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Scrivener, yWriter, or other?

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Sentosa

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I downloaded a few free trials and settled on trying StoryBox because I preferred its interface to others. I've used it to plot and write one first draft, and I feel obligated now to purchase it, rather than just use the free version. But since I have a discount for winning NaNo, I'm considering trying Scrivener before committing to spending money on one or the other.
I've tried more software than I care to admit to. Evaluate them until you try all features and feel a program suits you.

I've tried free trials, been happy and bought them (note the plural), only to find weeks later that this was not a wise choice for me.

Like you, my first consideration is the interface. My advice is: don't let it divert you from the availability and use of effective features.
 

Mark Moore

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I recently discovered Jarte and am using it for my first story. Basically a souped-up Wordpad. It's free, too.
 

JeffC

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EDIT: To Scrivener Users: I'm trying to learn a little more about using the corkboard to outline. Did the tutorial offer any help, or did you just have to learn? Thanks in advance.

If you haven't already done so, I recommend watching this video. Of the various video tutorials they link to on their site, I found it to be the best for getting a good overview of the software.

For the cork board, I found this other video helpful.
 

amlptj

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I us Word. Always have thought all 11 books. Personally i dont see the point in spending money on a new program i'm going to have to learn when Word is just fine.

I got a free trial of a few other different programs and found they were really just a pain in the ass. All the silly features just took time away from writing. I don't write out of order so most of the functions weren't needed for me.
 

Writing Again

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Sarcasm and witticism aside, honestly, I am always bemused/a bit mystified by this kind of question, which arises here as regularly as dandelions in the lawn.

The underlying implication of such questions is broader: Is there some software that will help me be a better writer?


caw

Sarcasm and witticism aside, how do you arrive at this conclusion?

I would think the underlying question would be, "What reasonably priced software can I write with that will get out of my way and let me get on with my story." From asking just such a question I learned about Scrivener and Open Office -- Both of which I still use.


BTW if you want a tool that might help improve your writing take a look at this. I used to use corkboards that covered an 8'* 12' wall. Now I just use this http://cmap.ihmc.us/.
 
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Writing Again

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If you haven't already done so, I recommend watching this video. Of the various video tutorials they link to on their site, I found it to be the best for getting a good overview of the software.

For the cork board, I found this other video helpful.

Thank you. I did learn a couple of things. Enough to make them worth my time watching.
 

Silver-Midnight

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Well, I'm trying out yWriter. It's not that bad. I kind of like it. I've only used it a little bit so far. So, I'll probably be going back and forth with this and with MS Word if necessary. I do like some of the little things it can do, like with the whole characters thing.
 

flyingtart

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I don't, God knows, claim to be a great writer. But I also accept that the reason for my failure to be a great writer lies with my personal software, not with my l lack of software I can by from somebody else.

caw

With respect, a spellchecker may help you be greater. That's buy, not by.
 

SRHowen

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It might underline with a green line though if it has grammar check.

Don't count on that, there really is no sub for good writing other than learning the craft, don't expect a program to do what the human mind can do. All the organization and bells and whistles in the world can't replace basic good writing.

And don't depend on grammar checkers have yet to find one that works as well as a good grasp of grammar concepts.
 

Writing Again

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Don't count on that, there really is no sub for good writing other than learning the craft, don't expect a program to do what the human mind can do. All the organization and bells and whistles in the world can't replace basic good writing.

And don't depend on grammar checkers have yet to find one that works as well as a good grasp of grammar concepts.

If you made a mistake once, and missed it the second or third time (I have) it sure helps to have friends.

I love my network of family and friends who read and pick at my stuff before the world does.
 

Silver-Midnight

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Don't count on that, there really is no sub for good writing other than learning the craft, don't expect a program to do what the human mind can do. All the organization and bells and whistles in the world can't replace basic good writing.

And don't depend on grammar checkers have yet to find one that works as well as a good grasp of grammar concepts.

Oh, I wasn't trying to imply that you shouldn't write well or use a beta-reader, but it's still nice to have it as a precaution.
 

Marzipan

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Would have to say that there isn't a program that can replace a good beta reader. I use Word mostly because my spelling is terrible, but if manuscripts didn't have to be formatted and typed, I would consider going back to writing in a notebook. Before the internet was so widely available, I spent MUCH more time writing and a lot less time procrastinating. I'm not saying people shouldn't use specially designed writing programs, I'm just saying they distract me personally.
 

wampuscat

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Would have to say that there isn't a program that can replace a good beta reader.

