Hey writers ... What do you use?

[PDFierro]

Thanks Mac82
I went to the Apple Store today to compare my MBA, the iMac and the retina MBP 13". The result is I'm sending my Air back tomorrow. The text in the Air had slightly fuzzy edges compared with the retina. As I have unbalanced vision in my eyes anyway I think this fuzziness further discombobulated my brain's perception of the text. The iMac was only a little better but the rMBP was a great improvement. Came home, thought about it and will ring Apple in the morning and send the Air back. Looks like the 13" rMBP wins

Glad I'm not the only one struggling. The 13-inch rMBP absolutely wins, but my problem is that I want a Haswell Mac right now. So I'm stuck ordering the current rMBP or the new MBA.

I can only imagine how much better it would be reading text on the Air. Glad you made your decision.

Neither is Retina ready, but they both work fine. If you need to avoid work worrying about something, go get yourself a free typeface called Courier Prime. It is the nicest Courier I have seen and I am quite the bear about these things.

Adam Rodman

Oh yes, I love Courier Prime. Nice to see some screenwriters on here. I'd have hesitations about running Final Draft on the rMBP as it is not updated for Retina, but there are at least other good app alternatives.

 

[BenTrovato]

I really like Scrivener. I heard about the steep learning curve so I watched the 10 minute intro video on their website before I purchased it. It was very easy to use and get around. I wish there was a daily/weekly word count feature with it though. I don't have much experience with Final Draft although it seemed easy enough to use. It gives me more of a screen writing feel though, so I went with Scrivener.

Also, the text on the rMBP is very very very nice but I prefer the MBA screens with the jagged edges. It seems very pleasant on the eyes especially after working for long hours. There's a certain softness to it that I enjoy

 

[PDFierro]

I really like Scrivener. I heard about the steep learning curve so I watched the 10 minute intro video on their website before I purchased it. It was very easy to use and get around. I wish there was a daily/weekly word count feature with it though. I don't have much experience with Final Draft although it seemed easy enough to use. It gives me more of a screen writing feel though, so I went with Scrivener.

Also, the text on the rMBP is very very very nice but I prefer the MBA screens with the jagged edges. It seems very pleasant on the eyes especially after working for long hours. There's a certain softness to it that I enjoy

Well, Final Draft is first and foremost for screenwriters. I don't see why someone writing anything else would buy it for how much it costs.

 

[nightlong]

Booji's post about nothing being cooler than someone hammering out text on a typewriter ... evoked some memories ... Life was so simple then, in one sense, the directness of writing like that and, in journalism at least, you did learn to think and write very fast on these small pieces of paper with just a paragraph on each. Fine for short news stories, not so convenient later I discovered when I was freelancing, writing long features in various versions to sell to different magazines or newspapers, how wonderful cut and paste would have been then!

Now? I'm so lazy thanks to Apple's shallow-travel keyboards,a typewriter would feel like driving a heavy old car without power-steering!

Thanks to Booji's post, I've managed to write a whole post in this thread without mentioning screens. Ha ha

 

[Writergirl7]

Since you mention screens the 13" rMBA is SO MUCH EASIER TO READ.
(Had to shout about that)

 

[PDFierro]

Since you mention screens the 13" rMBA is SO MUCH EASIER TO READ.
(Had to shout about that)

You mean the rMBP, right? Yeah, I'm already aware of the difference between screens. Just still mulling it over since the Haswell rMBP isn't out.

 

[Writergirl7]

You mean the rMBP, right? Yeah, I'm already aware of the difference between screens. Just still mulling it over since the Haswell rMBP isn't out.

Yes, I meant the pro. If I could have waited for the Haswell I would have but I couldn't. Still it is a lovely machine and I'm not likely to need longer than seven hours battery life. I don't get any of the weird, swirling vision effect the air gave me which is an immense relief .

