Week two of the Tech Savvy Writer posts. Today, we're covering Writing at home.
Please keep in mind, I am a windows and android user. I don’t use macs or iPhones in my writing life. There may be other alternative for Apple users, but the majority of software I will cover in this blog series is multi-platform.
When writing from a computer or a laptop, Google Docs, Word and Evernote are all brilliant for the reasons listed here. I would highly recommend that if you find you are writing more and more using one particular program, that you use that program over the bulk of your devices.
I typically use Word, which is automatically backed up to Evernote for singular writing. I’ve also started to use Google Docs for collaborative efforts, and it is just as effective, even if I’m constantly searching for the save button.
There is, I admit, a certain amount of fear not having that save button present. What happens when I close the document down? A cheats way, if you’re a little worried about loosing work, is to click somewhere in the document. Press Ctrl+A on a PC or long tap and Select All on a mobile and Copy everything. Then you can get out of the document and go back in. If you find that something is missing, you can just Select All and Paste everything back where it’s meant to be.
The only problem with this method is, if you have a hundred thousand words in one document, some phones kind of just… freeze. So make sure you have the time to do this until you trust the software to do its job.
Another brilliant option for a laptop or computer user is Scrivener. I know many a writer who waxes poetical about this program. Because of that, I’ve included it here. On my to-do list this year is to master Scrivener, so I can’t tell you loads about it, instead, I’ll let them tell you all about it *slide*
Scrivener also has a free 30 use trial. I’m not going to lie – I’ve had it on my laptop for a while now, and there is a learning curve to it. There are a whole host of benefits to using the program though, and if you’re a Nanowrimo participant, there are discount codes you can use to get it cheaper. The iOS version is $20, but has limited functionality. The Windows will set you back $70, and the MacOS $77.
Because I’m a bit of a pantser – as in, I write by the seat of my pants - Scrivener doesn’t hold quite the same appeal to me as it might do to a plotter – someone who plots out the bulk of their story before they start writing.
Remember, everyone’s process is different, and there’s nothing wrong with doing things differently to someone else. If the end result is a story you can share with the world, or one you can read over that brings you joy or a sense of accomplishment, then that’s all that’s needed.