Hi. My name is Kelli and I LOVE writing. I love sitting at a computer and moving text around to help it flow and let the message speak loud and clear. When it comes to typing and moving that text, I always use keyboard shortcuts. It makes editing so much faster. Here’s a list of my 9 favorite keyboard shortcuts that help me edit my writing.
Shortcuts 1, 2, & 3: Ctrl Z, Ctrl C, Ctrl V
Apple/Mac Versions: Cmd Z, Cmd C, Cmd V
Ctrl Z — Undo
Sometimes I’ll type a joke and realize it does not come off the way I want. Instead of hitting backspace, I hit Ctrl Z. It undoes my last action. It works in a lot of applications, too. Be it typing, formatting, or accidentally deleting something. I wish Ctrl Z worked when I get bad haircuts. It can save a blog, but alas, it can’t save my hair.
Ctrl C — Copy
I use this one all the time! I select something, use Ctrl C, and then get to put it somewhere else. Like when I have a document and want to upload it into a cloud folder. I’ll select the file I want to upload, Ctrl C it, and then I get to use Ctrl V!
Ctrl V — Paste
I use Ctrl V with whatever I copied, be it a file, part of some text, or something I want to duplicate. Ctrl V is the shortcut I use to place it where I want. I find the exact place I want to paste what I copied with Ctrl C and then use Ctrl V. Then, BAM, the move is done. Unless the transfer is big. Then BAM comes after a couple of minutes. I often paste my writing into the HemingwayApp. It helps me edit and keep my writing clear.
Shortcuts 4, 5, & 6: Alt codes (ASCII Code)
Apple/Mac Versions: opt shift -, opt e, then e, opt e, then i
Alt codes are part of ASCII. ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. They have alt codes for letters and symbols not standard on your keyboard.
Alt 0151 — EmDash
I’ve used this one several times while writing this actual post. It’s this: —
Alt 0151 guarantees my dashes end up looking how I want where I want.
Alt 0233 — é
It’s beyond important to me that I type people’s names right. Jose and José are different. So I’m currently learning many of the alt shortcuts so I can more accurately type names and places.
Bonus shortcut: For a capital É it’s Alt 0201.
Alt 0237 — í
I use this one for the same reason I use alt 0233. If this is how someone writes their name, then I need to use the correct spelling.
Bonus Shortcut: For a capital Í, it’s Alt 0205.
7, 8, & 9: Ctrl B, Ctrl I, Ctrl U
Apple/Mac Versions: Cmd B, Cmd I, Cmd U
Ctrl B — Bold
Ctrl B bolds your text. You can type the shortcut before typing and then type it again when you’re done. Or you can select the text you want to bold after you’ve typed it.
Ctrl I — Italic
Ctrl I is a capital i, not a lower-case L. It gives your text a slant. I use it when there’s a title of a publication in the middle of a sentence of online text. I.E. I love reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, but I didn’t like the movie.
Ctrl U — Underline
Look, I like Crtl U, I really do. But underlining something online that isn’t a link is bad and I can’t do it.
Edit, then edit again
No matter how you review your writing, be it with my favorite keyboard shortcuts or not — please, please, edit. Read it out loud before hitting “send.” Proper sentence structure and grammar are at the core of good writing. Sending out sloppy writing — even when the message and information are amazing — isn’t dependable. Make things easy and easier to read.
I try not to judge people for their writing. But companies need to do better than an informal comment section on YouTube. Good writing is invaluable. It helps you be more successful. And that is what Technology Aloha wants for you, so you can make more meaningful contributions to your community.
Listen to this post on our podcast!
Into the Inbound with Technology Aloha
