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What do you use?
I use a combination of Scrivener and Word. Scrivener is where I do my organizing and first-draft writing, while Word is my tool for rough edits and formatting.
J.D. wrote: "I use a combination of Scrivener and Word. Scrivener is where I do my organizing and first-draft writing, while Word is my tool for rough edits and formatting."So when you go to publish your work on KDP which would you use then?
Pen and paper for rough idea outlines.The to Scrivener for full first draft.
Export to word for second+ draft and editing/formatting.
I use createspace.com for the Paper and Kindle book editions.
Martin wrote: "Pen and paper for rough idea outlines.The to Scrivener for full first draft.
Export to word for second+ draft and editing/formatting.
I use createspace.com for the Paper and Kindle book editions."
Thank you i use paper and pen too x
First is Word for the document itself. I format it correctly for PDF conversion for my Create Space Print on Demand book. For my eBook, I take the whole thing from Word, copy it into a notepad, use CSS and HTML to format it, save as html, view the whole thing from a browser-copy it right back into Word to find any final output errors on my eBook, then correct it on the notepad file. Once satisfied, html goes into Mobi pocket converter, make eBook, and off to Amazon.
Morris
Morris
Morris wrote: "First is Word for the document itself. I format it correctly for PDF conversion for my Create Space Print on Demand book. For my eBook, I take the whole thing from Word, copy it into a notepad, use..."WOW you do so much more than me :)
My first book Moving On a friend helped me out loads, and the second in the series I want to try do myself and see I get on
I write in Word. Easy enough to convert for E-books on either Smashwords or Amazon.
I use Blurb for the print copy, with a little pre-formatting Word goes into their Bookwright software with only a little forcing.
If you want to learn how I do it, I can send you a file that matches a book I wrote, and you can look at what the input notebook file looks like, and the output file that it creates. This is sort of a tutorial in itself. I like it this way--it gives me more control over my product. Send me an email morris.graham@sbcglobal.net and I'll let you check my processes out and see if this is something that you would like to do.
Morris
Morris
Being the Neanderthal that I am, I use Excel to create a spreadsheet that lists chapter summaries and then do all the actual writing in Word.
I use Excel for outlines. It gives me several columns if multiple event are happening at the same time so I can trackl the timing.
Its amazing to see how so far everyone uses a different way to write and publish their work. Its great to read how it all works for everyone x
I just use Word. I don't see any advantage to doing any extra work or 'nuking' the formatting if you are going with KDP alone. With a simple template, any basic word processing program (Word, Open Office, Doc, etc) will give a nice clean file for uploading to Amazon.
I scribble my notes and basic outline by hand in a three ring binder. Then I take that and put a story board together in Visio. I write first and second draft I Scrivner, the export to word to send to the editor. It stays in word until it gets uploaded
Pink leather journal is my scribble / ideas / research. I do basic brainstorming there. From there I build a map and outline of where I think things are going in Scrivener. Editing is mostly done in Word, but I usually always go back through the Scrivener again.I adore scrivener. My one complaint which I have brought to their attention and they had zero solution was I'd like to be able to lock individual chapters and scenes. I do a lot of work in the truck and chapters always end up bumping about with my Surface stylus.
- Kailee
Kailee wrote: "Pink leather journal is my scribble / ideas / research. I do basic brainstorming there. From there I build a map and outline of where I think things are going in Scrivener. Editing is mostly done ..."I am writing a short story now, before I do anything to the 2nd in the Moving Series and I am working on Scrivener for it, so this is the first time I will be using it so it should be interesting how it all works out lol.
Moving On I did all though Word and I haven't had anyone say anything bad so that might just work for me :)
Mod
Mod
I use pens and spiral bound notebooks for the first draft and notes. From there, I use Word for all drafts after that. When editing, I print out a copy and edit with a red pen.When finished and ready, I use Smashwords, Lulu, Kindle for ebooks, and CreateSpace for print.
Word Perfect for writing and either Word or a spiral notebook for notes. Either way I usually like a hard copy of my notes so that I have easier access and don't have to flip back and forth between documents.
Pavan wrote: "So I have been playing with Scrivener and Vellum and I was wondering what other writer use.Do you use these two or do you write on Word and Page.
Would love to hear what writing tool you all use...."
I write in Word and compile my e-book formats in Calibre (it's free). Piece of cake! Works beautifully every time.
April
Dwayne wrote: "Word up. I use Word. Word is the word. Word to your mother."Everybody knows that the bird is the word.
I use openoffice and calibre.
Word and dropbox. Access it from several computers that way. When I get stuck...pencils and lined spiral notebook.
