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Author Topic: Writer's applications - again
JeanneT
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This has been discussed before several times but since I just started using something different -- yWriter -- and have become addicted to it, I thought I'd start a new thread (besides I can't find the old ones.)

I've always used Word except for a short stint trying out Open Office. (I don't like the Open Office Change Tracking so that went away.)

Well what I'm using now doesn't have change tracking so I won't use it for edits--but for writing, I'm in love with it.

There are quite a few writers apps out there and I've tried a lot of them. This one I had tried an earlier version, but I happened to notice that the writer/programmer who does it had a new version out, I figured I'd try it again. I didn't expect to like it. I just like trying these things.

Well, I love it. It has a great note section which you can use for world building. It has a great character section which you can use to track what PoV you're using in story boards. The basic writing is done in scenes and chapters and switching around the order is just a matter of drag and drop. You can add scenes or chapters with no content as place holders or just a note what you want to put in later. It automatically renumbers your chapters. It displays the total number of words in the chapter and project. It saves in rtf which means you can pick it up in any word processor for editing.

Sorry. Obviously I like this little freebie.

Like anything, it's not going to suit everyone but I think I'm a convert for my first draft anyway.

Oh, and it has a little tool so you can set a work goal and it will track your progress toward that.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited March 05, 2008).]


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AstroStewart
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Your praise got me to download this program and try it out.
It seems like it has a lot of cool functions, but I have one possibly stupid question.

You don't actually WRITE your story with this program, correct? You write each chapter, each scene, with something else (say, Word) and then upload each chapter into this program, which, as you said, keeps track of things like POV, word count, chapter order, storyboards, etc.


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JeanneT
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It's not a stupid question. Yes, you can write in the yWriter. It has most of the usual word processing/text editing functions. I will switch to Word for editing because I like to use Change Tracker which it doesn't have but you can write in it (and edit in it if you don't want the Word bells and whistles).

You could do it the way your talking about but that seems unnecessarily complicated.

One of the things I like is that you can label your scenes as outline, draft, or 1st and 2nd edit as you work on it. That way you won't do something I once did and leave a chapter as just a note to write it later and then forget you'd done it. *grins*

It is quite lacking in documentation so that makes it a bit difficult to get started in. You double click on the space you want to use--that one took me a while to figure out. Speaking of dumb--I felt that way. But with no documentation, the obvious isn't always.

Edit: Oh also, if you already have a novel in progress you can import the file instead of having to go to the trouble of doing a copy and paste. Just make sure it has a Chapter headings and that the scenes are divided by ***. It will automatically split it into chapters and scenes for you.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited March 05, 2008).]


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Wolfe_boy
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I've been searching for writing simplicity lately, so I use either Writeroom when I'm at home, or Darkroom when I'm oot 'n aboot. I also have a soft spot for Nisus Writer, as a Word-replacement.

I find when I use the typical book-building software (like yWriter, Scrivener, Jer's Novel Writer, Avenir, etc.) I end up playing with the toys and organizational tools than actually writing. There's also something deliciously nostalgic about writing on a black screen with green text.

Jayson Merryfield

[This message has been edited by Wolfe_boy (edited March 05, 2008).]


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Crank
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The last time I read a thread like this, I spent several evenings checking out some of the writing software tools that were mentioned.

Here's where being a software developer by trade comes in handy...I got an idea for designing my own custom writer tool. Even better, I wouldn't have to wait for the next version release with the hopes that they accommodated my wacked out upgrade requests...I'd build them myself!

Here's where being a software developer by trade comes back to haunt me...when exactly would I have time to actually build this tool?

Here's an idea...how 'bout if I put my writing aside for a month or so?

Yeah, right. I've got too many story ideas swarming around in my head as it is. If I don't hurry up and release them, my head will explode.

For now, I'll just stick to MS-Word. It's primative compared to what a custom-built tool could accomplish, but it serves me quite well for now.

But I'm holding only my database scheme and logic flow notes, just in case.

S!
S!...C!


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Christian
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JeanneT,
your glowing review has piqued my interest. Where can I find this yWriter? it sounds amazing.

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AstroStewart
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I just googled "yWriter" after Jeanne's first post.
Of course I also accidentally downloaded version 2 instead of the newest version (version 4).

