When you create in Word a table of contents there is an option to connect chapter titles and page numbers with leaders. Selecting “none,” i.e. no leaders at all, dot or any type of leaders, will put just empty spaces between titles and numbers, forming a cleaner table of contents.

Sometimes Word seems to refuse this option, placing always leaders, even if you select the “none” option. This may happen especially if you are re-creating a table of contents that previously had leaders or other customizations.

To discard the leaders put your mouse on an entry with leaders and modify its style.

You will be surprised to see in the “Tabs” section that there is defined a tab stop with leaders. In that dialogue select “none,” and enjoy!

Being yourself an author or student you will perhaps appreciate especially this feature, that the very structure of the book will teach you how to work. The book contains even chapters on how to prepare a document for professional publishers such as Amazon. Reading Steven Adams' Writing a book or thesis in Microsoft Word you are surprised realizing it makes you want to work -- to think, write, use Word and be creative!