Can I change line breaks in Word?

Q I have been preparing a high-quality technical book using Lotus Smartsuite Wordpro Release 9 word-processor, with numerous graphics and photos. This content calls for accurate placing on the page.

I am now required to submit the manuscript as a Microsoft Word 2007 file. However, while Smartsuite offers finely graded line-separation options, Microsoft Word seems to offer only coarse variations: line, one-and-half line, two-line and so on.

I am currently stalled, therefore, and with 30 years’ publishing experience, I cannot believe that such a universally respected system could be so clunky. Can you help?

Michael Wilson

A In fact, Microsoft Word offers as fine a level of control over line spacing as is needed. But with such a sprawling interface, we can’t blame you for not finding the necessary option.

First open the document and select the text area or areas that need to have their line spacing adjusted (to select the whole document, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl and A). Select the Home tab on the Ribbon and then click the Line Spacing button – it looks like a few lines of text with an up- and down-pointing arrow alongside.

Click Line Spacing Options. In the Paragraph dialogue box that appears, click to open the dropdown menu below the Line spacing heading and then choose Exactly.

Now, in the At box to the right, type in a precise figure for the line spacing, as a point size. Alternatively, choose Multiple and then type in any number to derive the line spacing as a multiple (or fraction) of standard line spacing.

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