Keyboard Shortcuts and Other Amazing Productivity Tips

As you might have surmised from some earlier blogs, I work with accountants. Seeing the mountains of paperwork that go in and out is nothing short of astonishing during tax season. Accountants’ fingers tap a keyboard, particularly on the 10-key side, like nothing you’ve ever seen.

Yet, with all that finger-tapping, I just taught a class today with the list of shortcuts below and they fell on it like starving scavengers. It occurred to me as I watched them coo and ooooh over these shortcuts that perhaps this list would be helpful to all of my fellow WRITERS. (You know I live to give to writers. :-))

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word (remember, you don’t type the “+”)
Note: The majority of these work on the Mac using Command instead of CTRL.

Ctrl + A       Selects all the text in your document
Ctrl + B        Bolds your selected text
Ctrl + C        Copy selected text to the Clipboard
Ctrl + D       Opens the font dialog box
Ctrl + E        Center Align text
Ctrl + F        Find…
Ctrl + G       Go To…
Ctrl + H       Replace… (Find is available here so I usually just go to Replace…)
Ctrl + I         Italicize currently selected text
Ctrl + J         Fully Justify text
Ctrl + K        Insert Hyperlink
Ctrl + L        Left Alight text
Ctrl + M      ½” Indent a paragraph
Ctrl + N       New blank file
Ctrl + O       Open… (an existing document)
Ctrl + P        Print… (the current document)
Ctrl + Q       Removes Paragraph Formatting (this one is AMAZING!)
Ctrl + R        Right Align text
Ctrl + S        Save changes to the current document

Ctrl + T        ½” Hanging Indent (this is where the 1^st line is on the margin and the rest of the paragraph indents…think party invitations)

Ctrl + U       Underline currently selected text
Ctrl + V        Paste text from the Clipboard
Ctrl + W       Close Document currently open
Ctrl + X        Cut currently selected text
Ctrl + Y        Redo
Ctrl + Z        Undo (last change)

Function Keys and Shortcuts in Word (and Excel, in case you’re tracking something…like submissions!)

Microsoft Word:
F1                     Help
F4                     Repeats Last Action
F5                     Go To…(also gets you to Find… and Replace…)
F7                      Starts SpellCheck (SCORE!)
Shift + F7         Opens Thesaurus
F12                   Save As…
(This is the single most important key in all of Microsoft Office for the writer…save your work!)

Ctrl + 1            Changes current selection to single-spaced
Ctrl + 2            Changes current selection to double-spaced
Ctrl + 3            Changes current selection to 1 ½ spaced

Microsoft Excel:
F1                      Help
F2                      Activates Edit mode; places cursor at end of cell contents
Shift + F2         Activates Cell Comment dialog
F4                      Repeats Last Action
F5                      Go To…
F7                       Starts SpellCheck
F9                       Calc Now — Allows Formula Bar to Calculate
F11                      Creates Default Chart Sheet from selected data
F12                     Save As…

What about having a cheer squad while you write? Who is going to hold you accountable and make sure that you keep that Butt in the Chair, those Hands on the Keyboard, Typing Away Madly at your MASTERPIECE?

(Side Note: By now my pals know I’ve been at the coffee again…CAP, CAP, CAP!)

I used to belong to a group called BIW (Book in a Week) and their motto is the above: BIC-HOK-TAM! This amazing group posts goals and follows through. Even if you don’t make your goal, you’ve made friends and are given a TON of encouragement.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is another godsend for the writer who’s trying to learn how to spit the words out. Every November, Chris Baty and his crew gather hundreds of thousands of writers all around the world online and try to write FIFTY THOUSAND words in a month. (If you go crazy this year and join, I’m “jennyhansen” – come buddy up with me.)

For Wrimos, there are write-ins, costume parties, online forums, prizes, pep talks, and even a conference halfway through the month. It’s crazy, it’s frenzied…it’s amazing. I’ve never won, but I love it just the same. They run ScriptFrenzy during the month of April if that’s more to your liking.

For those of you that pine for NaNo from December through the end of October, why not try ROW80? My blogging pals Tiffany A. White, Shellie Sakai and Danielle Meitiv are doing it and they’re all “Rocking the ROW.” Another pal, Jen Greyson, blog hops. It’s all about goals and working toward them with a community of other writers.

There are groups on Facebook and LinkedIn – too numerous to name (my DSWS peeps know who they are). My critique group keeps me going, each and every week, making sure my writing stays fit, not flabby.

Today’s writer doesn’t have to write alone unless they choose to be. We can all build a writing team.

I hope the writing goes smoothly this week. My wish for you:

May the words flow like a melody from your mind to your fingertips, retaining all the beauty and the magic they possessed when they entered your imagination.

Who is a part of your team? What do they do that is so special to you as a writer? We want to know what motivates you or helps you be productive! (Comments are welcome and encouraged, especially between now and May 17th because they automatically enter you in the Let’s Meet Up (for Training) Contest.)

Jenny