This is the second in three posts I intend to write to get myself -- and you, hopefully! -- pumped for NaNoWriMo.
I love trying new software. I can never seem to quite decide on one way to write a story. Last year I wrote 90% of my novel using JDarkRoom, a Java-based plain text editor. Before that I was doing all my writing in OpenOffice (and Microsoft Word, many eons ago). Nowadays I use a combination of programs, scattered across different files, and typically backed up in GDocs and Dropbox. (n case you haven't been told enough yet: back up your novel every day.)
I think it's probably a good thing to experiment, in that switching the environment helps keep writing fresh. At the same time, knowing your way backwards and forwards through a program is also a great benefit; many hours have been wasted trying to get the feel for a new program. (Though ideally, isn't the best program the most intuitive one?)
So here's a great big info dump about word processing software and what has worked (or didn't work) for me in the past.
Word Processing Software
I think when it comes to word processing software, there's two big names that everyone seems to know: Microsoft (Word) and OpenOffice (Writer). Unfortunately, it's been a long time since I've owned a copy of Microsoft Word -- but my sister had it pretty recently! So here's Sam (@sammisan), who is stupid prolific and beats my ass in NaNo every single year, with her perspective on Word versus Writer:
OpenOffice, I find, isn't that much different from the version of Microsoft Office I used for years (XP, I believe, but it might've been 2003). The interface runs the same between the two, and OpenOffice has all of Word's basic functions. I also had some time on Microsoft 2007, which is what I used for NaNo 2008. Word 2007 had wordcount on the bottom of the screen, meaning I never had to press buttons to know just how well I was doing. I miss that. The ribbon interface took some getting used to, but it works. Besides that, though, the two programs basically run the same.
The biggest flaw of OpenOffice over Word is the wordcount. From what I understand, the default quotations marks used by OpenOffice each count as a word. It inflates the wordcount, which screws up validation on the NaNo website. Word does not have this problem.
On OpenOffice, this can be fixed by going to Autocorrect > Localized Options. Uncheck the "replace" checkbox under double quotes. I attached a screenshot showing where it is.
Even after that's fixed, the only way to check word count is to drop down to Tools > Word Count. On my older version of Word, I had a word count bar on my toolbar, and all I had to do was click a button.
The other big flaw is it takes time to adjust from Word to OpenOffice. Some of the option names are changed, and the menus are different. For instance, I had trouble trying to figure out what option in Autocorrect turned --- into full lines. After a long time with Word, it takes adjustment, and it can get frustrating.
If you don't have the money for Microsoft Word, OpenOffice is a great solution. If you can afford Word, it boils down to personal preference. Even if I suddenly had the money to use Word, I most likely wouldn't switch.
Okay, that's enough of being outshone by the smarter sister. I used OpenOffice pretty exclusively for a couple of years, especially when we switched to Linux because it came installed with Ubuntu. I liked it. The only thing I missed from Word was the automatic tabbing -- oh! It was 2005 when I last used Word, and I switched because the automatic indent broke and I couldn't fix it. I've sinced gotten over it.
Now I use LibreOffice because -- you guessed it, it came installed with the Ubuntu upgrade six months back or so. I don't find LibreOffice to be that different from OpenOffice, which is probably because LibreOffice was (as I understand it) built by the original developers of OpenOffice, who branched out after OpenOffice was bought by Oracle. (If I'm mistaken, feel free to correct me in the comments.) There's ideology behind it, but the interface and general function doesn't appear any different to me.
However, I stick with it for two reasons. One: it seems to run better on my netbook. Two: I like the name better.
I would, of course, be remiss if I didn't mention Google Docs. GDocs is an interesting thing. I use it for my work all the time, but I rarely ever use it for fiction. Part of this is because I found it sluggish when the word count got too high. But I tend to use it for fanfiction when I find the occasion, and I like to back up on it occasionally. It does everything a basic word processor does, and it has the added benefit of being in a cloud.
Plain Text
I spent a good portion of 2010 doing all my writing in plain text editors -- JDarkRoom to be precise. The full screen, no frills interface does the job really well for me. I liked being able to change my background and text colors when I needed a change of pace. But there was one thing I hadn't counted on: no spell check. I generally consider myself a decent speller, but I've never been the best typist. When I loaded DREAMING OF EDEN into OpenOffice last year, the number of red squiggly lines and stupid typos was appalling and remains really overwhelming.
