Any suggestions for a novel writing software? thx
On Writing : Novel writing software by Christine Capone
Novel writing software
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Definitely Final Draft Christine Capone. Makes the formatting easy to where you can better focus on creating. Happy writing!
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I didn't realize you could use FD for novel writing. Thx Leonardo!
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Hey Christine Capone - I had FD in the brain before I stopped myself. For novel writing, I actually use Scrivener and I love it. Sorry for the confusion!
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Hey Leonardo, now worries! I think you can actually use it from what I've researched but Scrivener is probably better. Thx!
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Awesome Christine Capone - you'll have to let me know how you like it!
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I have a copy of Scrivener, but the learning curve was too long, and I went back to using LibreOffice Writer. It's free and does everything other programs do. One of the key things, whether you use LibreOffice, OpenOffice, or MSWord: learn Styles. That's where the power is.
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WriterDuet if you plan on turning your novel into a screenplay, or even something simpler like Microsoft Word will do the job.
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I use Scrivener and then move it to Word for formatting. Although it's very powerful, I don't use 1/2 of its abilities. Great for writing in separate files and folders and a great outlining process. You can keep track of characters and research.
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This is all great info.! Thanks everyone!
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ATTICUS. There is just no comparison.
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Great suggestions here! Thank you to everyone who jumped in!
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I'm pretty basic so I just stick with Pages (Mac's version of Word) but I know many people who love Scrivener. Atticus is highly recommended for design & layout if you plan to self-pub, but even so, I'd recommend you save the money to pay a professional designer.
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For novels, I write my first draft on Google sheets, then bring it into Word for formatting. At some point I might get Atticus as I self-publish, Tried the demo for Scrivener but didn't have time to dive into all its features. I usually don't outline my stories before writing, so that's why I use just basic word processing. (I go back and outline after my 1st draft to add structure).
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just write
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Christine Capone I use Scrivener and it's especially good for writing a series. There are places for character description, location description, and a bunch of other features that are helpful. I format with Vellum after the fact.
Mike Childress I still don't know how to use all the features
Mike Childress holy jebus
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Scrivener does so much, but really if you use it for just novel writing it is very easy to learn. The "compile" process is what takes up most of the manual. If you are outputting a Word doc to send to publishers it isn't that complicated. It can output Kindle and eBooks, but I never use any of those features. It also can be used in screenplay mode which is a nice feature if you do both novels and screenplays. I've written and sold four novels using it, and I just use the novel template right out of the box. The "write first and format later" is hard for people to get used to. They want to format as they go and that isn't how Scrivener works. You write to completion then move on to compile what format you need.
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I use Word, and when I am ready to publish - I import my Word document into Vellum and it handles the formatting beautifully. I have used it for years, but it is only available on a MAC. I always have to tell my editor to remember not to format my Word document when he is editing because it works best to let Vellum handle the formatting then just tweak where needed. I just launched my latest fantasy novel and used Vellum to upload the manuscript: https://www.amazon.com/Ring-Rosin-Dynamis-Novel-Novels/dp/1956891153 I highly recommend Vellum and Ring of Rosin ;) for a fun fantasy read.
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My wife writes her novels in Google Docs, and then puts them in Word when she's ready to format it for publication. She's got a handful of novels published so far.
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Vincent, I do "just write" but where I just write is important.
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Nancy Golden That's an interesting option for writers everywhere around the world. Can you use Vellum for screenwriting though?
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Marcel Nault Jr., Mike is correct. Vellum is amazingly versatile for writing novels but is not intended for screenwriting. I use Final Draft for screenwriting. Also, think of it this way: I would rather have a software tool that excels in one area rather than is "okay" in multiple areas. Like when you buy a baby stroller that also turns into a play pen and a highchair. Yeah, it will do all three, but it won't do any of them very well. I am not familiar enough with Scrivener to weigh in, but I am very content with Vellum for novels and Final Draft for screen writing.
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Hey, have you heard of Ulysses? It's very chill and easy to use, perfect for getting creative vibes going.
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I use the outline function in Word. I also write in Word. I have up on Scrivener. All of this is backed up by P&P (good old pen and paper). Why complicate life. Computer programs eat money.
My point in a previous post is that background noise and activity stimulates my creativity. Whether it's in a pub setting or a coffee shop, people coming and going as well as talking stimulates my creativity. When I say background activity, I mean subdued conversation. Rowdiness is a no no. The local community college asked me to teach a short course in the writing of the novel. Short is a hard task, but fortunately I have four weekly sessions. It is oriented to the basic beginner. I discuss structure, theory, and methodology. Any suggestions? I am composing my own textbook, which at this point is more of a pamplet.