MS OneNote - and NYC National Workshops

Susan Gable · Oct 10, 2010

Hey, Romance Gang!

Are any of you using MS OneNote to organize your story materials? I started using it this year, and it ROCKS! Instead of having a 3-ring binder, with all of my research materials, character stuff, etc. printed out and stuffed into, I can have a lovely electronic notebook that's really easy to use. You can add songs, videos, all sorts of stuff to it. EASILY. (I know, it's MS, but seriously, it works like we wish all MS stuff did. <G> Easily!)

It's so darn awesome I'm considering submiting a proposal for a workshop at National next summer that's an overview of the program. (And seriously, it's so darn easy to use, you wouldn't really need any further instruction to use it.)

Would that be something of interest? Even if you're not planning on going to NYC National next year, would you find a workshop like this helpful? (Even say, at your local chapter level?)

Susan G.

brainstorm77 · Oct 10, 2010

It wouldn't for me(I'm not tech savy). But I can see how it would be for many others.

Susan Gable · Oct 10, 2010

brainstorm77 said:
It wouldn't for me(I'm not tech savy). But I can see how it would be for many others.

The beauty of OneNote is you don't HAVE to be tech savvy to use it. LOL. I wish all the MS Office products worked as easily as OneNote does. <G>

Thanks for the input, though. I appreciate it!

Susan G.

brainstorm77 · Oct 10, 2010

Susan Gable said:
The beauty of OneNote is you don't HAVE to be tech savvy to use it. LOL. I wish all the MS Office products worked as easily as OneNote does. <G>

Thanks for the input, though. I appreciate it!

Susan G.

I can see the interest. Especially if a writer has more than one WIP on the go. I say, go for it.

san_remo_ave · Oct 10, 2010

Hi Susan,

If you're going to do that, you might want to discuss the other tools like it that are out there. Evernote, for example, is what I use. It synchs to the cloud which means I can access from my smartphone, iPad and computer and is always backed up, has a shortcut button on my browser (so it auto copies content along with source info) and also has the ability to tag and search text within the files.

I think its a great topic, but since not everyone uses Word and Microsoft tools, you'll get a bigger draw to your audience if you make the topic broader --electronic research/organization tools --than just OneNote.

Deb Kinnard · Oct 21, 2010

I do use One Note (the local Husband got it for me at no charge) and like it. It does have some hinky habits but maybe that's just because I haven't had time to learn it properly. But within my techno-limits, it's been very useful.

Susan, I for one would eagerly go to such a seminar.

Susan Gable · Oct 22, 2010

synna said:
I've used OneNote before and while it was useful, I have gotten a lot more use out of Scrivener (Mac Only). In fact, I bought a MacBook based on the fact that I couldn't use Scrivener on the PC. It is hugely useful from beginning to end of the product. OneNote was too loose ended for me.

Another problem with OneNote is that it is no longer supported by MicroSoft (no updates, etc.)

MS is still supporting OneNote -- there's a brand new edition of it in Office 2010, so I'm not sure where you got that misinformation from.

Also, OneNote is meant to do a very different thing than Scrivner. Scrivner is all about guiding you, step-by-step, in writing a book.

OneNote is simply an organizational tool meant to replace the 3-ring binders cluttering up most writers' work spaces. <G>

I've submitted a workshop proposal to National -- we'll see if they think it's something writers might want to learn about. Cross your fingers for me!

I'll also see about giving it for some local chapters, too.

Susan G.

shameless · Oct 22, 2010

I'd attend! Good luck! I hope they pick up the workshop!

I put in a proposal too -- on abnormal psychology. We'll see if they like it. Hate that we have to wait until February! :evil

Kenra Daniels · Oct 22, 2010

I use the 2010 version of One Note, and absolutely love it. I'd definitely go to such a workshop, to learn to use it to it's fullest capabilities.
Good luck!
DL

para · Oct 23, 2010

It would be great to see a workshop on this. I'm using one note and I love it. There is a thread over on the nanoforums with one note users discussing tips and how they set up one note for writing.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3706313

para · Oct 23, 2010

synna said:
I've used OneNote before and while it was useful, I have gotten a lot more use out of Scrivener (Mac Only). In fact, I bought a MacBook based on the fact that I couldn't use Scrivener on the PC. It is hugely useful from beginning to end of the product. OneNote was too loose ended for me.

Scrivener for Windows is coming out next year. The beta version will be out Oct 25th. There are also a number of programs that claim to be a windows alternative to Scrivener: LSB, StoryBox, StoryBook etc.

Brindle Chase · Oct 23, 2010

I'm old fashioned, but have never used paper for my books... hehehe. I use MS Internet Explorer. For videos, music, pictures and web pages for research, I bookmark and use the 'save as' function to save the webpage to my laptop so I can view it even if I'm offline. I save all material in a folder for each book in progress into relevant folders. I save critique using Word into those folders as well, and emails, reviews, interviews, cover art, etc... its all there in the operating system. It's not hard and doesn't require new software or take any longer than using OneNote or Evernote.

