5 Keyboard Shortcuts to Help Make you a Better and Faster Writer
Keyboard shortcuts are always a good idea. The more you know, the faster your writing will be. These five keyboard shortcuts are designed to help make you a better and faster writer.
It is important to make note that these are just the basics and the more that you write, it is encouraged to seek out more keyboard shortcuts that could help speed things up! For the purposes of this article, all keyboard shortcuts will be communicated using a plus symbol (+) to demonstrate the different keys that need to be pressed.
Selecting Text
Re-arranging text can take hours to do properly without a keyboard shortcut on hand to help. To edit quickly, you need keyboard commands. On a PC or a Mac, to select text, it’s the same keyboard shortcut. Place your cursor on either side of the text and use Shift key + Left Arrow or Shift key + Right Arrow key. Character by character, highlight what needs editing and then, decide on your next action.
Copying Text
Among the most basic keyboard shortcuts, this one is a major asset to any writer. To copy text on a Mac, hit Command + C. On a PC, use Ctrl + C. This action will copy the text that you have highlighted.
Cutting Text
If you want to delete a selection of text, the Delete or Backspace keys are an easy way to do it. However, if you want to ‘cut’ text, this will allow you to paste it elsewhere in your document with ease. To cut text on a Mac, use Command + X. To do the same thing on a PC, use Ctrl + X.
Pasting Text
Copy and pasting text using keyboard commands is very convenient for writers. This combination of shortcuts are among the most popular used. The first step to pasting text is knowing what you’re pasting. This requires you to copy text first. After your text has been copied, to paste it on a PC, it’s Ctrl + V. To do the same on a Mac, it’s Command + V.
To Identify a Word or Phrase
Is there a specific word you are looking for in a long body of text – this is easy to do using a keyboard shortcut. Some writers who overuse a specific word, or who notice a misspelling or a style error, will use the ‘find’ function to help correct these errors. On a Mac, use Command + F. On a PC, use Ctrl + F. This shortcut opens up the ‘find’ function which will search an entire document for whatever word or phrase you put in there. From there you can delete it or replace it with an alternate word.
Practice!
It takes time but eventually these shortcuts will become second nature to any pro copywriter. The more keyboard commands that you know, the less you have to go to your mouse and remove your hands from the keyboard to get something done. These shortcuts are a great way to save time and will help to improve the content of your writing as well as your content marketing efforts.