Do any of you use or are familar with writing software?

juicyfruitsxoxo · Post by **juicyfruitsxoxo** » 01 Jan 2014, 20:56

Writing software is something that I have decided to look into. Please I ask that if anyone has experience with writing software share your experience. Did you like the software? Was is the best software in your opinion? Thanks in advance!

ploafman · Post by **ploafman** » 04 Jan 2014, 13:08

Dull pencil and the back of speeding tickets and napkins.

csbaker · Post by **csbaker** » 06 Jan 2014, 16:40

I love Scrivener. The part I love most about it is that it allows the writer to rearrange the document using virtual "note-cards", rather than needing to copy and paste a million times as you would need to do with Word. Another benefit is that there is a "split-screen" view where you can view the document on one side and the research on the left at the same time, so that you don't need to switch between windows in order to review research, and then go back to writing. A third thing I love about Scrivener is that there is a mode where you can "black out" everything else except the document you are working on, so all distractions disappear. I would definitely recommend Scrivener.

FNAWrite · Post by **FNAWrite** » 07 Jan 2014, 09:36

I'm not familiar with Scrivener, but the advantages you list seem iffy. You can use note cards instead of cutting and pasting a million times - but wouldn't you have to use note cards a "million times" if that's how many changes you want to make?

You can split the screen with ordinary word processors - that's how windows work.

I don't understand this blackout idea either. When not in a split screen mode, the word processor window fills the screen - wherer are the distractions?

csbaker · Post by **csbaker** » 07 Jan 2014, 13:26

Googling pictures might help with both the notecards idea and with the blackout function. With the notecards, once you have text associated with a given notecard, you can move that notecard around in an outline view, and the associated text follows. Every time you copy and paste in Word, there are 5 steps involved-highlight text, right click text, click copy, click where you want to paste, click paste. In Scrivener, you just move the notecard to where you want it in the outline, which is only 1 step. Much simpler. Granted, the more a specific writer outlines and edits, the more useful this function is, and the more time saved.

With the blackout idea, when I am in Word, I can still see my Desktop toolbar, which for me still allows access to my email, internet (endless distractions there) and certain games I have "pinned" there. In the blackout function in Scrivener, all of those are gone, and literally all you can see is the document. No distractions.

kirknicola · Post by **kirknicola** » 16 Jan 2014, 07:41

I've found that using MS Word for Mac, the word count no longer displays in the bottom status bar after 100,000 words and don't try and repeat undo a mistake you make in spellcheck, or find and replace, because it will crash everything and you'll have to run spellcheck again from the beginning. Having said that, I've learned to live with the quirks of Word, I don't exceed 100k words in a document, I'll start a new one.

I've looked at Scrivener as an alternative, but it's not entirely compatible with my writing process which mostly happens up in my head, pours through my fingers into MS Word and is shipped off to MOBI for annotating in Kindle - a good way to see your manuscript with new eyes if your brain is blocking out the typos.

I see Scrivener as yet another system to get to grips with first. I know it looks easy to use, but does it work with the writing process? That is the question to determine whether or not it's going to be an investment, or a mere procrastination station.

MRosalina · Post by **MRosalina** » 16 Jan 2014, 08:30

I guess that it would depend on your personal preferences, but I rather like Scrivener. My biggest problem is organisation (reference materials, cross-references, random notes), and Scrivener gives you an easy way to organise everything. The 'notecards' allow you to shift from an overview to reference materials or specific scenes that you are working on very easily. It is not difficult to learn, and it has a free 30-day trial; you can always use that to have a look and decide if you like it or not.

kirknicola · Post by **kirknicola** » 16 Jan 2014, 08:49

Thanks for that, it sounds like a good tool, maybe I'll trial it on a short story and if that goes well use it on my next project which is a lot more complicated than the trilogy I'm currently completing. Probably not a good idea to use it three quarters of the way in though

the thought of switching makes me tired!

InconstantMoon · Post by **InconstantMoon** » 16 Feb 2014, 20:15

I've been using Scrivener for the past three years. I hit a serious road block with my writing and couldn't get back into it, but I was offered the program 50% off, so I bought it (I think it was like $25), and it is so awesome. I can create pages for locations, characters, websites, research, whatever I need, and I can separate my novels into chapters and scenes for easy access. I think it's a great tool, and I highly recommend it!

KLyons1 · Post by **KLyons1** » 19 Feb 2014, 10:49

I've been hesitant to try any software (though I'm certainly not fond of MS Word!). So I'm reading these comments with interest, and may see if Scrivener offers any free test periods ...

deanfromaustralia · Post by **deanfromaustralia** » 23 Feb 2014, 19:47

Like most of the posters here, Scrivener has become my writing tool of choice and I'm pleased to say it has helped me produce two full length novels as well as the third that I'm working on now.

Nadezda · Post by **Nadezda** » 23 Feb 2014, 20:32

MRosalina wrote:I guess that it would depend on your personal preferences, but I rather like Scrivener. My biggest problem is organisation (reference materials, cross-references, random notes), and Scrivener gives you an easy way to organise everything. The 'notecards' allow you to shift from an overview to reference materials or specific scenes that you are working on very easily. It is not difficult to learn, and it has a free 30-day trial; you can always use that to have a look and decide if you like it or not.

So agree. It's terrific to have everything in one place!

Jennifer-Hamilton · Post by **Jennifer-Hamilton** » 02 Mar 2014, 14:04

I used to use a program called Liquid Story Binder I think it was called. It was great for organisational purposes, for keeping character dossiers together and things like that, but I found before long that I had returned to either simple pen and paper or to microsoft word.

Loveabull · Post by **Loveabull** » 02 Mar 2014, 17:25

I was almost fifty before I understood WordPerfect and even now I'm no techy. A paper notebook and a couple good pens is fine with me.

kelsmercer · Post by **kelsmercer** » 19 Mar 2014, 21:39

I've used Scrivener and it's a nice tool. Still, I find that a lot of the features are useless unless I'm writing a fantasy novel and I'm building a world from the group up. In that case, it's nice to have the ability to organize information well.

Usually, I just default to Microsoft Word. It's what I'm used to. It's not particularly fancy, but it gets the job done. It is a little pricey if you don't have it already or you aren't a student, but in that case I would suggest LibreOffice, which is virtually the same thing and free. Or, if you have a MacBook, Pages, which has a different format than Word and LibreOffice, but has all the same features for twenty bucks. The problem is, as others have said, you don't want to be typing epics in one long document. The program can get really messed up and it can be really frustrating to work with.

All-in-all, Scrivener is probably the most powerful writing tool available. However, if you want a simple writing tool, then go with Microsoft Word or LibreOffice.