 

[nightlong]

Since you mention screens the 13" rMBA is SO MUCH EASIER TO READ.
(Had to shout about that)

Yes I can even mention screens when I'm writing about keyboards, that's how retina-addicted i am.

So did you get an rMbp 13? And if so, how is that going in a desk situation without an external monitor or did you get a monitor too?

Sharp as it is, I think 13" would be too small for me at a desk. and despite my workarounds, I still have to do quite a lot at a desk.

I looked back over the beginning of this thread today ... quite a few posters back then thought I was mad even considering a retina laptop with quad core power just for or mostly just for writing (the 13" wasn't out then). I sometimes regret not getting one then, but if I spent $3000 to get that screen and it had ghosting and IR, and then sending it back, waiting, setting up again, maybe more than once as these problems sometimes take a few months to manifest .... Just seemed to risky for me, being 500km from the nearest Apple shop.

Let's hope the second gen models will be worth the wait!

 

[PDFierro]

Yes I can even mention screens when I'm writing about keyboards, that's how retina-addicted i am.

So did you get an rMbp 13? And if so, how is that going in a desk situation without an external monitor or did you get a monitor too?

Sharp as it is, I think 13" would be too small for me at a desk. and despite my workarounds, I still have to do quite a lot at a desk.

I looked back over the beginning of this thread today ... quite a few posters back then thought I was mad even considering a retina laptop with quad core power just for or mostly just for writing (the 13" wasn't out then). I sometimes regret not getting one then, but if I spent $3000 to get that screen and it had ghosting and IR, and then sending it back, waiting, setting up again, maybe more than once as these problems sometimes take a few months to manifest .... Just seemed to risky for me, being 500km from the nearest Apple shop.

Let's hope the second gen models will be worth the wait!

I really found the 15-inch to be way too huge. But that's just me.

 

[Writergirl7]

Yes I bought the 13" rMBP. It seems great so far but I'll know after I use it for a couple of days. The text is crisp even if it is enlarged and I can focus on the page - I don't have the weird, out of focus 'tunnel vision' that the MBA induced. I would have loved to wait for the Haswell upgrade but you cant have everything. It is a lovely machine. If I find the print is too small after I've used it for a few days I will get the 15" base model but I think this will be okay. The 13" is still portable and yet it seems comfortable to use.

I wonder if they will do a retina thunderbolt display any time soon? That would be amazing (even more amazing if I could afford it ). Even if they brought out a 21" option...

 

[PDFierro]

Yes I bought the 13" rMBP. It seems great so far but I'll know after I use it for a couple of days. The text is crisp even if it is enlarged and I can focus on the page - I don't have the weird, out of focus 'tunnel vision' that the MBA induced. I would have loved to wait for the Haswell upgrade but you cant have everything. It is a lovely machine. If I find the print is too small after I've used it for a few days I will get the 15" base model but I think this will be okay. The 13" is still portable and yet it seems comfortable to use.

I wonder if they will do a retina thunderbolt display any time soon? That would be amazing (even more amazing if I could afford it ). Even if they brought out a 21" option...

I'm surprised you didn't check out the screens at an Apple store before trying out the Air. The rMBP screen is absolutely gorgeous. Sure the MBA screen isn't THAT bad, but if you're someone who takes their work seriously then the Retina display is going to help with your writing so much.

I tested out the 13 and 15 rMBP extensively at the Apple store. Not only did I find the 15-inch too big, I didn't notice much difference in screen real estate when pulling up the same thing side by side. The 13 is also far more portable. Plus, the 15 has even more extra width due to the speaker grilles.

I just might jump on a 13-inch rMBP soon and give in. Let us know how you end up liking it, I think it's a gorgeous machine. I hope you have found the model that ultimately suits you.

There are whispers of a Retina Thunderbolt display coming out later in the year. I imagine with Thunderbolt 2 and the Haswell rMBP, it's a strong possibility.

