Word Processor

[Shadoe]

I was just finishing up my latest story/novel. I realized a couple days ago that I didn't like the plot. Had to shuffle some things, assign tasks to different characters, come up with a new subplot - stuff like that. I went looking for some decent writing software to help because Notepad wasn't cutting it. I installed yWriter5. So I spent a couple hours trying to get my story in there, whined a lot because it wouldn't let me do what I needed to do (be able to look at the plot from 5000 feet), and finally gave up on it. I started writing it out in Notepad again, and ended up with four Notepad windows open (I have three intersecting plotlines going on), and then decided to see if I could make Excel do what I wanted it to do. And that's what I ended up going with, because I could write out the different plotlines individually in columns, then arrange them so that I could view what was going on with each plotline at the same time. That really helped me work through the intersecting bits. Didn't used to be able to do this with Excel, because it had a low character limit per cell, but they've done away with that. When I'm done arranging, I can pop it back into Notepad for the writing.

 

[grahamguitarman]

Yeah thats what I'd really like - a visual way of rearranging and checking plotlines, where I can see the entire story at once if needed - sort of like a flow chart with built in word processor lol, nothing I've tried works the way I visualise yet

 

[Shadoe]

LOL! Funny you should mention the flow chart thing. I used to be an investigative aid for a drug task force. One of the things they taught us was how to use a link diagram to help with investigations. On my last story, I could NOT finish it (after a YEAR), couldn't stand working on it for any period of time, and half the time couldn't figure out who was doing what and why. So I got out the old link chart. Realized I had dead ends all over the place, characters with no reason to be in the story, and all kinds of problems. I fiddled with the chart for a bit and got all those problems taken care of, and finished the story in a week.

Excel didn't work exactly like that, but it helped me sequence the events so I could keep up with what was going on.

 

[grahamguitarman]

I've just downloaded MyNovel 4.0 to have a play with - it has a flow-charting feature built in apparently, not had a chance to play with it yet though so I have no idea how good the software is!

with a complex story i think flow-charts are definitely the way to keep track of everything LOL

 

[Shadoe]

I'll have to check it out. I like having a flow chart sometimes. I tend to overcomplicate my stories.

 

[De Kolesar]

I just checked out My Writing Spot, and I think I really like it. Now I can sneak and write while I'm supposed to be working! Thanks...