I agree that no writing program can help someone learn the craft, and beta readers are far more valuable than a grammar check. I've only used StoryBook for one full first draft, but I've come to think of it as organizational software, rather than writing software. It doesn't actually help one write. It just gives me an easy place to store and organize all of my story-related notes, outline, synopsis, character interviews, etc. I suspect Scrievner would be the same, though possibly more robust.
 

smellycat6464

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my favorite is scrivener
i tried ywriter, hated it
tried word, hated it (but still use if for reports and such)

but scrivener, I owe literature and latte my life! I don't know how writers did it before scrivener. I started my novel on word, and I had a file for characters, one for locations, a glossary, a plot outline, a scene by scene summary, a bestiary, a government layout, it got way too disorganized despite my organization! (weird huh)

but scrivener is great, it allows you to put all of that into one folder, and arrange it the way you like it! you can have character folders, and arrange them as protag/antags, or by their family, or location, or whatever. you can put in pictures, have a section on notes, label your progress, and mark your drafts. you can even put in comments on passages

aside from typical word processing, it automatically formats your novel the way its supposed to be, and comes with text to speech function (Which is ok, not special) and a thesaurus and what not, its like word but better

it even can do statistics, like how far you progressed to your word count goal, how many pages your at, its just the best!

there are a bunch of other cool features and modes, but i must say try it out. i hate buying software, and thought it would be a waste of money, if people did it on typewriters and clay tablets, why cant i do it like that too1
i was wrong
scrivener revolutionizes everything
 

Silver-Midnight

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my favorite is scrivener
i tried ywriter, hated it
tried word, hated it (but still use if for reports and such)

Really? In all honesty, Scrivener and yWriter seem very similar to me. I know they aren't 110% the same obviously, but they both do some of the same things in my opinion. Granted, I didn't use all of Scrivener's features, nor I have I yet used all of yWriter's either(I've used the character creation thing). I had a trial version of Scrivener by the way.
 

Pacze Moj

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It depends on what I'm writing. Plain-old Word for most things: essays, short stories; but yWriter for novels. I don't use all its features (I don't touch the character and item tools) but it helps me with organization. I usually outline or synopsize first, then copy-paste into yWriter and away-we-go, writing, shifting around, rewriting until I've got a whole.

A long time ago, I fooled around with Dramatica, but was never deep into the theory. I decided it was tedious and time-consuming and not much better than a static question sheet (like ones found online for character creation.) However, it did force me to think more about structure than I was used to thinking. I think that helped in the long run.

A less-orthodox tool for writers is Auracaria (free!). It's ostensibly an "argument mapping" tool, but arguments are conflicts and fiction tends to be about conflict, so: I pretend my hero and villain are arguing (usually about a world-view) and diagram their respective arguments. It helps make both characters' points-of-view more convincing and exposes potential weaknesses. I then think of each character's actions as either advancing his position or attacking that of his opponent. The diagram also helps to determine what actions a character would or wouldn't take. I don't know if that approach make senses to anyone else...

Can't say enough good things about yWriter, though!
 

bearilou

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It might underline with a green line though if it has grammar check.

I've had grammar check try to tell me a sentence was grammatically incorrect when everything I read, and the handful of knowledgeable people I asked, told me it was, in fact, correct.

I don't trust MS Word's grammar check.

Before the internet was so widely available, I spent MUCH more time writing and a lot less time procrastinating.

Which is why when I'm writing, I unplug my computer from the internet.

Of course, it doesn't help if I still have games loaded on it....
 
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SRHowen

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I would also guess that how helpful people find these programs is based on how you write--folders for all these different things? Why?

I prefer Word Perfect, it's grammar checker makes sense, (90% of the time)(Words 10% of the time) It has a kick ass thesaurus right up in the tool bar that I don't have to right click for, it will diagram a sentence for me if I want, and the readability statistics can't be beat.

And reveal codes is a god send, not the show markings that Word has that can't help you figure out why something is not formatting correctly, it shows you everything that is going on in that document.

As far as formats things for you--is this based on industry standards? What about House rules? My agent wants two spaces after a period, yet some places want one.

Standard MS formatting is so simple I don't know why that would be a selling point for a writers program.

Years ago I tried Scrivener -- too cumbersome with too many things distracting me from actually writing. Oh I have a new character well I better put him in here, oh what does he look like, where is he from, then I got all caught up in making up the character's profile the story got lost.

Plain old Word Perfect is my preferred program to write with, and my 4 x 8 white board, once the story is down I make notes on the white board and all I have to do is look up for a second if I need to while editing and doing rewrites, no leaving the story to find that detail.
 
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Jamesaritchie

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It might underline with a green line though if it has grammar check.

It might, if you have the latest version of word. It now comes with contextual spellcheck, but it gets it wrong a fair percentage of the time, and earlier versions of word didn't have this feature.
 

Jamesaritchie

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If you want to use the grammar check in Word for writing, particular for fiction, you have to open up the options and check or uncheck boxes accordingly to what you want the program to do.

The program is already extremely good at finding certain kinds or problems, particularly passive sentences, and seldom makes any type of mistake, if you open it up and check or uncheck the right boxes.

Many of the green, squiggly lines appear not because grammar check thinks a sentence is wrong, but because the sentence isn't one that would be used in formal writing, or is gender specific, or a contraction, etc.

But even when grammar check is wrong, it still gives the right rule, and looking at the rule each time you get a green line is a good way to learn basic grammar.
 
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