I use pages then I export to epub and finish it up in Sigil.
I use WordPerfect...yeah that's right you read right. lol.
I think Word is the best place to go as everyone seems that works good for them :)
Pen and paper and beer for the first draft.Then a combination of Word, Open Office and Google Docs for typing things up and some first draft stuff.
Then I finish everything off in Open Office and do the formatting etc from there.
I make my own covers in GIMP, but I do less of that these days as my sister-in-law is kind of one of the world's best book designers :)
Andrew wrote: "Pen and paper and beer for the first draft.Then a combination of Word, Open Office and Google Docs for typing things up and some first draft stuff.
Then I finish everything off in Open Office an..."
Im pen and paper first too.
I use Word more than anything else x
My choice of word processor is dictated largely by which computer I'm at. I use my work machine during lunchtime (Word), and my laptop in the evenings (OpenOffice), and sometimes my tablet when I'm out and about (Google Docs).It's all very disorganised, so I make sure I have a decent first draft in paper :)
Andrew wrote: "My choice of word processor is dictated largely by which computer I'm at. I use my work machine during lunchtime (Word), and my laptop in the evenings (OpenOffice), and sometimes my tablet when I'm..."I write a lot of notes when I am out, for the Moving Series the first book is out and the second is being written but the idea still run in my head for the 2nd and 3rd book so a note pad when I am out and about x
I use office 2003 although I have both the 2003 and 2010 version. Once I'm done with the edits, I like to make an ePub with sigil. Reading on a tablet helps notice typos that may have been missed.
I also keep me iPad near hand for quick notes when away from the computer.
G.G. wrote: "I use office 2003 although I have both the 2003 and 2010 version. Once I'm done with the edits, I like to make an ePub with sigil. Reading on a tablet helps notice typos that may have been missed...."
Never thought about reading in on tablet first before publishing, might do that
Mod
Everybody knows the deal is rotten
Old black Joe's still pickin' cotton
For your ribbons and your bows
And everybody knows.
You put that song in my head today. Thank you.
I'm new with Scrivener and first efforts are pleasing.That said, I first draft with pen and paper. Second (third, fourth... sixtieth) draft is part draft part transcription onto Word though I'm moving to Scrivener. (God bless the "backspace" key!)
I have been split on how well the Kindle and Createspace grinders "format" my final drafts. Am paying professionals to proofread and format from now on.
Steven wrote: "I'm new with Scrivener and first efforts are pleasing.That said, I first draft with pen and paper. Second (third, fourth... sixtieth) draft is part draft part transcription onto Word though I'm m..."
So far I am happy with Scrivener which is a good sign
Word Perfect > [clean code as necessary] save as html > sigil convert to epub [add paragraph indents at 15px] > kindle gen for mobi [Thank you sigil]Paperback - Word Perfect 10 > save as PDF
The only problem with Word Perfect 10 was being able to place “all pages” author/ title headings on alternating pages. I searched for a week, gave up, and did each page manually - arrgh
Next novel I will try OpenOffice
Works 6 for my drafts (old win 98 machine yay)Old LG messenger phone with Polaris 3 for notes on the go
Ywriter5 to compile all my notes after writing myself into a corner (unsnarl with dramatica , story structure architect, plots unlimited, & Marshall plan )
Page plus 14 for my paperbacks (chapters in chunks & can combine into press ready pdf's.)
Photo plus 14 with page plus for press ready book covers.
Word 2003 for creating smashwords/kindle editions using headers (Sigil for epubs).
I would rather use wordperfect but I have 8 and its fussy on win7 so I use open office 2.4 to deal with it (which is compatible with word 2k3).
I know too many word processors... -_-
My stuff is mainly office 2003 & serif xplus 14 . I use all the products in some way...
I use Word and never thought to use anything else. I'm crafted my skills using that now and won't venture any where else. Plus Word is simple. I like simple.
Word for all writing.KDP eBooks:
- Like Morris, I move the text to Notepad (well, Notepad++ which is kind of nice for doing HTML work).
- I run some text formatting routines in Word before going to Notepad++, and then a few macros in Notepad++ as well.
- I also manually generate my .opf and .ncx files in Notepad++ (not so hard to do once you have a working template)
- I compile a mobi file using Kindle Previewer (which requires KindleGen to be installed). This has a fairly useful document debugger that gives you both warnings and errors with enough detail to find and fix them in your HTML doc, and it allows me to check formatting in any number of Kindle device formats.
Smashwords:
- I take the final Word draft and copy it to a new folder where I run a few text formatting routines on it. (Basically preparing the document to preserve italics when I go nuclear).
