Loading ...We have a lot of writers on SP. And by a lot, I mean four. And I get the feeling some of you may be using Microsoft products to write fiction. Can you see what’s wrong there? How can a soulless monstrosity like Microsoft possibly be conducive to the creative process? It can’t.
In fact, I’ve uninstalled MS Office from my computer. I’ll never use it, so why have it taking up all that space?
When I get a new computer, the first thing I install is RoughDraft. I’ve been using RoughDraft for many many years now, and its hard to imagine writing on any other word processor. Its lightweight, user-friendly, and designed with writers in mind. The notes section in the sidebar are an indispensable feature for me (sometimes my notes are longer than the story I’m writing). Roughdraft has everything I do need, and leaves off all the crap I don’t need. My only complaint is that it hasn’t been updated in 3 years, but it still works great.
If you like your word-processor with more bells and whistles, you might try yWriter. Its a little too titchy for me (in fact, it drives me bat-shit), but it might be a good option for those of you who are more organized, or want to be more organized.
On the other end of the spectrum are the minimalist, full-screen word processors like DarkRoom and jDarkRoom (the javascript version of DarkRoom). These word-processors are meant to eliminate distractions so you can concentrate on your writing. My favorite of the minimalist word processors is Q10. It sounds like a type-writer as you write (this can be turned off), so it makes me feel I’m actually accomplishing something. I can “hear” my progress as well as see it. The colors are customizable, and it includes a toolbar at the bottom to keep up with your word-count. There’s an alarm for timed writing, and it allows me to save my draft in RTF format so I can easily open it in RoughDraft later to polish it up a bit.
For Mac, I recommend Ulysses, which is what I used on my gone-but-not-forgotten PowerBook. Its a very simple application for writing and organizing your projects. I once had a cat named Ulysses, and I used to refer to the software by my cat’s nickname, “Uli-doodle”.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the one last software I use for… well… not writing exactly. More for playing. Its Literary Machine, and like RoughDraft I’ve been using it for many years, and keeping it installed on every computer I’ve owned (except the Mac). Its a unique piece of software that must have been created for the Gemini brain. It allows freestyle association of words, text, ideas and concepts, and if you like to play with words, then I highly recommend it.
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This entry was posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 10:11 am and is filed under literal, phenomenal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
I am one of the users of the souless product. I have to use Microsoft so much in my work that it becomes second nature. I’m always making PowerPoints, using Excel, and creating reports in Word.
But I’m game to try the software you suggest. I’ll download it at home. My laptop can do either PC or Mac, so I can try with both.
And I have to say (and I can’t belive I’m defending Microsoft) but of all the Microsoft products, Excel is excellent. If you have to crunch numbers or make charts, it is a dream.
And I was making charts and crunching numbers back when Lotus 123 was the big thing. Poor old Lotus. Sometimes I even find myself thinking @sum when I want to add a lot of numbers.
I’m not saying Microsoft never does anything useful, but lets face it. I’m never gonna use excel.
But it would be nice if Microsoft concentrated MORE on being useful, and letting people judge that usefulness for themselves, rather than strongarming people into using their products.
I’ve actually written a lot on Q10 (though I’m not sure why they named it after a co-enzyme). I have a lot of difficulty with distractions, so its very handy.
I definitely agree about the strong arming. Microsoft also likes to make decisions for you, and sometimes it is like wrestling cats to try to make it do what you want it to do (why in the world should extra space between paragraphs be the default? Why!?)
And thank you for making me think of co-enzymes!
Microsoft bites ass, with the exception of Excel: The Only Good App They’ve Ever Produced. I think that should be their tagline.
And thanks for the software tips, Che. I’m going to look into those, even though I’m the least of the group’s writers.
Mojo, you’re not the least of anything in my eyes!
Oh, Richard, you old softie!
Thanks. Still, I’m no writer.
Awwww… that’s sweet. Makes me feel all fluffy inside.
I hate feeling all fluffy inside.
Though I must say, Mojo, you may not write often, but the stuff you do write makes me wish you would write often.
Right now, I’m writing every day. Even if its just a couple of paragraphs, I try to write something every day.
And putting together notes for nano this year so I’m not sitting around November 15 wondering what the fuck I’m going to write about.
Gosh… Fluffy inside. Sorta like some people’s heads.
Wow, that’s very nice of you to say, Che. I appreciate it, but I dunno. I guess I’d have to start seeing myself as a writer to go in that direction. Ah, but we know not what the future holds!
That’s awesome that you’re writing every day and planning out your nano writing as well. Very clever, you are Che. But we knew that.