Still, I can't ignore that it was more productive. I think this year I'm going to use WriteSpace for Chrome, which is pretty much JDarkRoom if JDarkRoom was a browser app. It doesn't let you save, though; it just autosaves. That makes me leery. But WriteSpace bridges that gap between needing a blank space (F11, baby) and needing a spell check. That said, it's in a browser. That's got distraction written all over it.
JDarkRoom and WriteSpace both support custom color setups. WriteSpace has a status bar that displays your word count, which you can remove in the options; JDarkRoom has a command (that I don't remember) for displaying the word count. They really come from the same place.
That said, my NaNoWriMo savior was Write or Die. It goes under plain text because it's designed not to help you write a better or more coherent novel, but to shut you up and get you writing under pain of punishment. The web interface is good -- I recommend it. I actually liked it so much that it's the only software I've purchased in the last five years. The software allows you to connect with other owners and have word wars right there, with status bars and everything. Sam and I did that. She may always beat me to 50K, but I smoked her in all the word wars. (We're going to come back to Write or Die tomorrow.)
One of the members of the local writer's group, Rachel, recently recommended Ommwriter on the group's Facebook wall. I gather it's like Write or Die's zen hippie cousin (I just wrote anthropomorphized software fanfiction in my head, oh my god), but as it's strictly Windows or Mac, I can't tell you. If I had been thinking, I would have made Sam try it out and report back. Damn.
Plotting Software
It seems like the past couple of years plotting software has gotten pretty popular, so it can't be left out. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about it. I've heard nothing but absolute praise about Scrivener from everyone -- the Internet, the writer's group, strangers on the street (lie)... I can't even hide behind Linux on this one -- there is actually a Linux beta for Scrivener, but it just never resonated with me. It might be because I was trying to plug in an entire draft, instead of starting fresh.
An alternative I was given at the time was yWriter, which one of my smart writer friends (@wanderingscribe) mentioned liking better. (I think? Oh god, I hope I'm not misremembering and she liked Scrivener better.) I got it installed, and hit the same block I did when I tried Scivener. However! Sammi is back for this one, because she saw this in my outline and said, "Hey! I know that program!"
Basically yWriter is less a straight word processor and more a novel tracking device. It has options to keep track of characters, locations, and items. Each project consists of chapters broken off into scenes. You can attach notes to pretty much anything. When it's all done, there are options to export into several file formats. If someone's looking to keep all their writing stuff together at once, it'd be a godsend. I attached a screenshot of it. (Ignore the awful writing, it's an old piece of work I haven't edited yet.)
The interface is taking me awhile to get used to, but I do plan on testing it out over NaNo to keep track of settings and character bios. I'm still doing my typing on OpenOffice, though, as the actual writing interface doesn't appeal to me. I also do a lot of re-reading, and I prefer having a whole screen as opposed to a smaller text box.
However, I will not be outdone! I was cruising the NaNoWriMo site and saw reference to Yarny, and I've actually been enjoying that. It's in beta, so it's got little bugs (no ctrl + arrow keys function), but it's a web app. I'm a fan of web apps; as a Linux user, I like something that's the same for every user.
Truth be told, I've been using Yarny more to keep track of characters and events in the Superwho Big Bang fic I'm going to write after NaNo so far -- and it's perfect for that. The writing interface is just a little awkward for me -- not bad, just not something I can see doing for all my writing. I think if I didn't have such a damned small resolution, I would feel like there was more space to work with.
In conclusion? There are probably dozens more amazing programs for writing and plotting your novel. Off the top of my head I know there's AbiWord and WordPerfect, and I know at least two people who use the AlphaSmart/NEO. Sam tells me that the tech portion of the NaNo forums quickly turns into "TRY ALL THE PROGRAMS," so don't feel locked into one program. Find something that fits, that feels good. It doesn't matter if that means sticking with old faithful or finding something that punches you in the sack when you think about opening your browser, so long as you're making the word count.
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