Tools of the trade...?

[David McGuire]

Hi... before I launch into my second novel, I'm keen to kit myself out with some more appropriate equipment for the job (laptop and software), and I'm keen to hear your experiences with what you're using.

The first book was written on Google Docs, which was fine, and I appreciated the work-anywhere-with-any-machine nature of it. But I found it difficult to keep track of continuity, characters, and locations... and the next book has a much more convoluted structure, which has naturally got me thinking of Scrivener (also, it's made by a company here in Cornwall, which is nice) - but I've seen strong views for and against on the forums here, but couldn't find any real consensus. (Plus I'm a bit concerned about how complicated it is to learn, and whether my ADHD will stop me from getting the most out of it.)

Also, I'll likely need a new laptop soon. My trusty Chromebook has been a real workhorse but I'm changing jobs soon and I'll need something with a bit more oomph... plus if I do go with Scrivener, then I'd need a PC or Mac for that. I'd always assumed that writing was generally a Mac-forward community, so it's been interesting to see discussions here around that maybe not being the case. Can I ask what you're using, and what features you do or don't like in your machine?

Finally, anything else that occurs to you: external keyboard, mouse, massive extra screen... what helps you make your writing a lovely and productive time?

Thanks!

 

[JohnBertel]

I like the free reedsy editor The Reedsy Book Editor: A Powerful Writing Tool. It does have a spellchecker but I think the Grammarly browser add-in is better at guessing what word I meant to write

 

[David McGuire]

Good to know; thanks! (I use Grammarly for work, and my opinion about it swings wildly by the day.)

Can I ask: does Reedsy have any tools to help you manage story continuity etc, or is it more of a distraction-free word processor that's optimised for book-style formats?

 

[Claire G]

I'm very old school. Basic laptop, Microsoft Word for my manuscript and Excel for plotting and character lists/features.

 

[JohnBertel]

does Reedsy have any tools to help you manage story

Yes, in beta at this time. Board, characters etc

 

[Hannah F]

Laptop. Microsoft Word. I use Word and the navigation plane to pinpoint chapters. I use notebooks for plot, character profiles, worldbuilding etc (yes, paper and pen. Always here. No need for split-screening).

I don't think you'll get a consensus on Scrivener. It's very much horses for courses.

 

[Mel L]

I am on Mac (both desktop and laptop) and have Scrivener but have not been able to figure out how to use it properly. It is a pretty big learning curve, at least for non-technical types. One thing that drives me crazy is the fact that it does offer Cloud-type functionality across more than one machine; you need to back up your files to DropBox. The other thing about Scrivener is that it seems to be more suited to plotters than pantsers as you have to break everything down into chapters and sections. That said, it is a great way to organize different bits of info like character profiles, location settings, links and photos as reference files. I think I will give it a try again on my next project but will need to spend some time revising on how to use it first.

 

[Barbara]

Word. Pen and paper. Notebooks. Post its on a big board. Tesco receipts. Any snippet of paper I find when I get an idea, and my mobile phone for when I don't find scraps of paper. Cards for plot points to display on the living room floor and move the order about. In other words chaos.

Oh and check out the Rocketbook. You can make notes and wash them off. They also do "beacons" which you can lay out around any text anywhere and scan.

 

[Mel L]

I am on Mac (both desktop and laptop) and have Scrivener but have not been able to figure out how to use it properly. It is a pretty big learning curve, at least for non-technical types. One thing that drives me crazy is the fact that it does offer Cloud-type functionality across more than one machine; you need to back up your files to DropBox. The other thing about Scrivener is that it seems to be more suited to plotters than pantsers as you have to break everything down into chapters and sections. That said, it is a great way to organize different bits of info like character profiles, location settings, links and photos as reference files. I think I will give it a try again on my next project but will need to spend some time revising on how to use it first.

Oops...does NOT offer Cloud-type functionality!

