Software for writers-- recommendations?

JennaGlatzer · Mar 2, 2008

I'm doing a software roundup for Writer's Digest, and am looking for recommendations. Is there any software you've found useful for your writing? I don't just mean creativity or story plotting software, but also things like query trackers, transcription software... anything you've found useful as a writer.

Birol · Mar 2, 2008

SONAR -- It's a submission tracking program and freeware.

L M Ashton · Mar 2, 2008

I have a summary of mine here. Plus there's a huge list of software for writers in the tech help forum.

Sean D. Schaffer · Mar 2, 2008

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, Jenna, but I've been tracking my submissions lately through Duotrope's Digest online. They have a set up where members can add publishers to either an ignore list or a favorites list, as well as a submissions tracking system so that they can garner reports about response times and rejection/acceptance ratios.

The website is located at www.duotrope.com . I find them pretty decent so far.

It's free, and you don't need to be a member to use their search functions. But I do believe you have to be one to track your submissions through them.

I hope this helps.

--Sean

Mumut · Mar 2, 2008

And I thought I was pretty good learning to use a word processer. I've never heard of any of the other things. Thanks for asking the question JennaGlatzer. That's opened my eyes. (Oh, I do use Excel to keep tabs on my spending, so that's two pieces of software!).

Lawfire · Mar 2, 2008

There's a fairly new thread in the Novels forum that might help. In case you missed it, CLICK HERE.

JennaGlatzer · Mar 2, 2008

Awesome. Thanks!

I should add that I did do a search of the forums for "writing software" before I posted, like a good girl.

But most of what I found was the creativity/story plotting-type software for fiction writers. Which I'm going to include in the article, of course, but I'm also trying to think of other categories that other sorts of writers might use. Journaling software, software to help with contracts and invoicing... I don't even know what else, which is why I'm asking.

Just so's ya don't think I didn't look first.

Dave.C.Robinson · Mar 3, 2008

Microsoft's One Note has some really cool features especially if you're working on more than one system. If you install the program on multiple computers you can share the notebooks and they will automatically synchronize.

One really helpful trick is to embed your manuscript in a notebook page. Then you can take your laptop and add a few pages-- save it and when you open it on your desktop those pages are already there and synchronized. It's very handy.

Old Hack · Mar 3, 2008

Don't know if this is what you're after, Jenna, but I use Word's "endnote" feature to write a rough, running synopsis of my novels as I type them. I don't outline or plan much, and write scenes as they appear to me, completely out of order: by adding a brief scene summary as an endnote to each scene I can check that all is in the right order, or see if something needs to be added or moved, just by reading through all the endnotes every now and then.

Does that make sense to anyone other than me?

Birol · Mar 3, 2008

Oh. Invoices. This is the one I've used in the past. There might be others out there now, but this one is easy to use and free.

Dale Emery · Mar 3, 2008

Old Hack said:
... I use Word's "endnote" feature to write a rough, running synopsis of my novels as I type them.

Interesting idea. I think I'll try that, with a slight twist: I'll use footnotes so that the notes are at the bottom of the scene I'm working on.

Dale

rugcat · Mar 3, 2008

I don't use any software besides WP, but I've heard a lot of writers praising Scrivener.

DamaNegra · Mar 3, 2008

I've used WriteWayPro, which I loved (but lost the serial number so I can't install it again) and I still use Fahim's Plotcraft for keeping notes.

tjwriter · Mar 4, 2008

I've been using Windows Live Writer for blogging. It's pretty neat.

Paperback Writer keeps a list of pretty interesting software that is applicable to writers.

I know of some others I have stored on my computer at home, but I'm not there until later tonight.

Tirjasdyn · Mar 4, 2008

ywriter...specifically ywriter4

http://spacejock.com

absitinvidia · Mar 4, 2008

I use Scrivener and I love it.

Dale Emery · Mar 4, 2008

New rule: The next person who tells me how much they love Scrivener has to buy me a Mac!

Dale

bsolah · Mar 4, 2008

I usually use Word, but have been known to use Google Documents if I need to write at work and then access it later at home. Uh, Sonar2 is great for keeping track of submissions, but have found Excel seems to do just as good a job.

I'm a bit of a tech head and that's why I don't like fancy writing software. I spend more time playing and less time writing. Though, Scrivener gives me another reason to buy a Mac.

spacejock2 · Mar 17, 2008

The Freemind mind-mapping tool is excellent for plotting. It's freeware, and I use it myself. (There's an article about it under the 'articles' section on my website, linked below. I describe how I put a plot together using this app.)

Someone else mentioned Sonar - that's my submission tracking app, and I recently put a beta of version 3 online. If you have any questions about it, fire away.

Cheers
Simon

JennaGlatzer · Mar 17, 2008

I have a question, Simon: why are you so awesome?

(I've been all over your site, btw.)

spacejock2 · Mar 18, 2008

I was born with noncommercialitis. I like giving stuff away - but the flip side is that I don't like being advertised to either ;-)

caromora · Mar 18, 2008

I love Rough Draft. It lets you open documents in tabs (similar to Firefox's tabs feature), which is incredibly handy for people who keep chapters or scenes as separate files instead of using one main document. There's also a notepad on the right side of the screen where you can put your outline, notes, or research. You can "print all", which does exactly what it sounds like--prints all your tabs in order--for when you need one master document. You can export as html. And my favorite feature--you can check the word count for all your open files.

Dave.C.Robinson · Mar 18, 2008

I've tried rough draft, but I really find Simon's yWriter works wonders for me. I wrote my last novel with it (ghost-wrote so no credit but I did get paid) and I swear by it.

Sometimes I do part of the work in Word, but every novel makes a trip through yWriter at the very least. One of my favorite tools.

taloom · Mar 18, 2008

I use FrameMaker. Sure, it's like killing an ant with a sledgehammer but it works great, powerful and easy to use.

Dale Emery · Mar 18, 2008

Re: Rough Draft

caromora said:
And my favorite feature--you can check the word count for all your open files.

You don't even have to open the files. You can select a set of files in the Files tab, right click, and select Word Count File(s).

Very handy during NaNoWriMo.

Dale

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