Current Project: Untitled WIPStatus: About 1000 words (working on plot/characters)
As a novice in the business of writing for profit, most every aspect of the writing process fascinates me. I love the discussions about inspiration, research, craft, promotion, publication, etc., etc. I learn something new and valuable with each topic. Today I'd like to talk for a moment about a specific part of the writer's toolkit: Software. Maybe this is only my issue, but I feel like I've been fighting a running battle with writing software for a long time now.
Over the years I've tried quite a few of the different word processors out there (star office/open office, word perfect, word and others) and pretty much hate them all. Maybe it's my UNIX background, but I always feel like I'm using an elephant to do a mouse's job when I open a document in a word processor. Eventually--usually sooner rather than later--I get so frustrated that I copy whatever words I've written back to my text editor and work from there, abandoning the word processor altogether. I've also spent time searching for the perfect text editor. In the Windows world, I found Notetab Pro and used it quite happily (there's a free version, but I wanted the bells and whistles for working with html files). In fact, it was the only software I mourned losing when I made the transition to the Mac, though I've found a reasonable substitute in the (free) version of TextWrangler. For the last year, I've been doing most of my writing in TextWrangler.
Text editors also have their limitations and in the last couple of months I've been running headlong into them as I actually, you know, write. In truth, text editors are really only good for smaller pieces of text and they lack the kind of organizational capabilities that true word processors provide. So, once I get past a few thousand words in a text editor, I start having issues again and start thinking about transitioning back to bad-old Word. Makes me wanna cry.
Last year, in a search for something better, I came across Scrivener. It's software created by a writer for writers. It's a word processor and a project management tool all in one. I thought it looked interesting (and cheap) enough to buy it. I played with it a bit and was impressed, but since my writing project never really got off the ground last year, it still felt a lot like overkill. However, I've been working on a project that's currently at about 18,000 words and was getting very frustrated when I suddenly remembered Scrivener. I decided to give it a shot and I have to say, I think I may have found my solution.
This is software that gets out of my way while I write, lets me easily rearrange scenes without having to cut and paste anything and allows me to keep *everything*--notes, research, previous drafts--at my fingertips. Oh, and it has an export to Word capability, as well, so once you've got your final version you can save it as a Word doc. I am, as they say, cautiously optimistic.
So, I'm curious -- what software do you all use when you write? Does your software frustrate you, provide an interface so smooth that you don't even know it's there or something in between? Share your triumphs, your frustrations and your horror stories!
For those who are curious, here are the links to the software I mentioned above. FYI: I'm not associated with any of these companies and I don't get any kind of compensation if you decide to try their software. Also, the Scrivener site has links to other writing software.
Mac Only (though I'm sure there must be something similar to Scrivener out there for PC users)
Scrivener (30 day free trial): http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html
TextWrangler (free): http://www.barebones.com/products/TextWrangler/
PC Only
NoteTab (freeware/lite version/pro version): http://www.notetab.com
9 comments:
First comment! (so I can get notifications) :-)
Hi, Debbie! Sure is nice to have you back in town, though I'm sure you would love to return Down Under. :)
Software. Hmm. I don't worry about overkill.
In the 30ish years since personal computers became readily available, I've used some software that was more of a nuisance than a help as well as fully-loaded software with more bells and whistles than I'd ever need or imagine. I much prefer bells and whistles I'll never use than software that makes me want to throw the entire computer out the window. LOL!
Right now, I'm using Word for my writing simply to get the words into the computer--and that's what my e-publisher requested for manuscripts. I usually do edits by scribbling on the printed out pages, then go back to the computer to fix them.
Until the final version of my manuscript, I usually have each chapter as a separate document because I have very little patience with the software crashing or trying to rewrite for me in the middle of what I'm doing.
If I'm doing major rewrites, I'll save earlier versions and work from a copy.
I've heard of Scrivener but haven't tried it. Nice to know there's something promising out there. :)
Can I just say, I haven't a clue what you're talking about! I just use whatever is on my computer that puts words in a document.
Okay, this answer is going to prove how totally clueless I am when it comes to computers. I had no idea writers wrote in any program OTHER THAN Word. I mean...I know there are other word processors out there, but...why make the switch?
(Since I am so totally clueless, Debbie can you tell me why you dislike Word so much?)
I tend to write beginning to end. When I have a synopsis going, I put that at the end of my document and work toward it. As I finish plot elements, I delete those lines from the synopsis. By the end of the book, I have no synopsis left (if I've done it correctly.) The thought of writing each chapter in a separate document (like Genene) makes me shudder. (No offense Genene...I'm just not that organized). I routinely save my work (don't rely on autosave...been burned there before), and also email my WIP to myself occasionally through the process to make sure if my processor freaks or my computer crashes, I won't lose the book.
I use Word because it's on my computer. I know there is other stuff out there. I loaded one program a few years ago that was created by writers that sounds similiar to scrivener but for PCs. Its unfamiliar appearance freaked me so bad, I immediately deleted it. This from the person who always orders the same thing in restaurants. And rarely visits new restaurants.
Word works for me. I write beginning to end. I use a few other documents. One for brainstorming, one for scene order, and one for character characteristics that I always forget.
