Using Word 2010 - I am currently working on a very lengthy document containing regular text, outlined lists, and bulleted lists. I have created a customized bulleted list and a customized outline list for use in this document. The normal font for my Word documents is set to Calibri 11. Everything in this particular document, with the exception of headings in the header of each page, is formatted to Arial 12.



I'm having trouble when I'm completing a bulleted or outlined list and need to go back to regular text. When I finish typing the last item in my list I hit enter. Of course the new line is bulleted or numbered, so I just hit enter again to remove that and realign text at the left margin. Issue is, once this happens, the text on this line is now formatted to Calibri 11. I have also tried to use Backspace to remove the bullet or number and realign to the left margin. I get the same result.

I cannot figure out why Word keeps switching my font to Calibri 11. I can only assume it has something to do with the setting for my normal font, but this is not something I should have to, or want to change. I generally prefer to use Calibri. I am working on a document for someone else, and their preference is Arial 12.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-Michelle

What you're running into is Styles, and I would recommend reading up a bit on them. However, here's the quick view of your problem:

By deleting the bullet, you are not changing the Style of the paragraph. The bullet style, as you know, has been designed to make the paragraph after a line return the same style. You need, when you finish you bullet list, to return to your Normal.

First, turn on the Paragraph sign in your ribbon. I don' have 2010; in 2000, it's on the Home tab and is the button in the Paragraph section with the "backwards P". That way you can see the empty paragraph if you wish. (This is optional, but professional DTP folks keep this on nearly all the time.)

Second, you need to open your Styles pane. If the Ribbon is like 2007s, Home, Styles section, and click on the tiny arrow at bottom far right (or, press Alt+O, then S).

When you finish your bullet list and press enter, instead of deleting the new bullet, scroll in the Styles pane until you find Normal and click on it. This will change your empty paragraph back to your Normal style.

There are keyboard shortcuts for this sort of operation, which you can find on the web, of you're interested.

Thanks very much for the response. I do actually keep my show/hide on almost all the time, in order to see all paragraph markers.

I have found it a bit easier to just type all of my text, then go back and format the appropriate sections as bulleted lists. I will try your suggestion though, just to see if it makes things easier.

-Michelle