But I can see where it might be helpful for those not familiar with all the functions of the software they already own and want something geared to organize things more specifically. Its actually genious that they made software to do things, that your OS already can do, and charge you for it. Of course, its mostly bundled with Office, if I understand correctly, so they aren't making much on it. Still, ingenious!

para · Oct 24, 2010

Brindle Chase said:
It's not hard and doesn't require new software or take any longer than using OneNote or Evernote.

How do you know if you don't use these programs?

But I can see where it might be helpful for those not familiar with all the functions of the software they already own and want something geared to organize things more specifically.

Wow, nice of you to make assumptions about all the users of a product without actually using it yourself. It's nice that your method works for you but I chose not to use IE and the OS for organising I chose not to use them for organising because I want all my stuff in one place. One Note allows me to organise this way. I could probably use word or notepad or wordpad to organise but one note allows me to use tabbing which makes it easier for me to see stuff at a glance without losing my place. I'm also not unfamiliar with the functions of all the software I already have. However I find that One Note works better and quicker for me, the way I work. I accept it's not for everyone.

Brindle Chase · Oct 24, 2010

para said:
How do you know if you don't use these programs?

I've sampled them. They don't do anything Windows OS isn't already capable of. That's all I meant.

para said:
Wow, nice of you to make assumptions about all the users of a product without actually using it yourself.

The irony here is that I have used them and you made the assumption I had not. Tou'che! Come on, lighten up here.

para said:
It's nice that your method works for you but I chose not to use IE and the OS for organising I chose not to use them for organising because I want all my stuff in one place.

That's great! If you like it, use it. Windows OS allows me to keep all my stuff in one place too! Is it really so horrible of me to point that out, in case there are people who don't want to buy new software, but like the sounds of what OneNote and EverNote can do?

para said:
I could probably use word or notepad or wordpad to organise but one note allows me to use tabbing which makes it easier for me to see stuff at a glance without losing my place.

Yes, you could and yes, they don't create tabs for you, but using a variety of built in functionality of the Windows OS, you can do virtually the same thing. By creating folders, combined with thumbnails, I can see all my "junk" as it were, for each and every book at a glance. Reviews, Interviews, Cover art, Research websites, Notes, Photos, Rough Draft versions, editor revisions, my revisions, final copy... all at a glance. But if OneNote works for you... great!! Not knocking it... I personally don't use it, because it doesn't do anything that I can't already do with my operating system.

That's all I wanted to say, is you can do pretty much the same thing, without buying any software... I apologize if that really offended anyone.

Captcha · Oct 25, 2010

Damn, you guys are organized! I should be taking notes...or at least getting inspired.

para · Oct 25, 2010

Brindle Chase said:
I've sampled them. They don't do anything Windows OS isn't already capable of. That's all I meant.

Well, actually they do - the OS allows you to save different file types in a folder but you need several different programs to view them all. One Note allows you to save one file containing all your documents, you don't have to constantly open different programs to view them all, but lets agree to disagree.

That's great! If you like it, use it. Windows OS allows me to keep all my stuff in one place too! Is it really so horrible of me to point that out, in case there are people who don't want to buy new software, but like the sounds of what OneNote and EverNote can do?

Nothing wrong with pointing it out but you didn't just point it out,

But I can see where it might be helpful for those not familiar with all the functions of the software they already own and want something geared to organize things more specifically. Its actually genious that they made software to do things, that your OS already can do, and charge you for it.

you implied that people did not know or were too stupid to realise what their operating system could do before they bought new software. If we followed your train of thought we would never buy any software at all. Why buy a word processing program when notepad can do it? etc. Heck, why not go the whole hog - why buy a computer when a typewriter can do the same thing?

Your system works for you, great. Opening folders and constantly scrolling and clicking to find something would drive me mad. Isn't it great we're not all the same.

Brindle Chase · Oct 25, 2010

para said:
you implied that people did not know or were too stupid to realise what their operating system could do before they bought new software. If we followed your train of thought we would never buy any software at all. Why buy a word processing program when notepad can do it? etc. Heck, why not go the whole hog - why buy a computer when a typewriter can do the same thing?

Your system works for you, great. Opening folders and constantly scrolling and clicking to find something would drive me mad. Isn't it great we're not all the same.

Good grief. You're putting words in my mouth. And, reading way too much into what I actually did say. it's obvious I haven't projected the ease of navigating and finding stuff without constant scrolling and opening of mass programs through windows. But I digress... Its awesome that we're not all the same and I'm glad One Note works for you!

Jodie_writes_what? · Oct 27, 2010

I'm loving MS OneNote for storybooking. I can store whole worldbuilding and mulitple plotlines(MSs) in that one notebook. Awesome. I'm not too happy with 2010 though since it took away the template option

I like my pages pretty. I'm fickle like that. haha.

MS OneNote - and NYC National Workshops

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

brainstorm77

practical experience, FTW

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

brainstorm77

practical experience, FTW

san_remo_ave

Back at it

Deb Kinnard

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

shameless

Superlative Type A

Kenra Daniels

para

para

Brindle Chase

Dancing on the edge

para

Brindle Chase

Dancing on the edge

Captcha

para

Brindle Chase

Dancing on the edge

Jodie_writes_what?

Plot Bunny Shepherdess