Writing Software - Writers Forum

scifi maniac · 11-23-2005, 06:03 AM

I've decided to try my hand at using writing software, but I really don't know where to start. Is there anything exceptionally good out there or anything you personally suggest? I know that a different program will work for a different person, but I really don't know what I'm looking for right now, and the internet is so %@#$ annoying that I never get a clear understanding of what's out there. Please, any suggestions are welcome.

BookLover · 11-23-2005, 06:50 AM

Try these:
Page Four : http://www.imbt.co.uk/
yWriter: http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter.html
Filmfiler: http://www.filmfiler.com/products.html

mammamaia · 11-23-2005, 09:49 AM

unless you're only referring to ms word, i'd never recommend using 'writing software' for anything but screenwriting, where it's necessary [or at least the best way], to format your script properly...

if you're not referring to just using word instead of works or whatever, why do you think you need something more?

BookLover · 11-23-2005, 11:16 PM

I agree with you Maia. I too used to use msword for a long time, but PageFour looks much better. It's nothing but a notepad kind of an editor, which I prefer over msword.

I tried ywriter recently and I like it because I can arrange chapters according to scenes. I can put in 2 or 3 scenes in one chapter which I found really helpful.

Filmfiler - honestly speaking, I haven't tried it, but I didn't want to look biased, so I just posted a link to it.

If I didn't have any of these, I would prefer using notepad over msword while writing. Copy the text to msword and format it. Thats what I would do.

scifi maniac · 11-24-2005, 02:30 AM

ok, i am looking for a way to organise my ideas instead of scrambling through a huge block of text in ms word to find a single phrase i want to edit. i need something that is easily accesible, but WON'T take over my writing.

ravravrav · 11-25-2005, 03:21 PM

Try http://www.filmfiler.com/products.html#story

It's quite simple but if you think of ideas to improve it then I can add them...

Mike C · 11-25-2005, 05:35 PM

If you learn to use MS word properly it'll do everything you could ever want it to. That's kind of why it's become the industry standard; there's not much to touch it.

Philo · 11-25-2005, 07:49 PM

I also use msword for writing although I have been reviewing OpenOffice and NeoOffice which offer many of the same things and are free, open source applications.

For organizing thoughts I used to use note cards or index cards which allows me to put ideas for scenes and plot points down and then rearrange them at will, grouping and re-grouping very quickly. I have since found a note card application called SuperNotecard (formerly Miss Lonelynotes.) Its shareware and available for Mac and Windows for about $30. You can add as much as you like to the cards, sort and organize, spell check, flag, built in linking, and you can export outlines and complete text in .txt and .rtf file formats for further editing in word. http://www.mindola.com/

river-wind · 11-25-2005, 10:23 PM

on the Macintosh side of the electronic divide, there is Mellel and Copywrite
mellel: http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/13254
Copywrite: http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/20897

I'm not a fan of MSWord these days. it has so many functions, that even I can outtype it (both Win and Mac); and I type using only four fingers!
OpenOffice.org is also an option, though it isn't much faster than MSWord.

irishidid · 11-26-2005, 12:28 AM

I use Rough Draft. It has all the features I like, is easy to use and it's free.