How do I get rid of the word "normal" when in normal view

[Zev]

When I am in normal layout view of a document, there is a line going from top
to bottom. On the left side is the word normal, and on the right side is the
area where I can type my text. I wish to remove the word "normal" as well as
the line. How do I do that?

 

[Jay Freedman]

The line separates the text from the "style area" -- the word "Normal"
indicates that the text is formatted with the Normal style. If you don't
want to see it, go to Tools > Options > View and set the "Style area width"
dropdown at the lower right to say 0".

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Alternatively, Zev could use some style other than Normal. <g>

 

[CyberTaz]

.... or just grab the line with your mouse & drag it all the way to the left.

 

[Joe McGuire]

It's the Styles window. What about simply closing it until you need it
again, if ever?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

What part of Jay's reply did you not understand?

 

[Joe McGuire]

I think I misunderstood the original question. If I had read it more
closely I would have seen that the window at issue was on the left side of
the text rather than the right. Then I further deepened my confusion by
assuming Jay's reply concerned the appearance of the Styles and Formatting
menu or window which in my experience shows up on the right side of the text
and contains, inter alia, the word "Normal." It can be handily closed by
clicking on a little X. I should have realized that he was talking about
something quite unconnected to Styles and Formatting. So different, in
fact, that I actually have no idea what the heck a Style Area is or does.
In fact, I never knew there was such a thing. Which reminds me of some very
useful advice I received long ago but which, in this regreatable instance,
whizzed right by me: Read the Freaking Question. I could try to describe
how red my face is from embarassment (Very) but that would only prolong the
agony. My apologies to all.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

There's more information about the Style Area somewhere in
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/RevealCodes.htm

FWIW, I didn't realize you were talking about the Styles and Formatting task
pane, which can actually be dragged to the left if desired.

 

[Jay Freedman]

No problem. I've suffered from "hoof in mouth" disease plenty of times
myself.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[Joe McGuire]

The question is which part did I competely misunderstand. Well, pretty much
everything. I mistakenly assumed the question had to do with Styles and
Formatting. Thus I headed off in full gallop in the wrong direction. I
learned a long time ago that when I see things far more clearly than people
who ought to know it's probably because I am looking the wrong way. I
forgot that crucial lesson here.

I thought I had posted an abject apology a few days ago but apparently it
went awry. Apologies all over again!

 

[Joe McGuire]

Odd. I don't see my apology or the replies. Hope I did not miss anything.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You did. Jay excused and I groveled. <g>