Creating a *Long* Document

[A Baffled User]

Has anyone out there had experience with Word's Master Document function? I
am writing a book that presently consists of two approximately 100-page
files. I began the process of transforming the first file into a master
document by, first cutting it into twenty-page segments and then inserting
each of the files thus created into the master document.

Having done about a third of the first long file, I discovered that I had
quite a few format oddities in the master document (M.D.) that weren't in
the original file from which the smaller files were created. I had to
reformat these oddities individually, one after another. I'm assuming that
if I continue inserting chapter-size files into the M.D., I will continue to
have to manually reformat rogue passages, which is a big hassle. My
paragraphs often have italicized patches of text for various reasons, and in
the reformatting process, everything either becomes italicized or roman; I
then have to go through and re-italicize, for instance.

So I'm wondering if it's really worth it to go to this much trouble. If
there's anyone out there who has used the M.D. function and could comment on
its usefulness, I would be most grateful.

Thanks!

Joan