Author Robin Gianna on Writing Technology

I invited author Robin Gianna to come and talk to us about writing software. Please welcome Robin...


Connect with Robin on the web:
Website        Facebook       Twitter

Over to Robin now...

Do you embrace new technology, or do you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way?


I’m talking about writing a novel!  Right now, I fall into the old-fashioned camp, but am seriously considering updating to something else.  Though I guess I’m not totally old-fashioned - that would be pen and paper, and I know some authors actually still write that way. I can’t imagine it, but know those who do believe the process of hand writing then retyping their work into a computer helps them see the story better.


I have a Mac laptop, and use its Pages program. But because Microsoft Word is the industry standard, I do have to save it as a Word program before I send it off.  However, it’s an easy click to do that.
I’m sure there are lots of features within both of those programs that I haven’t explored, and keep track of my story very simply. I keep my work-in-progress all in one document.  Then I keep a second document with names, physical descriptions, and other details about each character. On that same document, I also note how each chapter begins and ends and a brief note about each scene and its purpose in the story. A friend of mine uses an Excel spreadsheet to do this, which sounds like a good idea I still haven’t gotten around to!  This simple approach has worked adequately for me so far.
But all the rest of it?  I keep research in a cumbersome notebook, and there’s usually a lot of it. Things I’ve printed from the internet, notes I’ve written to myself about the story, all the pre-writing stuff I do for character study and turning points and more scribbled notes as ideas come to me. Frankly, it’s a bit of a mess and takes time to sort through it all when I’m looking for something specific.


Recently, though, a friend showed me her Scrivener program that she had taken the time to learn, and now adores. Another friend (much more savvy about trying new products than I am) has used it for a long time and says she couldn’t write without it.


And it does look awesome!  You can break your work into chapters, scenes, and even paragraphs easily.  All the research?  Stored in one place and easily accessed.  Organizing and reorganizing your plot?  All there.  I could go on and on, but it sounds absolutely great. I know there would be a lot to learn to actually be able to use it, but the technophobe inside of me just might be shoved aside to make it happen sometime this year.



How about you? Do you still do some things the old-fashioned way?  What writing program do you use, and are you happy with it? Thinking of trying something new, and if so, what?




 

  CHANGED BY HIS SON'S SMILE  A family he didn't know he wanted…When ex-flame Dr. Danielle Sheridan arrives at Chase Bowen's African clinic he's captivated by her… and her little son! Three years ago Chase turned down Dani's surprise marriage proposal—their life was just too dangerous for a family—but he didn't know she was pregnant!
Losing Dani once was hard enough. Losing her twice is not an option. Especially when he's already fallen for his adorable son, Drew. Now Chase is determined to make Dani his again—starting with an undeniable acceptance of her three-year-old proposal!
Buy Link

CHANGED BY HIS SON'S SMILE