sandwyk

Dear Sir/Madame,

I hope you can help me with this quastion.
I am beginning on a book for the first time, have the story (historical) did a research of more then five years for the book, not at the point of writing.
What software do I use? just word or is there a special writer (Novel/book) software.
I have the complete Final Draft series, but I want a special software for a book, where I can write my text and place the photographs together.

Is there software you suggest, if so please let me know!

Thanks for your help and time,

Sincerely,

Philip Jan van Sandwijk

Pawn

Not that I'm familiar with. There are various print design products which I [will] use in the course of designing and printing my magazine, such as Adobe InDesign CS and Quark XPress. However, these programs are both very expensive and more than you need. You shouldn't worry about it - just write into any word processing program (MS Word etc.) and let the eventual publishers do the rest.

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gabriella

Your best bet is MS Word. It can layout text and wrap it around the image, change margins and everything. That's if you're planning on never publishing it, but publishing a pretty copy for yourself

If you are planning on publishing it, then use Word for the manuscript format and then send it in, and let the publishers do the rest. =]

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

swedish selma

I can just agree with Gabriella and Pawn.

If you simply want to add som graphics to your text, this is done easily in word, and you can format your pictures (margins around it, etc) to later print out a neat copy (for yourself or to send to publishers).

If you are to actually do a layout and publish the book yourself InDesign (PC, and Mac also I think) or Quark Express (Mac) would be the way to go. You can paste your text and pictures in to them (don't use them to write a whole lot in, not as smooth as for instance word) and create a pre-publish layout.

The software and license are however expensive :(
But then agen, the software for microsoft produkcts aren't cheap either!

Here's a question: can microsoft take possesion of your text if it is written in Word, but an unlicensed copy?

A tip is Open Office: works just like MS Office, but it's free software.

One of my lectures swears by http://www.eastgate.com/Tinderbox/... It has a multitude of puposes for writers, although I'm not sure on what kinds...

/Selma

gabriella

Don't MS programs come with the computer? They always did for me, at any rate.

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

Robert Berry

Software will not help you to write.

Judging from your post, you're at best an unsure, error-prone writer. Whilst this does not mean you will never be able to write, it does mean that you will need to work to perfect the elements of style, composition, and usage. I stole that piece of terminology from The Elements of Style by Strunk, which I suggest you should read. Yet, while The Elements provides sound information on common errors; spelling and grammar cannot be learnt entirely from that text. The best way to learn how to write is to read. Writing is, ultimately, impersonation, and in order to be able to do it well (and originally, if there is such a thing), one must have read a wide range of texts, both fiction and non-fiction.

Once you know how to write, a pen and paper, typewriter, or word processing package such as MS Word will do. A piece of writing is about the hand that writes it, not what that hand interacts with.

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One who writes for the sake of having written will neither enjoy it nor profit from it; one who chooses to write for the sake of writing, while not sure of publication, will uncover riches unimagined by his fame-seeking brethren.

Armon

They can't take possesion of your work, because you never gave them permission to do so. This is true, even more so, since you never agreed to their license agreement. (I haven't read the license, but I would assume they have no right over your work even with a legal copy. It would be best if you read the license, at least once, to make sure though.)

Imagin stealing a pen from someone: Would that person be able to claim that what you wrote with it is theirs?


OpenOffice is what I've been using. I think Microsoft Office is a better product, but the cost of OpenOffice is too nice to ignore.
My only problem with OpenOffice is that the chaptering system doesn't seem to work. It's supposed to be able to insert chapter titles into your page headers. I only seem to get the first chapter's title over and over again. Anyone know if version 1.1 works better? I'm on 1.0.3.

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gabriella

What IS OpenOffice?

__________________
You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

Armon

http://www.openoffice.org/
To quote the web site: OpenOffice is "a multi-platform office productivity suite compatible with all major file formats."

__________________
A society that puts equality ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom. - Milton Friedman

Government is not eloquence, it is not justice, it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearsome master. - George Washington

VixenRED

Book Writer is a good one. ^^ if you mean for the whole set up for your book, i hardly use it for the fact I’m a whore to Microsoft Word. *giggles*

It will help you piece your book together, not make you better, like one predecessor poster said earlier.

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