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Outlining Your Family History 
Word Processing for Publishers Series
We all know the advantages of outlining to organize our thoughts. It’sespecially useful when starting a writing project since it provides a simpleview of the topics you plan to cover and the order you’ve arranged themwithin your project. There are many great outliningapplications available to help you pull your writingproject together, but before you begin hunting, take alook at your word processing software first.The Outline view in most word processors includebuttons to promote and demote items to differentoutline levels and even change an outline item tonormal body text. Most offer options to choose howmany levels are visible at any given time. While theactual buttons may be different, the overall functionswork the same. Also common among most wordprocessors is the use of the Tab and Shift/Tab keystrokesto promote and demote topics.
Outline layout view in Microsoft Word 2008 (Mac)
 
So, why is an electronic outline so useful? Primarily because it’s so easy tomanipulate. Once you get your draft outline pulled together you can look atthe flow of topics within the project and reorganize them as you see fit. Witha digital outline, each subordinate level is attached to its higher topicsmaking it easy to move a whole section. If I decide I want the Civil Warsection immediately after the Chattooga County section, all I need to do isgrab the Civil War topic (click on the icon just to the left of the text) and dragit up beneath the Chattooga section. As you see below, all the subordinatetopics come with it.
Word Processing for Publishers Series - Outlining Your Family History
2
Moving topics within outline 
 
This may not seem like much when you’re looking at a simple little outlinelike in this example, but as your outline grows and becomes more detailedthis becomes a HUGE advantage.Another goodie you’ll find helpful is the ability to view just the outlinelevels you want. Again, as your outline becomes more complex there will betimes that you just want to look at the main topics. In the previous example,you’ll notice the numbered buttons on the outline toolbar has the
All
buttonselected. You are seeing all levels of your outline. Below you see that the
1
 button is selected. Now, you’re only looking at the main (level 1) headings.Even though you’re only looking at the main headings, if you move any of them around in this view you will be moving all of the subordinate levelsassociated with them.
Word Processing for Publishers Series - Outlining Your Family History
3
Outline displaying only level 1 items 
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