 

[Writergirl7]

I'm surprised you didn't check out the screens at an Apple store before trying out the Air. The rMBP screen is absolutely gorgeous. Sure the MBA screen isn't THAT bad, but if you're someone who takes their work seriously then the Retina display is going to help with your writing so much.

I tested out the 13 and 15 rMBP extensively at the Apple store. Not only did I find the 15-inch too big, I didn't notice much difference in screen real estate when pulling up the same thing side by side. The 13 is also far more portable. Plus, the 15 has even more extra width due to the speaker grilles.

I just might jump on a 13-inch rMBP soon and give in. Let us know how you end up liking it, I think it's a gorgeous machine. I hope you have found the model that ultimately suits you.

There are whispers of a Retina Thunderbolt display coming out later in the year. I imagine with Thunderbolt 2 and the Haswell rMBP, it's a strong possibility.

I did check out the MBA screen in the shop - spent ages in there . It seemed fine, although not as good as the retina, and I loved the idea of extreme portability that the 11" offered. But when I began using it for an hour or two at my desk and increased the size of the font to 150% because it was further away, I began having headaches and found it hard to focus on the page. It was a very weird sensation. I asked my husband to check it and it seemed reasonable to him, but I have other eye issues so that may have contributed. I really appreciate Apple's 14 day return policy because sometimes you cant tell if a macine will suit you until you try it under 'work' conditions . I may not get to do that on the rMBP 'til Monday but I think it will be fine. My retina iPad never gives me any problem.

 

[PDFierro]

I did check out the MBA screen in the shop - spent ages in there . It seemed fine, although not as good as the retina, and I loved the idea of extreme portability that the 11" offered. But when I began using it for an hour or two at my desk and increased the size of the font to 150% because it was further away, I began having headaches and found it hard to focus on the page. It was a very weird sensation. I asked my husband to check it and it seemed reasonable to him, but I have other eye issues so that may have contributed. I really appreciate Apple's 14 day return policy because sometimes you cant tell if a macine will suit you until you try it under 'work' conditions . I may not get to do that on the rMBP 'til Monday but I think it will be fine. My retina iPad never gives me any problem.

Cool. Yeah, I checked out the Air in store and it was just really bad compared to the Retina. I was even considering the Air again until recently, but I've come to terms that I'm really going to need the Retina display for my reading/writing. And the Apple 14-day return policy really works for what you said, because what may seem good while testing out in store, may not live up to your expectations at home.

I think you will like the rMBP. Just a gorgeous display. What kind of writing did you say you do? Unfortunately, my main writing application is not updated for Retina. But luckily there are good alternatives for the meantime that are. So that isn't a big concern of mine. Based on some stuff I've seen, I can't see myself running a non-Retina app on a rMBP.

 

[Writergirl7]

I think you will like the rMBP. Just a gorgeous display. What kind of writing did you say you do? Unfortunately, my main writing application is not updated for Retina. But luckily there are good alternatives for the meantime that are. So that isn't a big concern of mine. Based on some stuff I've seen, I can't see myself running a non-Retina app on a rMBP.

Yes the retina screen is gorgeous
Nowadays I write fiction - mainly YA. Completed a Masters in 'Creative Writing' a while back. Have done some freelance science writing too. Still plodding along in my part- time day job to finance my 'habit'

 

[Collider]

Anyone else on this thread who finds the MBA screen actually kind of perfect for writing? I have the 15'' rMBP as my main workhorse, and got the 11'' MBA for its portability for when I don't want to be tied to my desk, and I absolutely love it thus far. The screen has an almost old-school feel when I use it after extended periods on the retina, and that works well for me -- it kind of feels like going back to one of those old word-processors, and sometimes that old-school feeling is exactly the kind of focus I need.

I definitely miss the screen real-estate of the retina when I'm planning in Scrivener sometimes, and I'm not sure I could live with it as my only machine, but for just sitting down and hammering out words distraction-free, I find that switching to the slightly grainier screen actually adds to my productivity rather than taking away from it. Maybe I'm just weird?