 

[Pamela Jo]

I dont think Scrivener works on Mac very well. I did find out that the tutorial that seemed so simple didnt work for me because I wasn't running Chrome.

In fact I've found glitches exist with most of the free writing programs if you have Mac. Kind of the same problems that exist for photographers and why most photographers no longer use Macs. But I'm discovering my real objection to programs like Scrivener that promise to make writing easier-is that it shouldn't be.

Novel writing calls for so many different skills from different parts of the brain I don't think it really can be made easier. I'm afraid I would end up with a version of my novel that isn't it's best incarnation if I accept the easy Scrivener way out. I'm finding that pushing through and becoming a better writer is more valuable to me than having my chapts automatically assemble.

This may be just sour grapes because I cant make Scrivener work...

I really liked Online Word Processor | Create & Edit Documents Online - Writer . But it never did really interface with docx and almost all submissions require it to be in docx including here on Litopia. Do be careful of relying too much on cloud though. I know people who have lost everything that way.

 

[SarahC]

Scrivener has been a godsend for me - there is no way I would have finished my WIP without it. I don't know how to use it "properly" - I probably use about 5% of its functions - but that's all I need. I have a disorganised mind and Scrivener organises it, especially for initial planning and the first couple of drafts. It has been a game-changer for me, but can understand why some people don't like it. It's not intuitive, nor conducive to "pantsing" as @Mel L mentioned before.

Everything ends up on Word at some point, which is far better for big-picture work - grammar and spell-checking, Ctrf+F-ing, adding comments for yourself, highlighting things.

 

[KG Christopher]

I personally love a good physical dictionary....I use an old 1950's Collins English dictionary, a La rouse French / English and lots of books with taxonomies and lists...I find you can't find every meaning or old word on the Internet... especially not Grammarly or online thesauri... Old stuffy / musty / dusty books are pretty good for inspiration. HEELLOOO

 

[Pamela Jo]

Word. Pen and paper. Notebooks. Post its on a big board. Tesco receipts. Any snippet of paper I find when I get an idea, and my mobile phone for when I don't find scraps of paper. Cards for plot points to display on the living room floor and move the order about. In other words chaos.

Oh and check out the Rocketbook. You can make notes and wash them off. They also do "beacons" which you can lay out around any text anywhere and scan.

Holy Shite with bells on. This is totally new info. Thank you for that. My handwriting sucks too much maybe to actually use it-but fantastic concept.

Rocketbook - Smart Notebook - Reusable Notepads

Introducing the worlds first infinitely reusable Notebook - 32 reusable pages wipe clean with a damp cloth when used with Pilot FriXion pens. Upload your notes anywhere: Blast your notes to Google docs, Dropbox, iCloud, Evernote, email. This environmentally-friendly notebook can be used endlessly

myrocketbook.eu

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I'm a Scrivener fan (on Mac). There is definitely a learning curve, but it is absolutely amazing once you know how to make use of it. I love the ability to have every scene separate and easily suffleable (is that a word?), and to have my research, planning documents, and character sketches linked to the text and stored right there within Scrivener so I don't have to go searching for them. I love the ability to export into a wide range of document types and to easily reformat the entire book without changing the file itself. I like the ability to scan for things like overused words, the goal setting capabilities, the distraction-free mode, automatic backups, ... gosh, there are so many nice features! I don't know what I'd do without it at this point!

 

[Brooke]

i'm a google person all the way (painful because everyone seems to be using microsoft these days) so my "writing window" has maybe four tabs:
1. google docs
2. google keep (notes for the story)
3. litopia, reedsy, or another writer's website
4. google in case any random question hits
and of course maybe 5. youtube if i'm less "writing" and more "staring at the page waiting for words to appear"

keeping notes for my books is actually pretty difficult for me-- my head overflows with information about my characters and my story and i just can't get it all down in words, and definitely not concise words. i stick mostly to my head!

 

[David McGuire]

Thanks everyone!

Oooh, Rocketbook looks interesting alright...