As a script-writer I have found OpenOffice.org Writer to be quite a powerful
option for creative writing, esp. once you learn some of the shortcuts -
autocorrect, macros, mini-macros etc. I have worked on fairly long documents,
including full-length film scripts, without problem...

What I am suspecting here is that maybe you have "contaminated" this document
somehow, by putting it through various word-processors. If you can open it in
OOo Writer, try resaving it as a .txt file, then re-opening it in Writer. Do
you have the same issues with this one? (You could also do Select All, Copy,
New Document, Paste Special, Unformatted Text.)

Make sure you have set up OOo correctly - under >Tools >Options, make sure you
have the correct default language set for your country, and you are using a
stock-standard font. Only save it as an MS .doc when you have to send it to
someone for review.

The only other glitch that I could possibly think of could be Java - check that
you have a current version installed - preferably Sun's JDK, and it is selected
under >Tools >Options (Openoffice.org main panel).

Is it possible you have RAM problems? How big in Kb is the document?