TopShelf TG Fiction in the BigCloset!
I have a few story idea's and would like to try my hand at writing a couple story's.But I need to find a good software for my computer any recomendations would be helpful.Thanks Amy.
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Comments
Writing software
I just use Word. It's a bit curious with some of the grammar corrections but other than that, it's nice to use - or perhaps I'm just used to it!
Problems arise though if you want to upload.
Erin uses text input which doesn't recognise bolding or italics so you end up going through the whole lot putting it all back. I can import into Dreamweaver to get the HTML version with all the HTML notation that could be input and save time online - unless you have broadband and not dial-up.
I hope this is of some help.
Nick B
Open Office
I've been using OpenOffice for my writing.
It's free, capable, and stable. It also does a good job of exchanging files with Word, even with change tracking. That's important, if you continue to write and find an editor/beta reader.
Itinerant
Nicole (a.k.a. Itinerant)
--
Veni, Vidi, Velcro:
I came, I saw, I stuck around.
office
I use office, both Word and Excel.
Word provides as good, if not better, editing tools as most products. The additional features of "Look up" and "Synonyms" are extremely helpful both in editing and composing. Once the story is complete, I save it in HTML format and post to BC.
As most of my stories are posted over at FM, I typically select the Tools (Options and AutoCorrect) that apply to their very limited formatting options. Both FM and Story Site seem to favor Word or Rich Text formats. Crystal strongly prefers the automatic paragraph spacing option. In all cases it is helpful to read the posting instruction for each site.
Use of Excel was an idea I took from a similar discussion on FM's Board some time ago. As a serial writer I view this tool as essential. I create several tabs for elements of the story: (1) 'General Plot' to keep tabs on the flow and size, both written and future; (2) 'Characters' to keep details consistent (eye/hair color, full names, key physical features, etc.); 'Places' and things (boats, airplane, cars, toys, etc.) to keep those details straight. One may also insert virtually anything (images and text) to another Excel tab.
I also maintain a 'Permanent Page' of interesting things and ideas I come across in everyday life whether or not they apply to my current composing efforts. I use this spread sheet to play with names, phrases and places as well as interesting plot ideas that rattle about in my cluttered mind.
Lastly, I also collect pictures from the internet that appeal to my admittedly eclectic tastes. For example, writing a description of a beautiful, dominant woman is far easier when using a pictorial muse. Likewise, when describing things or places pictorial internet research came be very helpful.
software
If you use Microsoft, office works just fine. I actually prefer wordpad, which is bundled from Microsoft. It is easy to work with, and readily saves as .txt, or a preferred .rtf file. If you use other than MS, open office is very close, and Sun makes a good copy that works nicely, very cheaply.
Hmm...
I use, alas, Microsoft Word for the composition and I agree with Nick B that the grammer stuff is much funnier than I could ever be. Only Bill Gates would hire programers for such a task where English is clearly a second language to them. For my silly vignette efforts I actually use PowerPoint. I launder both through Adobe Acrobat into a *.pdf format and just upload it via Erin's way cool device. Adobe has done such a fine job of making the "reader" free and the *.pdf is almost universally readable anyway that it seems to work fine. It freezes the result and I think avoids all the usual formatting issues that varying HTML and browser environments can cause.
I am no expert it just seems to be working.
Gwen
Gwen Lavyril
Gwen Lavyril