 

[nightlong]

Has anyone here self-published fiction, or is anyone planning to do so?

 

[nightlong]

Anyone else on this thread who finds the MBA screen actually kind of perfect for writing? I have the 15'' rMBP as my main workhorse, and got the 11'' MBA for its portability for when I don't want to be tied to my desk, and I absolutely love it thus far. The screen has an almost old-school feel when I use it after extended periods on the retina, and that works well for me -- it kind of feels like going back to one of those old word-processors, and sometimes that old-school feeling is exactly the kind of focus I need.

I definitely miss the screen real-estate of the retina when I'm planning in Scrivener sometimes, and I'm not sure I could live with it as my only machine, but for just sitting down and hammering out words distraction-free, I find that switching to the slightly grainier screen actually adds to my productivity rather than taking away from it. Maybe I'm just weird?

Perfect in every way other than the screen ... I love the size, weight, shape, speed, quiet (I've only heard the fans when rendering video), battery life (when just writing and not using Dropbox or other apps that drain battery) but I can't do the sort of hours on this screen that I can do on my iMac and ipad4.

 

[Tysknaden]

I am using an Air and an iPad. Pages on both. No extra keyboard. And it will shock you: I do prefer the iPad, because I do not have to sit on a chair in front of a table. (Maybe an Aspie thingie.)
Working on books/ one already finished.

 

[BenTrovato]

Anyone else on this thread who finds the MBA screen actually kind of perfect for writing? I have the 15'' rMBP as my main workhorse, and got the 11'' MBA for its portability for when I don't want to be tied to my desk, and I absolutely love it thus far. The screen has an almost old-school feel when I use it after extended periods on the retina, and that works well for me -- it kind of feels like going back to one of those old word-processors, and sometimes that old-school feeling is exactly the kind of focus I need.

I definitely miss the screen real-estate of the retina when I'm planning in Scrivener sometimes, and I'm not sure I could live with it as my only machine, but for just sitting down and hammering out words distraction-free, I find that switching to the slightly grainier screen actually adds to my productivity rather than taking away from it. Maybe I'm just weird?

That is so funny! This is how I feel about the soft grainy screen. I just sit down and can write for hours. It's like the screen doesn't distract from my creative abilities and the words just flow. I hate the higher end display on my desktop when I need to get a lot done. I guess it's all personal preference but funny to see someone else feels the same way.

 

[Dr Charter]

Most of my writing is academic, so I need hardware and software to keep my notes and bibliography organized in addition to word processing.

I use Pages, Evernote, Endnote, and Bento for writing and notes. I use an 11" Air and an iPad mini. I have a Thunderbolt Display at home to spread out. It's been a great setup.

I tried using an iPad (full size) for writing but it could not handle my bibliography software very well. Endnote has made progress with their iPad app but it is still cumbersome to use. I'd love for an iPad to be a laptop replacement but it is not quite there for me.

----------

Anyone else on this thread who finds the MBA screen actually kind of perfect for writing? I have the 15'' rMBP as my main workhorse, and got the 11'' MBA for its portability for when I don't want to be tied to my desk, and I absolutely love it thus far. The screen has an almost old-school feel when I use it after extended periods on the retina, and that works well for me -- it kind of feels like going back to one of those old word-processors, and sometimes that old-school feeling is exactly the kind of focus I need.

I definitely miss the screen real-estate of the retina when I'm planning in Scrivener sometimes, and I'm not sure I could live with it as my only machine, but for just sitting down and hammering out words distraction-free, I find that switching to the slightly grainier screen actually adds to my productivity rather than taking away from it. Maybe I'm just weird?

I completely agree with this. I actually sold my 15" rMBP and went with an 11" Air + ATD at home. When I'm out, that smaller screen and old-school feel you describe seems to keep me focused when I switch Pages to full screen. It also fits much better on those tiny coffee shop tables. I will say that I am hoping for a retina air next year. That would be the perfect computer for me.

