Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

I'm a scriptwriter - is the iPad right for me?

T

tekno

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 15, 2011
840
4
I'm a professional scriptwriter and use my iMac and Pages to write. As an example, will the iPad and icloud mean I can write page 1-5 on my Mac and then head off out to a cafe, open my iPad and write pages 6-10, return home and continue with pages 11-15 on my Mac?

Or is it a weird convoluted effort of saving files, uploading, downloading, syncing, emailing etc etc?
 
I think an Air might be more to your liking. iPad plus keyboard can actually be more clunky and awkward than just a good old laptop. Plus if your keyboard battery runs out in the middle of a brain storm that could be quite a bummer.
 
If pages supports iCloud on the mac, you'll be able to open your documents on either device and sync will be automatic.

What I'd worry about most is typing. Have you tried typing a long document on an iPad? You might find it quite frustrating. But you can get a bluetooth keyboard, or a case with an integrated keyboard.
 
If you have to ask, then I doubt you've done very much writing.

No, an iPad is not for you. You need a notebook with a good keyboard, a mouse to move the cursor for edits and display that won't jack up your eyes from looking at it for hours on end.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

Anything you type in pages will automatically be synced to the iCloud and updated across all your apple devices. So if you start in your iMac what you have so far will instantly show up on your iPad. If you add some more to the document on the go with your iPad it will automatically update in the iMac.

What you really need to consider is if word processing is something you are comfortable with on a tablet. More and more people are becoming serious about word processing in the iPad, whether it's just with the on screen keyboard or with a keyboard accessory. In some cases people like to write on their iPad more than a laptop because it's less distractions. You just have the app you're writing with open. There is a really nice miniamlistic writing app called iA Writer. You should check it out if you go the iPad route.
 
why not just get the macbook air 11 and use dropbox? not a whole lot bigger than the ipad but the keyboard would really help you.
 
In my experience, your answer would be no. You need a full size keyboard, monitor, mouse (trackpad) combo to be productive.

You could certainly use the iPad to review material, and make minor changes, but if you want to hammer out product, get a desktop or laptop.
 
Long form writing is "possible" but impractical. That shouldn't be a reason not to get one though...
 
Do some of the posters above know something I don't? As far as I'm aware, Pages on the Mac does NOT automatically sync with iCloud yet. This is a feature that's coming in Mountain Lion later this year. For now, you do indeed have to upload to iCloud manually to see the changes on your iOS devices. (Although I'm aware of unofficial workarounds to this.)

iPad seems like it'd be a great tool for script writing. Pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and you should be good to go.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

PhoneI said:
IA Writer. Best purchase ever for my iPad. Use it everyday.
Click to expand...

I agree. It's a excellent app. Do you use a keyboard with yor iPad or just use the virtual keyboard?
 
Frankied22 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)



I agree. It's a excellent app. Do you use a keyboard with yor iPad or just use the virtual keyboard?
Click to expand...

For any long writing, I use a Bluetooth keyboard. If I am at home, I use the IA Writer on my Macbook.
 
I planned on using my Ipad for some writing as well. I know that Celtx actually has a built in cloud function where you can save your project and then open it on any other platform that has Celtx and continue where you left off.
 
vulsker said:
I planned on using my Ipad for some writing as well. I know that Celtx actually has a built in cloud function where you can save your project and then open it on any other platform that has Celtx and continue where you left off.
Click to expand...

iA Writer has full iCloud support. Write on you iPad, see it on your MacBook (and the other way around too)

----------

I am anxious to try this out with iA Writer....http://www.tested.com/news/touchfire-project-adds-silicone-to-the-ipads-virtual-keyboard-video/3214/
 
Novelist here. Get a Macbook Air if you need portability. A keyboard is absolutely vital. I have the 11 inch model, and honestly, I still plug in a big old USB keyboard whenever I am at home because I can type much more efficiently with it than on the flat keyboards that Apple makes. I have an iPad, but I use it to goof around and certainly not to create. A pen and paper should be your first step.
 
waltermitty said:
Novelist here. Get a Macbook Air if you need portability. A keyboard is absolutely vital. I have the 11 inch model, and honestly, I still plug in a big old USB keyboard whenever I am at home because I can type much more efficiently with it than on the flat keyboards that Apple makes. I have an iPad, but I use it to goof around and certainly not to create. A pen and paper should be your first step.
Click to expand...

I agree if you need to choose one device over another, you definitely need a laptop/desktop if you can only have one device.

While I am not a novelist, I write a lot for my work. I also have to travel a lot. I find I can do some supplemental writing on my iPad and have it sync through the cloud back to my MacBook.
 
Writing on the iPad's keyboard is easy once you get used to it, but I'm not sure if there's an app which lets you create properly formatted scripts. If there's one I don't know about, then go ahead and get the iPad :)
 
For reference, yes, but not for writing on. Nothing comes close to the combination of the Scrivener application on a trusty MacBook/Pro/Air - it is hands down the best writing tool out there.

I write with my MacBookPro using Scrivener full-screen. I have my iPad next to me with reference/google at the ready.
 
Scrivener

shellbryson said:
For reference, yes, but not for writing on. Nothing comes close to the combination of the Scrivener application on a trusty MacBook/Pro/Air - it is hands down the best writing tool out there.

I write with my MacBookPro using Scrivener full-screen. I have my iPad next to me with reference/google at the ready.
Click to expand...

Scrivener is easily the best writing software out there and it's what I recommend to all my students over Celtx, Final Draft or MM Screenwriter. And they are developing an iOS version. A Macbook Air of some sort is perfect. Add an iPad, and bliss...
 
I highly recommend checking out Jamie Todd Rubin's posts on his workflow with the iPad:

Going iPad: The Complete Series

photo.JPG


I have Scrivener on the Mac and it is amazing. They announced back in Dec '11 that they were working on an IOS version, so I am patiently awaiting to see what they come up with.
 
Sirmausalot said:
Scrivener is easily the best writing software out there and it's what I recommend to all my students over Celtx, Final Draft or MM Screenwriter. And they are developing an iOS version. A Macbook Air of some sort is perfect. Add an iPad, and bliss...
Click to expand...

The current ballpark iOS Scrivener release given by Keith at Literature & Latte is, "If it's out before 31st December 2012, it will be on time." It is spectacular software, though, so I'd recommend figuring out something like Jamie Todd Rubin's iPad method if you decide to go that route (technologically speaking). I will be!

-->iDv.
 
OK, so the iPad is for you....
Here's how:
1. Install Dropbox and Dropbox WebDAV so you can save Pages files to Dropbox
2. If you have an iPhone, iPad, and Mac/Windows PC, install Dropbox to each.
3. All of your stuff syncs via Dropbox. You can also sync to iCloud so iPad and iPhone writing can be done on-the-fly.
4. Learn to type using the iPad screen.

Once you have completed the 4 steps, you're ready to write and even publish from an all Apple based equipment. If you really want an old-timey typewriter feel, go buy yourself a camera kit and a USB Mechanical keyboard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back