Here's a link.

http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter4.html

Honestly, it feels a little convoluted for a program to actually write my novel in. I've grown accustomed to writing/editing in MS-Word at 150% size, so that a standard 12-point font takes up about half my giant computer screen, and the letters are nice and big, and it doesn't look like this has the automatic underlining in red for misspelled words, which I'm not sure I could live without. I type so fast sometimes I end up with lots of typos that are pointed out by Word for me (case in point: the -> "teh").

However, even if it does seem like a lot of extra work, I think this program has promise for other purposes, besides the actual bulk writing and editing.

Keeping track of characters per scene, % of the novel by wordcount with each character in it, storyboards, synopsis-style descriptions of each scene, outline-style descriptions of each scene, outline/draft/1st-edit/2nd-edit/done status on each scene, etc. etc. is quite useful for organizing the novel.

I'll probably end up with 2 separate folders per novel now. One with my MS-Word raw text, and another with the yWriter project to organize it all in my head.


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JeanneT
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I would have sworn I would never give up Word for writing. But I love having everything in one place. When I open my project in yWriter it opens my character sketches, my worldbuilding notes, I can just click to open the storyboards, etc.

Sure I could open the documents but this just seems neater to me to have everything attached.

Astro, everyone has to do things the way that suits them best. I have no problem adjusting to the differences in yWriter but that's me. In order to write it in you just double click on content and start writing. You could actually ignore all the rest if you wanted to.

Anyway, I hate enthusing about something. But I've complained that nothing worked right for worldbuilding for me and this does--so I'm happy.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited March 05, 2008).]

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited March 05, 2008).]


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Christian
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thanks Astro. I think I'll download it and try it out. Personally, I hate the fact that MS Word underlines things in red, and green. The OCD part of me MUST got back and make corrections immediately, but the writer in me wants to keep cranking out that story, mistakes and all. After all, that's what edits and 2nd, 3rd, 4th...etc. drafts are for...right? I could use notepad, but Not pad is boring and won't tell me how many pages I have. So, hopefully, thanks to JeanneT I've found my writer's best friend. I'll let you guys know how I feel about it after I've had a chance to try it out.

~Christian


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Wolfe_boy
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quote:
Personally, I hate the fact that MS Word underlines things in red, and green. The OCD part of me MUST got back and make corrections immediately, but the writer in me wants to keep cranking out that story, mistakes and all

You can turn that feature off, if it pleases you - I know it's the only way I made it through NaNoWriMo a couple years ago.

Jayson Merryfield


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skadder
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I have just downloaded Ywriter and it is much improved over version 3 which I didn't like.

I definitely like this new version.


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JeanneT
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I had tried version 2 and didn't like it so I was surprised at really liking version 4.
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Robert Nowall
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I think I've said this before, but---Microsoft Works Word Processor is what came with my computers, both of them. Are there others?

Actually, it does pretty much what I want, though there are a few features that seem awkward to use and a few others that I could do without. Perhaps the others are better---some of the accounts, of other systems, or of problems with Microsoft, get quite passionate and worked up about it. I've had moments, but nothing extreme. (And I wish I held stock in the company.)


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JeanneT
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If you're happy with what you have to don't happen to like trying new things, there's no reason to look at other applications.

There are a lot of applications aimed at writers, some for writing and some for organization. yWriter combines the two. I've tried just about every one out there over the years. This is the first one that I really liked, but for sure that doesn't mean it will suit everyone.


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Christian
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quote:
You can turn that feature off, if it pleases you - I know it's the only way I made it through NaNoWriMo a couple years ago.

Wolfe_Boy...you can WHAT??? What sort of witchcraft can do such a thing? Please teach me the spell....

[This message has been edited by Christian (edited March 11, 2008).]


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JeanneT
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I have that turned off on Word--have had forever but I believe that it's on the Tools Option menu under Spelling and Grammar. I'm sure Wolfe_Boy will recall the details. I think it's the Autocorrect function or something like that. Anyway, you just have to unclick the right thing and it stops bugging you.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited March 11, 2008).]


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Christian
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Thanks JeanneT. Your magic worked on my machine too.
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