News and Reviews > Mini-Reviews by Members
Comparative Review of Writers' Tools (INITIAL DRAFT)
Dormouse:
I did a 1500 word submission for one project, and still broke it up into multiple files- one for each scene in the document. Having to have one long document is very hard to work with in my experience.
I'd rather have one interface where I can go from document to document in the same session.
And then there's the problem of formats... my client decided to have us submit over google docs, and google docs added in extra spaces, and completely messed up Word formatting, when it states that it imports Word documents.
But yeah, having something that has references to all of the documents that make up a larger document that can be opened and edited independently has become key to me, since I started writing semi-professionally. -wraith808 (May 20, 2018, 09:39 PM)
--- End quote ---
I understand the allure of a single program. But can be done separately.
You can do outlining separately. Even in a sticky or a mindmap, depending on your need. In a small, always on top, window.
Then you can write in anything. Even WriteMonkey will allow easy switching between sections.
What you lose is the automatic re-ordering when you change your outline.
I would always separate formatting from writing even if I intend to use the same program for both. The formatting stage is when I will stick all the files together as one document.
The issue of references and research is a little more complex.
[*]Have they all be garnered for this particular piece of work?
[*]Will you use them later?
[*]Have they been selected from a much larger repository?
[/list]
The first is much simpler.
But for any, you could just use OneNote (or other equivalent) and have a section or page for you project and have them available on that. And then do your writing on whatever you fancy.
You will note that I am separating the concept of a chunk of the work, from external references. I regard them differently, you may not need to.
wraith808:
OneNote
Available in nearly all corporates that use Word.
-Dormouse (May 21, 2018, 02:59 AM)
--- End quote ---
One note doesn't work for me. And I've tried. Just not good for me in writing.
wraith808:
I did a 1500 word submission for one project, and still broke it up into multiple files- one for each scene in the document. Having to have one long document is very hard to work with in my experience.
I'd rather have one interface where I can go from document to document in the same session.
And then there's the problem of formats... my client decided to have us submit over google docs, and google docs added in extra spaces, and completely messed up Word formatting, when it states that it imports Word documents.
But yeah, having something that has references to all of the documents that make up a larger document that can be opened and edited independently has become key to me, since I started writing semi-professionally. -wraith808 (May 20, 2018, 09:39 PM)
--- End quote ---
I understand the allure of a single program. But can be done separately.
You can do outlining separately. Even in a sticky or a mindmap, depending on your need. In a small, always on top, window.
Then you can write in anything. Even WriteMonkey will allow easy switching between sections.
What you lose is the automatic re-ordering when you change your outline.
I would always separate formatting from writing even if I intend to use the same program for both. The formatting stage is when I will stick all the files together as one document.
The issue of references and research is a little more complex.
[*]Have they all be garnered for this particular piece of work?
[*]Will you use them later?
[*]Have they been selected from a much larger repository?
[/list]
The first is much simpler.
But for any, you could just use OneNote (or other equivalent) and have a section or page for you project and have them available on that. And then do your writing on whatever you fancy.
You will note that I am separating the concept of a chunk of the work, from external references. I regard them differently, you may not need to.
-Dormouse (May 21, 2018, 03:18 AM)
--- End quote ---
I submit the different sections and get redlining separate. They might not even intrinsically be a single subject, but just relate to each other in a generic way. In one example, I was writing about separate experiences in different parts of the world- but all exist in the same world, so I have to reference each. Having them as one document with sections would not be tenable. At least for me. And submitting the one doc for redlines and keeping the comments relevant- not sure he would have appreciated that. He seemed to appreciate having them segregated a lot more.
This isn't to say that I never use separate programs for certain tasks- I do. But usually that is because of a limitation of what I'm writing in, rather than something that is more conducive to writing. Always on top bugs me to no end. If I do use them, then I segregate the screen for them, or put them on a separate screen. Just my preference.
Dormouse:
One note doesn't work for me. And I've tried. Just not good for me in writing.-wraith808 (May 21, 2018, 10:31 AM)
--- End quote ---
Fully understand. But, in a corporate environment, it is sometimes the only option.
Can do the outlining in OneNote or Word, the writing in Word (then importing or pasting or linking into OneNote) and export all the text as you wish.
I like the tabs arrangement, but apart from that, I also find OneNote hard to write in.
Dormouse:
Always on top bugs me to no end. If I do use them, then I segregate the screen for them, or put them on a separate screen. Just my preference.-wraith808 (May 21, 2018, 10:43 AM)
--- End quote ---
I always use 2 or 3 large screens. Terry Pratchett I think used 6.
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