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• • August 9, 2024 at 10:30 am #14405659
    Rich Harvey

    Participant

    I remember a lengthy thread regarding a chapter title and the first paragraph. Using a certain object style, the first paragraph would automatically be placed in the same spot, even if the chapter title were more than a single line.

    Now I’m assembling an anthology of fiction, and the author wants a little introductory paragraph at the top of each first page. Followed by the title, followed by the actual story. How can I adjust object styles and paragraph spacing to accommodate this rather peculiar and frustrating variation in the format?

  • August 9, 2024 at 10:35 am #14405660
    Amanda Welch

    Member

    I think you’ll need to update the paragraph styles to cascade as “next styles” and then update the Object Style to start with the intro paragraph and apply next style.

    • August 9, 2024 at 4:12 pm #14405671
      Rich Harvey

      Participant

      Doesn’t seem to work. The introductory text pushes the title down, so everything else moves down. The title will have to be in a fixed position, and the chapter title and the lead paragraph.

    • August 9, 2024 at 5:25 pm #14405673
      David Blatner

      Keymaster

      I think you’ll find the “Use Custom Baseline” feature (which is in one of the articles I posted) works great.

    • August 11, 2024 at 3:13 pm #14405679
      Rich Harvey

      Participant

      Could be … the custom baseline pushes the story title down, but not the first paragraph.

      There’s TWO paragraphs … an italicized paragraph at top, the story title, and then the lead paragraph, which is actually the first paragraph of the story. Unless I just use a “Space Before” for the Lead parapgraph.

    • August 11, 2024 at 4:20 pm #14405680
      David Blatner

      Keymaster

      It sounds like you have the story title set to align to baseline grid. Turn it off for that paragraph, and turn it on for the first paragraph.

    • August 11, 2024 at 6:49 pm #14405681
      Rich Harvey

      Participant

      I’m fiddling with it, but not working.

      Instead of Title and first paragraph being 1 and 2 … they’re 2 and 3 … The Little Italicized Paragraph At Top is the culprit. Maybe the author will just have to find another way to impart information about the story.

  • August 9, 2024 at 10:39 am #14405661
    David Blatner

    Keymaster

    There are a few options in these two articles:

    Push Down the First Line of Text

    
    and

    Starting Chapter Text at a Fixed Position on the Page

  • August 9, 2024 at 10:41 am #14405662
    David

    Member

    I believe that’s a matter of both Size and Position options (for the chapter title) combined with “next styles” (if, of course, your paragraph styles are set up correctly). Near as I can tell, the Size and Position options is only to be found in the object styles dialog box (I could be wrong, but damned if I can find it anywhere else). Simply adjust the Y axis position options to your liking from the top of the margin … at least, I think this is the best way to go; maybe you can toy with this until greater minds weigh in to suggest a better path ;-)

  • August 13, 2024 at 10:55 am #14405703
    Rich Harvey

    Participant

    Still fiddling with this after three days. Getting ready to commit suicide. I even opened a template someone sent. Figured that as easier than doing it from scratch, since nothing works.

    Anyway … the introductory paragraph at the TOP of the page could be three to seven lines long. Drop down several spaces for the story title. Then drop down a few more for the first story paragraph. So instead of a Chapter Number, we have “Intro paragraph”, instead of Chapter Title, we have “Story Title,” and then the lead paragraph is still the lead.

    The lead paragraph on occasion stays where it’s intended to be. But the chapter title keeps wandering. Apparently it uses a “Space before” and a “Space after,” which means as story title it’s going to wander, rather than remaining fixed.

    I dunno … I’m feeling pretty stupid at this point. Perhaps it would work best to just create different text boxes, flow and get on with it.

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