Writing Software?

[Argentum]

Oh, no, not Dragon. Though that does sound fun. I should check it out just for kicks.
Apparently, NewNovelist 3 has this thing where it will take your whole document, give you a book view, and read it back to you. That's what I would like most of all. As a program, it looks pretty neat, but I am still holding onto my $50. Kinda hoping to find a read back program a bit cheaper (free), but will probably just end up getting New Novelist 3 anyway.

 

[EParadise]

New Novelist does sound pretty amazing, and the read back function is probably what will eventually win me over. Until then I started using StoryBox and I LOVE it. I love being able to type my document and then highlight the name of the new character I just wrote about and click a button to add a new character description file. Then when I say something descriptive about that character I highlight that and click a button that adds it to that characters file. Everything is very literally a click away, and note taking is so simple.

 

[Deleth]

Ahh, if it does not exist in three places, it does not exist? That's one reason I like Dropbox, their server and automatic sync to anywhere I have it installed. Plus it is automatic.

Never though of using Dropbox for that, good idea!

Are you sure you aren't someone I know from school? (I know I guy at college who swore by dropbox, used it for everything, even bugged the administration until it was added on a few school computers lol)

 

[sashamerideth]

Never though of using Dropbox for that, good idea!

Are you sure you aren't someone I know from school? (I know I guy at college who swore by dropbox, used it for everything, even bugged the administration until it was added on a few school computers lol)

Only if I am a guy pretending to be a girl.

Dropbox allows me to work on whatever wherever I am. Thanks to it a lot of my writing is done on my phone in my in between times. Written nearly 80k words this way.

 

[Johnny Cosmo]

DropBox is useful, but it's not strict enough to keep my writing documents organised. Evernote serves me better for ideas, since it's geared towards note taking.

I do love DropBox for easy synching and sharing though.

 

[sashamerideth]

I am going to try installing yWriter to the Dropbox folder so if it is synced across multiple computers then yWriter and all my settings will carry across... in theory.

 

[RedRidingHood]

I didn't even know software like that existed! I just use index cards. I write the chapter at the top and then a brief description of the action. I also include the characters that are in the scene. Then I hang it on my wall so I can see what's going on where right as I'm writing. Post-its work well too, but they tend to fall of the wall after a while. Now I feel like my system is so archaic!

 

[Deleth]

I am going to try installing yWriter to the Dropbox folder so if it is synced across multiple computers then yWriter and all my settings will carry across... in theory.

While useful, a cloud dropbox is not.

 

[sashamerideth]

While useful, a cloud dropbox is not.

It works. And Dropbox is by definition a Cloud service. It is a SAAS cloud. I am just pushing the boundaries.

 

[Emeria]

I've just always used a cheap notebook to carry around with me (mostly to write ideas down in) and a word processor on whatever computer I am using. Currently, I've installed Open Office, which seems to work quite well.

 

[Hëradïn]

I use MS office 2007. Because I use nonstandard Latin characters in my writing (ë, ï, ź) I have to have either copy and paste them (which would suck) or use the nice select keyboard feature of windows. I just found the perfect one for my writing too; one that will allow me to use ë and ï as well as ź (in standard Latin this would look like ZH in cyrillic it is the letter Ж). Yeah, I'm pretty happy about it.

 

[Lord Darkstorm]

You do realize that a majority of english readers don't really know what to do with those kinds of characters other than treat them like the letters they look like?

 

[julienlegault]

You do realize that a majority of english readers don't really know what to do with those kinds of characters other than treat them like the letters they look like?

Agreed.

But as for software, I prefer the minimalist ones, and then I keep my notes on world building (if they need to be so documented) in a file in Pages (writing software for Macs). For my actual writing though, it's either OmmWriter Dana or Byword. OmmWriter is really worth checking out for those who like a relaxing writing experience, and it has a free demo.

I've tried Scrivener and Ulysses, but I didn't like them. Made me feel like I was making a science project instead of writing fiction. I stick to programs that block out distraction so it's just me and the words, maybe a word count.

 

[Hëradïn]

You do realize that a majority of english readers don't really know what to do with those kinds of characters other than treat them like the letters they look like?

I realize that, I'm going to include a glossary and perhaps a pronunciation guide (both of which have been suggested to me before). Ultimately, however, I don't mind how people say it as long as they enjoy the story.

 

[Lord Darkstorm]

Just thought I'd point out that most of us won't get it...and a good number won't look at the guide prior to reading, and few after.

 

[sashamerideth]

Just thought I'd point out that most of us won't get it...and a good number won't look at the guide prior to reading, and few after.

What more, putting the guide in the back means it probably won't be noticed until the book is finished, an by then too late to be any use to the reader.

Put it in the front, and it will not even make it off the bookshelf as it is one of "those" kinds of books. It's akin to using Ye instead of The, even though the Y is really a thorn, and pronounced the same anyhow.

I have found that ywriter installs into and runs very well from Dropbox, and I have taken to using it for my main writing over the Scrivener beta.

 

[Johnny Cosmo]

I realize that, I'm going to include a glossary and perhaps a pronunciation guide (both of which have been suggested to me before). Ultimately, however, I don't mind how people say it as long as they enjoy the story.

If you don't care about the pronunciation, why bother with something so unconventional? I don't think I'd even consider reading a fantasy novel with a glossary and pronunciation guide at the front, and I'd not bother with one at the back. It's a little self-indulgent, and probably something you should scrap. The negatives trump the positives.

 

[Queengilda]

I use excel and word for most of my work. I think I like excel because my background is accounting. I find I can make up a table of each character, description, age, characteristics, and then I use powerpoint or just paper notebooks to make diagrams of places where the characters travel into and out of, and places of interest and action.