New ... brooms!

[silverr]

It's an old saying: "A new broom sweeps clean."

I've found that this can apply to writing as well. I don't just mean changing your methods or approach (e.g., writing out of sequence if you're usually linear, or freewriting if you're usually a detailed planner), I mean actually trying a new writing tool--or even switching to trusty paper and pen. Sometimes it's just the jolt you need to get things flowing--or at least save you some hair pulling.

So, what tools do you use? What do you use them for? Why do you love them? What do you wish they did better?

Comments

[zoamh]

I got in the habit of using Google Docs for nearly everything back when I spent a lot of time writing on campus and work computers. I'm not currently a student and work is too busy now, but the habit stuck. It's a fairly inoffensive text editor, and it's easy to just send the link when it needs a beta read.

I used to use Bean (Mac only) as my lightweight text editor with full-screen mode of choice, but now when I write directly on my hard drive I tend to use Scrivener, which I see someone already mentioned! It's too clunky for one-offs unless I want to keep them together as part of a series, but it's excellent for keeping longer works organized. I can also sync txt files from a project to a folder in my Dropbox and use Plaintext to access them on my phone, so I can jot down notes when I don't have my computer handy.

When I know I just need to write to get my thoughts down for a scene but don't really want to commit to having it in my draft, I tend to dump it in 750 Words. I can easily copy it over if it turns to have merit and if not, well, it's saved (and out of my way) just in case.

I also keep a notebook and a few pens in my purse at all times. Usually when writing I need to type to keep up with the pace of my thoughts, but if it's just not flowing then the slower pace of hand writing tends to give me more time to think, which frees up my writer's block tremendously. (I usually just end up doodling after a while though.)

[silverr]

*nods* The advantage of using GoogleDocs even on a home computer is the constant/instant backup.

oo, that 750 words thing is nifty - I may have to give it a try!

(And yay another Scriv user! I second the collection of short works thing - I've been using it for bingo cards -- the 5x5 display on the corkboard! -- and I found it a great way to collect brainstorming ideas for each prompt.

[zoamh]

Oh, yes, the instant backups on GDocs are a big plus. I try to have a backup copy of everything I really care about on either GDocs or Dropbox in case my hard drive goes south. I mean, I back up to an external hard drive every now and then, but not frequently enough to save my current writing project.

Scrivener is excellent for bingos! My favorite part of getting my bingo card is transferring it over to Scrivener and brainstorming until I've figured out which bingo I'm going for. (You didn't happen to come by Scrivener via NaNoWriMo, did you? That's where I first found it.)

[silverr]

I actually came across Scrivener while looking for something that would give me the same functionality as the old "Outline Mode" in MS Word (which I could no longer afford to buy/update). I really liked Word's ability to expand/collapse headings, move chunks of a doc around by dragging headings, etc. and missed not having such features in OpenOffice. ~ I tried using OO's Outline Function, but it just wasn't what I needed. ~ I tried a few other programs (the only one I remember was yWriter) before a friend seconded the recommendation of Scrivener. Once I started playing with Scriv I stopped looking. ~ I still write my actual drafts in OO or GD, but I use Scriv to keep track of plot, brainstorms (and braindrizzles :p), notes / questions / research bits, running author's notes, URLs, and bits of story I'm probably not going to use (but that I can't quite delete forever. :p) It's like this ... helpful left-brain personal assistant who takes all the chaotic bits and files them away neatly til needed. (And I suppose it's NLP or something, but ironically I always feel "ready" when Scriv is on the right half of my screen and I'm composing in a window on the left half. :p)

Teal deer: It slices, it dices, it's two mints in one!