 

[PDFierro]

I was just reading last night that Final Draft intends to have Version 9 out this year finally. Aside from many improvements, it'll come with Retina Display support. I knew it was coming, but no idea when. So, awesome! I know quite a few people on here have mentioned using the program, other than myself.

Anyone else on this thread who finds the MBA screen actually kind of perfect for writing? I have the 15'' rMBP as my main workhorse, and got the 11'' MBA for its portability for when I don't want to be tied to my desk, and I absolutely love it thus far. The screen has an almost old-school feel when I use it after extended periods on the retina, and that works well for me -- it kind of feels like going back to one of those old word-processors, and sometimes that old-school feeling is exactly the kind of focus I need.

I definitely miss the screen real-estate of the retina when I'm planning in Scrivener sometimes, and I'm not sure I could live with it as my only machine, but for just sitting down and hammering out words distraction-free, I find that switching to the slightly grainier screen actually adds to my productivity rather than taking away from it. Maybe I'm just weird?

I see your viewpoint, but I disagree. Though I wish I could do that like you! For me, I need the best text/screen possible. Going from Retina to the Air screen, makes me unable to focus.

 

[arsimoun]

Final Draft 9

I like the Final Draft program and the guys who run the company are good guys. All of that notwithstanding, I have been hearing about the imminent arrival of FD 9 for a veeerrrrryyyyy long time. I'd be glad to see it, but I am not holding my breath.

FWIW

Adam Rodman

 

[MacPoulet]

I'm really fascinated at how really good writers sometimes have very old school preferences like striped-down writing programs and even typewriters. I've seen some of the best writers with really old gear and they swear by it. I think its cool actually - each to his own and writing is one of those mysterious activities that having just the right type of appliance can make the difference and there seems to be no consensus on what is ideal, but to me nothing is cooler than somebody hammering out text on a manual typewriter!

Never got into the habit of using a typewriter, but I always use a pen for early drafts of most work. And I tend to be very picky about my pens. Most tend to be cheap as the expensive ones are usually quite heavy.

Darn, Movie Magic and Final Draft are not retina ready? Figures. Thanks for posting this info, MacPoulet.

No worries, I'm usually on their case about that and bug them periodically. What's worse is that Movie Magic isn't fully Lion compatible yet (a bunch of features don't work in 10.7/10.8). And I may have discovered a nasty bug with dual dialogue not printing properly after the latest update, which kinda sucks since I'm shooting next week and need to run off copies.

Good times.

I like the Final Draft program and the guys who run the company are good guys. All of that notwithstanding, I have been hearing about the imminent arrival of FD 9 for a veeerrrrryyyyy long time. I'd be glad to see it, but I am not holding my breath.

FWIW

Adam Rodman

I'm glad you had a positive experience with the Final Draft folk. I switched away after they shut down the authenticating server for version 6, crippling my perfectly good copy to drum up more sales.

 

[Writergirl7]

Monitor for writers

What do you guys suggest for a 24" monitor to go with the 13" rMBP? Am finding my eyes are getting tired after 3-4 hours with the usual breaks (but not like the half to one hour with the MBA) so I need a bigger desk screen. Am thinking of the Dell U2412M but somewhere I heard that small text wasn't clear. I want a comfortable monitor for reading/ writing text plus good colour reproduction.

 

[Harmonious Zen]

What do you guys suggest for a 24" monitor to go with the 13" rMBP? Am finding my eyes are getting tired after 3-4 hours with the usual breaks (but not like the half to one hour with the MBA) so I need a bigger desk screen. Am thinking of the Dell U2412M but somewhere I heard that small text wasn't clear. I want a comfortable monitor for reading/ writing text plus good colour reproduction.

Just get one of the Dell IPS panels for a good price on Amazon. They work great.

I can't help but wonder if perhaps the issue is with your eyes. I don't mean to be facetious, but I found my woes with the MBA screen disappeared once I updated my prescription recently. Weird how that works.