all with two para returns, and every single paragraph has been correctly formatted, regardless whether I cut and paste into the submission box or submit a file.

If I use a single para return, I get a wall of text every time, so no, the Lit script does not always clean it up.

Two para returns works, so it's good advice for those folk who end up with a wall of text when they're not sure how to format raw text, and find themselves with only one paragraph return. The script might do something with some inputs, but it does not do it with mine.

If you note Trionyx's post, they added a para return and the problem was solved. So the script didn't do it with their original input, either.

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

You do need two returns to get the space between paragraphs.

I have submitted 100 chapters/stories on this site, a million words, all drafted in .doc, .docx, .txt, or .rtf; all with two para returns, and every single paragraph has been correctly formatted, regardless whether I cut and paste into the submission box or submit a file.

Good Lord are we back to this fantasy of 2 returns being required for submission? Has not this rented step-child been beaten to death enough? No, you do not need 2 returns after a paragraph. The Lit posting algorithm takes care of it for you. We've been here before. And before that.

electricblue66, I am particularly perplexed at your stunning reasoning: "I've always used 2 returns" does not in any way mean that using 1 return doesn't work.

BECAUSE USING 1 RETURN WORKS. The lit script takes care of it. (Although not in the preview pane). Same for two spaces after a period.

I repeat from my challenge from the last time this went around not even a year ago: "I will gladly abandon this position if you can point me to a story that, out of the 100s of thousands on here, slipped through with one return between paragraphs. Surely no one, not even Laurel, could get it right every single time over 20 years."

 

[oggbashan]

Sometimes I find that my default format style has changed during a document. I select all and restore to the standard.

 

[ElectricBlue]

electricblue66, I am particularly perplexed at your stunning reasoning: "I've always used 2 returns" does not in any way mean that using 1 return doesn't work.

BECAUSE USING 1 RETURN WORKS. The lit script takes care of it. (Although not in the preview pane). Same for two spaces after a period.

If you can't see the paragraph spacing in the preview panel you get a continuous wall of text. If you get a continuous wall of text you cannot check if your paragraph returns are correct.

If you put in two Returns in your draft, the preview shows the paragraph spacing, and you can check they are breaking correctly.

What bit in that simple logic don't you comprehend?

People are constantly coming to this forum with this question, because they are getting a wall of text in the preview panel. You have said it yourself "(Although not in the preview panel)".

That's the whole point of a preview panel. It's a pre view of what the story will look like when it's published. You're just being obtuse in the face of practical advice.

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

If you put in two Returns in your draft, the preview shows the paragraph spacing, and you can check they are breaking correctly.

So, to be very clear, you electricblue66 and I are in agreement that if you submit your story with only one return between paragraphs, it will look odd in the preview BUT WILL PUBLISH CORRECTLY? Is that what I'm reading here?

So you and I agree that for Lit submissions you do NOT "need two para returns. " and that the preview page is a false artifact? Then let's agree not to have to have this discussion again.

 

[ElectricBlue]

So, to be very clear, you electricblue66 and I are in agreement that if you submit your story with only one return between paragraphs, it will look odd in the preview BUT WILL PUBLISH CORRECTLY? Is that what I'm reading here?

So you and I agree that for Lit submissions you do NOT "need two para returns. " and that the preview page is a false artifact? Then let's agree not to have to have this discussion again.

If you want a petty victory, sure, please yourself.

But since the OP sought advice on how to get the preview panel to show her format correctly (that being the fundamental purpose of the preview panel, I'm sure most people would agree), my advice remains unchanged. Use two returns, and the preview panel will no longer be "a false artifact", it will be a useful tool to show what the story will look like, published. Which was what the OP wanted to know.

And when the next new writer asks the same question, I'll give the same answer, and they too will be able to see the preview panel showing their format correctly, so they can check they've got their paragraph breaks right. It's a common drafting problem, encountered by everyone who drops their text into the submissions box for the first time.

You might submit files (with as many Returns as you like) but not everyone submits files. That's the fundamental point you seem to be missing.

 

[Trionyx]

Thanks

Thanks for all the advice. I didn't mean to create such a heated discussion. I think the final answer is to do the returns manually in the preview page just to make sure everything looks good, even if the site cleans things up automatically.

Hope everyone enjoys the Nude Day contest.

Trionyx54

My previous submissions:
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=4181791&page=submissions

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Thanks for all the advice. I didn't mean to create such a heated discussion. I think the final answer is to do the returns manually in the preview page just to make sure everything looks good, even if the site cleans things up automatically.

Hope everyone enjoys the Nude Day contest.

Trionyx54

My previous submissions:
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=4181791&page=submissions

Not necessarily. It depends on what word processing program you use to create the story. Unless you are creating the story in the text pane of the submission form.

If you setup your word processor correctly, will just have to type until you want a paragraph break, then hit enter twice. It will look just like it does in this post.

Each new paragraph in a separate group of sentences with a break between them.

Of course you have to set up you paragraph section in the word processor you are using. They are all essentially the same. Just make the bit in the red box like they are in this pic.

This one is for Word... The other is for open office.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I appreciate the responses.
I manually went through the preview and added paragraph returns.
When I went into Word and checked for the paragraph returns, they were all in there.
Interesting.
In retrospect I recall this happening once before and I did the manual thing then. I hope it doesn't occur too often.

Every story that I have submitted up until my last one has been through the uploading of a Word 97 (doc not docx) file. The formatting was never an issue.

After reading comments here from other authors, I decided to cut and paste my last story into the text box and then add the appropriate HTML tags where I wanted them. I did discover that what looked like double spacing in my Word document was actually single spaced paragraphs adjusted for more white space (number of "lines" between paragraphs). This required me to manually add the second carriage return as I previewed the story.

I now know that if I intend to cut and paste another story, I will make certain that I have my paragraph settings correct to get actual double spaced paragraphs.