This is a list the goog gave me. I am writing for publication, so I don’t want to do it in say, Word, and then have to go back and rethink margins and spacing and whatnot.
Here are 13 of the best writing software for writers:
What do you mean by “publication”? Are you self-publishing or is it for a journal?
If it’s for a journal or some other publisher, won’t they deal with the formatting (i.e. margins, spacing etc.)? That said, it’s not hard to change spacing and margins in Word.
I’ve only really used Word and Google Docs. Google Docs is okay but I much prefer Word, but that might be just because I’m more familiar with it. I prefer Word’s search function and some of the formatting options. I find Word has a lot more flexibility and options than Google Docs and I find it easier to use with larger documents.
I actually use Google Docs a lot more now than I used to because one of my main clients does everything in Google Docs and WordPress.
If you want another free option, you might want to think about LibreOffice.
If i recycle an old computer to give to some one, i always put Apache Open Office on it. Covers all the basics and not to different from MS office but a much better price.
From this list, the only alternative to MS Word may be Scrivener. OK, I don’t know Mac software. Everything else on that list are helper software, but nothing comparable to what Word will offer you.
There was/is a movement to allow writers to focus on the content:
For all its complexity, however, you can use Word simply and accomplish what needs to be there better than anything. Hopefully, something will grow that will be even better (that’s the nature of tech), but for now, Word is the Word.
Yeah, I’ve watched a couple of videos comparing them. I like the corkboard outline page in Scrivener. There’s a lot of overlap and the guy I watched didn’t slam Word at all, juts said, Scrivener is better here and here.
In journal publishing anyway, at least in my industry, authors usually do the writing in Word or some other word processing program. Word is pretty powerful and is the only one I have used much. I tried OpenOffice for a while, since it was free, but not even sure if it is still around. Word (and probably the other WP programs) will let you do all sorts of things, like easily rework margins and spacing, format text any way you want, apply templates, add and keep track of heading levels, add page numbers and move them around, add footnotes and page headers, add line numbers, add and format tables, add and modify a table of contents, spell check, do word counts, etc.
Anyway, as I was saying, authors will then submit manuscripts as .docx or .rtf files mostly, and may have used reference software such as EndNote to keep track of references. And will submit images separately as high res image files or sometimes PowerPoint files. Then, after acceptance, the copy editor edits in Word or something like that, and eventually the production department does layout in some design program such as InDesign (not sure what they use these days).
But if I were writing a book to self-publish or send to a publisher, I would start with Word or another word processor you are familiar with. The layout/design software–well I haven’t used it myself, but it doesn’t seem intuitive or well suited for writing and editing manuscripts.
That’s all for now on word processing, but let me know if you need tips on wood processing for those trees
So, it’s a price difference now. I’m trying to check the antipathy bias I have personally for Microsoft, but that’s significantly more expensive than Scrivener.
Or, I’m hooked into Google Drive already at work…but that’s why I don’t want to use it. I’d have to start another google account, which is too many for me. I hate having to know all these passwords and IDs for each site. It’s a Neo-Luddite pet peeve.
But right now, I’m using Wordpad and it sucks. Like somehow they made it to deliberately suck.
try the above link for free, if you don’t like, then look at your other options.
Only thing you loose is a bit of time and its an upgrade from Turdpad.
I tried this one. It seems OK, but I’m still figuring out little things, like how to activate the spell check. It says click the icon, but it doesn’t work.
I use MS office, Pages or Indesign myself, i just give open office away when i recycle an old computer. Try selecting a paragraph then pressing the spell check, also try looking at the preferences and set it up as you like.
