Software for writing a book?

[komseban]

+1 for Scrivener
It has so many useful functions that blow Word out the water for story writing.

 

[ranviper]

Hey,

My father and I have co-written 10 books, with an 11th on the way. We self-publish, and thus get to retain much more of what WE want.

We use microsoft word 2011. Its simple, easy, and does essentially everything we need it to. It's formatting the book that is the hard part, and unfortunately we have a friend of ours do that part, so I am unsure what software he uses. I am pretty sure however, it's just another word processor, if not microsoft word.

 

[daceymathers]

It is one thing to come here and shill for a particular favorite software title. You may like Literal. You may have a financial interest in it. However, this is a Mac forum. Literal is exclusively Windows software. If it is ever ported to the Mac, then it may be greeted with a big fat "Meh." Literal appears to be a cut-down version of the the Mac word processor that has been devoted to distraction-free writing for quite a while now, Scrivener.

Hi MisterMe

You are taking me wrong.I do not have any financial interest in literal software.Actually, I am too much familiar with Literal software and i think that it is a good software for writing novels etc.You have recommended scrivener software for writing , i will try this software and then i can decide that which one is the best.

 

[MisterMe]

Hi MisterMe

You are taking me wrong.I do not have any financial interest in literal software.Actually, I am too much familiar with Literal software and i think that it is a good software for writing novels etc.You have recommended scrivener software for writing , i will try this software and then i can decide that which one is the best.

Let us get a few things straight:

• Nowhere in my post did I recommend Scrivener. I do not use the application. However, many other users rely on it and love it. They strongly recommend Scrivener. I have no reason to dispute their recommendations.
• Literal is a Windows-only application. It does not run on the Mac--except in a virtual Windows environment.
• Literal appears to be a cut-down rip-off of Scrivener. Its "distraction free writing" tagline appears to have been lifted from Scrivener promotional materials. The software's name is perilously close to that of Scrivener's developer, Literature and Latte Ltd.
• Scrivener is still a Mac-only application. However, the Windows version is currently in public beta.

If you use Literal, then you are most certainly a Windows user. Winston Street, Literal's developer, appears to want us to infer that a Mac version of the application is in development. If this is the case, then it may be waiting for you when and if you ever switch to the Mac. However, it is safe to say that a Windows user will be much happier with Scrivener than a Mac user will be with Literal.

 

[daceymathers]

Let us get a few things straight:

• Nowhere in my post did I recommend Scrivener. I do not use the application. However, many other users rely on it and love it. They strongly recommend Scrivener. I have no reason to dispute their recommendations.
• Literal is a Windows-only application. It does not run on the Mac--except in a virtual Windows environment.
• Literal appears to be a cut-down rip-off of Scrivener. Its "distraction free writing" tagline appears to have been lifted from Scrivener promotional materials. The software's name is perilously close to that of Scrivener's developer, Literature and Latte Ltd.
• Scrivener is still a Mac-only application. However, the Windows version is currently in public beta.

If you use Literal, then you are most certainly a Windows user. Winston Street, Literal's developer, appears to want us to infer that a Mac version of the application is in development. If this is the case, then it may be waiting for you when and if you ever switch to the Mac. However, it is safe to say that a Windows user will be much happier with Scrivener than a Mac user will be with Literal.

Well i would like to thank you for telling me such a large difference between the software for mac-only application and the software for windows-only application.Thanks for the post.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I just wanted to make sure Celtix or oomwriter were mentioned.

 

[coachingguy]

Scrivner +1.

Coachingguy

 

[Cougarcat]

Scrivener +1 too. It won a MacWorld Eddy last year, and version 2 is nominated for this year, all for excellent reasons. It's superb.

 

[monokakata]

Scrivener! I have a 300,000 word project going, and it's divided into 140 parts of greatly varying length.

I have no trouble keeping them organized, rearranging, combining, and -- most usefully -- writing out any combination of them into .rtf and then to Word, for other people to look at.