Debbie, oops, my computer software illiteracy is about to show.
I use word and work almost exactly the same way Eli does, from start to finish. Tried separate files for chapters once and almost died from paging horrors. Never again. I've been doing this for so many years that I have developed a second sense for where anything I need is within the document up to within a page or so. I email myself my book occasionally, and if I am really feeling paranoid, I email it to my husband and daughter, too.
I do not like change. Every time I update the computer it updates the Word program. I do my best to ignore everything. Most of the time, Word and I have an understanding -- I don't mess with it, it doesn't mess with me.
I admire your search for a better program. Obviously, you're more attuned to your specific needs than I am. I tend to make due. I am going to go look at the one you mentioned, though.
Good to have you back!
I adore trying out all sorts of programs. I used WordPerfect to write my last book (in one file). It went well. I don't particularly care for Word for two reasons--when you save a file, it saves some weird "tmp" file thing in the directory, and I'm afraid it's spreading out my book all over the place or something.
I have a couple of extra programs and tricks I like. I found a program kind of like what Scrivener sounds like--it's free open source software and called Celtx. Linux and PC versions are available. The word processor in it isn't great, but all the other parts are, especially for getting the information for cover art together for Harlequin. It has a scene category, and a props category and character category that all keep your notes in neat areas--and you can collect pictures in it. All available from a menu to the side. Oh yes, and as far as your actual ms, you can create a file link that calls it up with your word processor of choice, too, in a separate window.
Other tips: For Word, I located a pre-written macro on the Internet to save the file I was working on to flash, cd or floppy. It first saves your file on hard drive, then closes it, then copies the file to the peripheral, then opens your file again. I put it on there for the flash drive, and for an external floppy drive I have.
One last tip--there is a wonderful dictionary/thesaurus program called Wordweb, which is also free. It's better than anything else I've found, especially better than the ones native to Word and WP.
Sorry this is long, but it's kind of like a favorite topic of mine.
Flo
G'Day Everyone! It's good to be back. I know I've been a bit absent since we got back from the trip, but that's due to getting sick just before we came home. I think I'm finally over it, though, so hopefully I'll be getting caught up on everything soon.
I get the feeling that maybe my professional software background might be to blame for my slight obsession with finding the perfect writing software. After working with problematic software as part of my day job, I have little patience for software that hogs far too many system resources and that can crash on you for seemingly random reasons. Most word processors tend to fit that description, mostly because of the combination of needing to keep backward compatibility with older file types and adding more and more features as time goes on.
Genene -- I hear you about the bells and whistles. I know most people probably use Word, but I just find it incredibly...clunky. It's interesting that you mention saving each chapter as a separate file. I've tried this, but then had trouble with pagination and ended up merging everything into one file (and then getting frustrated with that for other reasons).
Paty -- I'm guessing that you either use the full Microsoft Word program or the lightweight version of Word that's the replacement for the old Windows notepad editor. Both save files as Word "docs". Sounds like what you use works just fine for you and that's great!
Elisabeth -- Mostly I hate Word because it takes up so many system resources because of features that I'll never use, also because the interface is so very non-intuitive to me if I want to do anything beyond basic typing. It's true that it has gotten more stable over time -- and I'll also admit that some of my problem is a personal dislike of most things Microsoft.
It's interesting to hear that almost everyone who has responded tends to write straight through from beginning to end. I thought I did, too, but I'm learning that my process seems to be that I write in scenes -- and I do a bit of playing with scene order as I go. And sometimes those scenes are wildly out of order -- I'll write what occurs to me, even if I think it belongs much later in the story or if I'm not sure whether it fits at all.
While it's true that I could save a lot of versions of my files and play with cut/paste to move my scenes around, I can avoid all that by using Scrivener. It lets me create each scene as a separate chunk within the same project. I can order each chunk as I like without resorting to cut/paste. And I can view each scene as a 3x5 card on a corkboard, like an outline. I don't know -- Scrivener just seems to fit more naturally with the way I write than anything else I've tried so far.
Kendra -- You're the second person who said they use Word because it's on their computer. Just curious, is this the lightweight version that comes standard with Windows or is it the full featured version that was pre-installed on your computer when you bought it? (Usually called something like Word 2007)
Alice -- I know exactly what you mean about not using separate files for chapters in Word. I've tried that and been very frustrated. Problem is that I've also tried using a single file and had different frustrations. I find one huge file is too cumbersome for the way I write. When I invariably go to move things around I always end up losing something or having something show up twice.
Flo -- Another software junkie! LOL! Celtx sounds like it has some interesting features. If I wasn't already using Scrivener, I'd check it out. A lot of what you've mentioned, Scrivener can also do.
The macro for Word sounds like it would be very useful. I use flash drives for my backups, too, saving frequently to disk and then backing up to the flash drive at the end of each writing session.
Deb, I'm a start to finish writer in one document. Tried the separate chapters thing years ago and hated it when I went to put them together. Took me longer to format than to write the book! I have the 2007 Word program that unless someone has a newer computer they can't read so I have to save things I send to others in an earlier word version. I Make my character charts and all research info in separate documents that are labeled and I just pop them open when I need to look something up. Sorry my answer wss brief yesterday- had several projects to get out of the way.
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