As a professional writer, I have to regularly tweak the tools I use so they'll function exactly as I need them. Because I work with different editors, publishers, and sites, I often have to change styles within a document on the fly. 

More LibreOffice: Page number wizard | Statistical analysis tool | Multiple languages | Add a watermark| Statistical analysis tool | Multiple languages | Add a watermark

Here's an example. I was recently working with a document I'd received from an editor who was using MS Office that changed the settings of Heading 2 to something that wouldn't work for the publisher. Instead of having to go through the entire document, changing every chapter heading from the altered Heading 2 to what it needed to be, I simply changed the first Heading 2 and then updated the style. Once I'd done that, every Heading 2 reflected the change. That's far more efficient than having to do each one manually. And when you're working with a manuscript that is 30+ chapters, changing those one by one can be a chore. 

Even worse, had I missed one it wouldn't reflect well on me with the publisher.

Thankfully, LibreOffice makes this easy.

Let me show you how it works.

How to update a style in LibreOffice

What you'll need:To make this work, you'll need LibreOffice installed. This feature works across all platforms, so it doesn't matter if you're working on Linux, MacOS, or Windows. I'll demonstrate on Ubuntu Budgie Linux using LibreOffice version 7.6.2.1. I would recommend you upgrade your version of LibreOffice to the most recent release, to ensure you have all the recent bug fixes and newest features.

Also: How to customize the formatting of LibreOffice comments for easier collaboration

The caveat

Here's the one caveat to this feature. The updated styleonlyapplies to the current document. That's actually a good thing, if you work with different clients/publishers, each of which requires a difference in the same style.

Also: How to create a LibreOffice template

If you want to permanently change a style in LibreOffice (such that it works with every document you open), follow the steps in How to edit a paragraph style in LibreOffice (and why you should).

And that's all there is to quickly change a style (on a per-document basis) in LibreOffice. This feature has helped me quite a bit over the years, preventing me from having to edit each instance of a style within a document. Give it a try and see if it doesn't make your collaborative life a bit easier.

Recommends

The best smartwatches you can buy: Apple, Samsung, Google, and more compared

The 5 best VPN services (and tips to choose the right one for you)

The best Android phones you can buy (including a surprise pick)

The best robot vacuum and mop combos (and if they're worth the money)

• The best smartwatches you can buy: Apple, Samsung, Google, and more compared
• The 5 best VPN services (and tips to choose the right one for you)
• The best Android phones you can buy (including a surprise pick)
• The best robot vacuum and mop combos (and if they're worth the money)