StarDestroyer.Net BBS

For all the creative types that frequent this forum: how useful do you think it is, in general, to use special software for streamlining storywriting? Or what kind of tools (other than MS Word and alternatives) do you normaly use or would you consider using?

For example, this tool:



Do you think it's useful, a waste of bandwidth, what?

Well, I've never tried tools like that. I simply use a number of different files (a plot file, a timeline file, a character bio file) and rewrite them as I see fit.

Minor defails I usually add in as I'm fleshing out my plot into a story, some of which have enough effect that it changes the later plot. In which case I just edit the plot file as necessary.

I use open office for all my writing. Who needs extra shit. Though considering the extremly small ammount of creative writing I do I geuss that I don't really count.

For anything significant, I find that coupling Microsoft Word with a pen, paper and the ability to draw lots of loosely-connected boxes works wonders.



-As does a good memory, for when you lose the piece of paper.

My tools are as follows:

A reporter's notebook and a Vision Uniball Micro black pen--for jotting down notes when I'm away from the computer

A 1936 Royal portable typewriter, for first drafts

Word Perfect 9 for subsequent drafts

Writing software has always seemed, to me, to be great toys with which to fiddle. The best toys for writers are the ones that make you think you're working on the story without actually putting words down on paper.

LaTeX typesetting with TeXnicCenter as my editor.