What WP program are you guys using?

RocketFoot · Jul 21, 2009

Just curios as to what word processing programs other writers are using.

I am using MS Word 2007 and have no complaints so far.

stormie · Jul 21, 2009

Same one as you, but I save all my work as a Word 97-2003 doc. Some editors couldn't open my Word 2007 docs when submitted.

I have some issues with Word 2007, but it'll do. (Mine tends to act flaky at times.)

DeleyanLee · Jul 21, 2009

Word 97 at home. Word 07 at work.

I've played with Open Office, but still prefer Word.

RocketFoot · Jul 21, 2009

stormie said:
Same one as you, but I save all my work as a Word 97-2003 doc. Some editors couldn't open my Word 2007 docs when submitted.

I have some issues with Word 2007, but it'll do. (Mine tends to act flaky at times.)

There is an option to make your work backward compatible with 2003 when you open a new doc. I'm not sure if you can convert once you started a doc in 2007 format, though...

scarletpeaches · Jul 21, 2009

Yes, you can. You just have to re-save it as a backwards-compatible document.

So yeah, put me down as another '07 user.

jjacobs · Jul 21, 2009

I use Word 2003. I've tried 2007, but the hundreds of papers I had to write in college has made me defiant to change.

Adam · Jul 21, 2009

OpenOffice. It's free and does everything I need.

Silent Rob · Jul 21, 2009

Word 2003 - it's what they put on my work computer (thinking I might actually use it for work, the fools! Mwah hah hah).

Kathleen42 · Jul 21, 2009

Word 2007. I figured I had to make the adjustment for work so I might as well have it at home as well. If I need to send something to someone with an older copy, I just save down.

Alaskagirl · Jul 21, 2009

Well, when I use MS Office, I use 2007. I think it works pretty well.

But for writing, I use WriteWay. Beyond anything I've ever used. You can download a free trial, and the professional version is still really cheap. (Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with the company in any way - I just think it's a good program!)

bettielee · Jul 21, 2009

Am I the only Mac person? I use Pages and I love it. I would rather shoot myself in the foot than use a Microsoft word processing program.

caromora · Jul 21, 2009

I use RoughDraft and Word 2007.

Kitty Pryde · Jul 21, 2009

I use Word 2007. I kinda wish it still looked like older versions of Word, because I'm always wanting to use various program features but I have NO IDEA where they are hiding.

And yeah, all the moaning about people being unable to open my Word 2007 documents tends to enrage me. There's a thingy you can download for Word 2003 to let you view and change 2007 documents (and save as 2003 ones).

Dale Emery · Jul 21, 2009

caromora said:
I use RoughDraft and Word 2007.

I loved RoughDraft when I was using Windows. Clean and simple, and the "side notes" feature was very helpful for tracking what I wanted to accomplish in whatever scene I was writing.

Now I use Scrivener. It has a nice combination of features for planning and organizing, for writing, and for preparing the manuscript. It's both flexible and simple, which apparently (given my experience with other writing software) is a difficult balance to strike. It's Mac only, but it's totally worth switching to Macs just so you can use Scrivener.

Dale

scarletpeaches · Jul 21, 2009

Dale, Dale, Dale, my friend. You need to see the light and use OneNote.

Dale Emery · Jul 21, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
Dale, Dale, Dale, my friend. You need to see the light and use OneNote.

Oy. I've seriously test-driven OneNote on six separate occasions. I never could get the hang of it.

For note-taking, I once loved EverNote, but then the buggers switched their focus to online and phone features, and otherwise changed things in ways that made it less useful for me. Bah.

The last gizmo I used for notes and planning on Windows was Super Notecard. A little clunky, and not great for writing, but it did have some very nice features for organizing and connecting bits of research and planning.

Finally, OneNote isn't available on Macs--yet another good reason to switch to Macs.

Dale

caromora · Jul 21, 2009

I've been test-driving Liquid Story Binder, which a lot of people have compared to Scrivener. So far I like it, but the simplicity of RoughDraft can't be beat.

I actually do have a Mac, but it's an older one and still runs OS 10.3. I'm pretty sure Scrivener only works with 10.4.

alleycat · Jul 21, 2009

I primarily use Word 2003. I use PageFour for some business related uses, and occasional to do some brainstorming "on paper" with it. I use Movie Magic Screenwriter for scripts.

I sometime test things just to check them out, so I have a bunch of other stuff like OneNote, NewNovelist, Celtx, Snippets, SceneWriter, and quite a few more. I can't even remember all of them. I rarely use any of them.

Miguelito · Jul 21, 2009

OpenOffice Writer. Although, I have to say that I'm mighty impressed with MS Word 2007. I don't use Word, however, because I can't run it in Ubuntu.

Williebee · Jul 21, 2009

I think I've used most of the word processing apps out there, but now and again I come across one I haven't tried yet. (Like Liquid Story Binder, I'll be trying that out tonight THANKS!)

Daily, I'll use MS Word, everything from 97 to 2K7, and Open Office. O.O has been my go to program. More and more though, I find myself online using Google Apps.

I also used WordPerfect for years. Nowadays, the only ones I know using that are legal professionals.

I've become convinced that it is like any other tool, the one that fits you is the right one.

BTW? If you want Office 2007 to look like 2003? Start here. Ubitmenu is a free (for PRIVATE USE) tool to "turn back the clock", at least menu bar-wise.

As always, your mileage may vary. Use at your own risk. Be kind to each other.

scottishpunk · Jul 21, 2009

I type in Abiword, a free word-processing program because I'm too cheap to buy Microsoft Office. I'm a big fan of freeware programs. For screenwriting, I use the free program Celtx, which I love and would recommend to anyone who works on screenplays. www.celtx.com

Adam Israel · Jul 22, 2009

Scrivener. It does everything I need, the way I want to do it.

RonjaCecilie · Jul 22, 2009

Open Office. I'm broke. And it works fine. Some times.

Samantha's_Song · Jul 22, 2009

I use MS Word 2003, but am considering making the change to 2007 when we come back from our holiday. I also use OneNote for keeping research, pictures etc in for my WIPs.

quickWit · Jul 22, 2009

Scrivener. It's the cat's pajamas.

What WP program are you guys using?

Yep, that's me!

storm central

Writing Anarchist

Yep, that's me!

Not dead.

Riff-Raff

crushing on fictional characters

Death works for you.

I'm a sparkly fairy princess!

Still alive. Kind of.

i luv you giant bear statue

is way off topic

is way off topic

Still alive. Kind of.

Still around

Filled with optimism. And scotch.

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

Formerly known as StoneTable

Norwegian fantasy writer

At least I don't need backing-up

Totally Ninja!