- Then I go nuclear (strip the document of all Word formatting.
- After this, I apply custom Word styles which format the document so that it will pass through Smashword's meat grinder function w/out a hitch.
CreateSpace:
- Very similar to Smashwords. Done all in Word, but using the templates CS provides for whatever size I'm using.
- Actually, I'm just doing this for the first time now, so I'm not sure exactly how well this is working yet!
Amanda wrote: "I use Word and never thought to use anything else. I'm crafted my skills using that now and won't venture any where else. Plus Word is simple. I like simple."I like simple too lol.
I would love to know what font and spacing and things you use on it. x
Micah wrote: "Word for all writing.KDP eBooks:
- Like Morris, I move the text to Notepad (well, Notepad++ which is kind of nice for doing HTML work).
- I run some text formatting routines in Word before going ..."
I really need to start playing around with words more and get myself 100% sorted with it lol
Pavan wrote: "Amanda wrote: "I use Word and never thought to use anything else. I'm crafted my skills using that now and won't venture any where else. Plus Word is simple. I like simple."I like simple too l..."
I use Times New Roman font size 12, single spacing, left line spacing. When I create a paperback I change the font to Garamond font size 12, single spacing, but justified line spacing.
I also create my own Styles, so it's easier to format each new book. I'm pretty simple when I write. I start on page one and use the same document until I get to the end. I don't create each chapter as it's own document like I have heard some people do.
Creating Styles is so much easier in the end. If I want my chapter title to be bigger and different font and centered, I create a Style...let's say called CHAPTER. I write Chapter one and then click on the Style called CHAPTER and it automatically changes it for me. I click back on Style NORMAL, which is my normal writing Times New Roman font 12. I also make Styles for section breaks, my name, my book title, and so on so forth. I've only published two, but I'm writing book four. It takes time creating Styles but once I did it's so much easier on book four. Instead of constantly clicking on top changing the fonts, the spacing, the centering all the time, I just click on one button...whatever Style I made and it's done.
I use Microsoft Word 10, so my Style area is on the top right hand corner. Took me a while to figure these little tricks out, but once I did it became so much easier.
I began using Word but was introduced to Scrivener by my brother. I don't think I could move from Scrivener because of the ability to collate and refer to research and character profiles. With a book of 200 pages plus I have to have chapters separate in order to quickly go back and confirm information that I'd written in previous chapters. Having to scroll through an entire book is just too time consuming. The only bugbear I have is that when exporting to a Word document, any italics end up underlined in Word and does not retain the italics.
Oh my this thread has transgressed into Cohen land....Thanks Dwayne for selecting my music for the evening. ;)
If you've never seen him live, you should.
I'm out. Words beckon.
-kailee
Amanda wrote: "...I write Chapter one and then click on the Style called CHAPTER and it automatically changes it for me. I click back on Style NORMAL, which is my normal writing Times New Roman font 12..."When setting up a Style you can also define what Style the following paragraph will be put in. So if you go into your CHAPTER style and put NORMAL into the "Style for following paragraph" box, all you'd have to do is type the Chapter name, change its style to CHAPTER, and then press Enter. BOOM, automatically in NORMAL style.
I write everything in Word, from concept to first draft to editing. Then I run it through Grammarly's online editor to pick up any additional errors I missed.
For my current novel-in-progress, I started using Twine (http://twinery.org) to help me see many plot points and subplots and how they would fit together. If you want to start off a bit more spatially, it's a good tool. Then I'm back to Word for the actual writing. I also draw maps by hand which usually brings out more connections in the plots, characters, and setting.
I've got scrivener for the novel I'm working on but I used a program called comic life 3 to do my first two children's books. I had been using it to produce a webcomic and realized I could also write my book by changing the template I used. Entering the illustrations was easy and it allows for export to PDF, jpeg or epub. The PDF file worked perfect for createspace paperback while the jpegs when loaded in Kindle Kids Book Creator turned out great.
Micah wrote: "Amanda wrote: "...I write Chapter one and then click on the Style called CHAPTER and it automatically changes it for me. I click back on Style NORMAL, which is my normal writing Times New Roman fon..."It's amazing how useful Styles can be. I'm so glad I stumbled upon that feature in Word. I'm sure there's much more I haven't figured out in Word yet. Good thing I like learning...some things anyway:)
I really need to play with word and see how to use the Style I have made a list of all the new software that I have not read off to play around with them x
Do you use these two or do you write on Word and Page.
Would love to hear what writing tool you all use.
xx