# What type of machine and software do you use to write with?



## gene (Mar 28, 2019)

I use a full desktop computer and microsoft  word. I have been using this setup for years now. I was wondering about other options.


----------



## Megan Pearson (Mar 28, 2019)

Lately, scissors and tape. 

Mine is a very high-tech set-up. 

I've also made friends with a giant whiteboard, giant-sized paper pad, and scads of index cards neatly printed upon in large black letters and placed strategically over neat piles containing fragments of several different drafts I am piecing together manually. 

(I so wish I were joking...but you know, I think I'm making progress! MS word wasn't measuring up to the task & this was simpler.)

Oh, yeah. And a laptop and MS Word. But I use Scrivner for my fiction. I like its index-card file system.

Still, I highly recommend scissors and tape. 

It's simpler.


----------



## Gamer_2k4 (Mar 28, 2019)

Notepad++ for quick notes, OneNote for detailed notes, Word for the actual writing.  I'll do it on whatever computer or laptop I have available.


----------



## gene (Mar 28, 2019)

I use a full desk top and word for everything. I use a folder filing system to keep up with it all. The main folder can end up with lots of sub folders. I time and date the word file everyday that I set down and write. I have a master file folder that I only use for up too date writing backing this work up on two other hard drives on two different computers, including a dedicated thumb drive for more portability. I learned the hard way years ago about not backing up my work, so I go to extra pains to do so.


----------



## sigmadog (Mar 28, 2019)

Desktop with Scrivener which is linked via Dropbox to my laptop, so I can work in one place, save it, then go to the other computer and the updated file is available to continue working. I use Scrivener for client work, blog posts, research, web writing, pretty much anything for word processing.


----------



## moderan (Mar 28, 2019)

I have a desktop with a nice mechanical keyboard and MS Word but I write most things on my laptop, which uses LibreWriter as a medium. I don't have any special filing system or software -- that just gets in the way. Too much time thinking about writing gets in the way of the actual writing. I block out a series of scenes in my head and go from there.


----------



## Cephus (Mar 28, 2019)

Desktop with Scrivener.  I've used other things but that seems to work the best for me.


----------



## gene (Mar 28, 2019)

I am looking into Scrivener. Thanks for the info on this software.


----------



## Winston (Mar 28, 2019)




----------



## Ralph Rotten (Mar 28, 2019)

Winston said:


> View attachment 23500




Is that your wifi password on a post-it note? 





MS Word is just the start of the software you'll need.

Next you'll need an eBook builder. Everyone has a fav. *Mine is MePub
*
You'll need some photo-editing software: I prefer *PhotoImpact*. Tis much cheaper than PS or PSP, does everything they do.

You should get a cloud account so your work won't be lost. I use *dropbox *because it leaves a local copy on your HDD, and also a copy in the cloud, all synchronized. dropbox also comes with versioning. I can use it in the mountains, and it updates as soon as I get home.

I also use a program called *SmartDraw CI* to create floorplans, maps, diagrams, blueprints... It is expensive, but totally worth it if you need faux technical diagrams.

I also keep a copy of *FrontPage *on hand for building my website, and creating eBooks (I use it in conjunction with MePub to get a cleaner manuscript.)

And lastly...*MediaPlayer*...because if I don't have my jams...


----------



## Darius Marley (Mar 28, 2019)

MacBook Air + OpenOffice + coffee cup nthego:


----------



## Sir-KP (Mar 28, 2019)

Laptop and Word at home.

Notepad or WPS Office on Android for outdoor.


----------



## Bayview (Mar 29, 2019)

Laptop and Word.


----------



## Kyle R (Mar 29, 2019)

MacBook + Scrivener for me.




			
				Ralph Rotten said:
			
		

> You'll need some photo-editing software: I prefer *PhotoImpact*. Tis much cheaper than PS or PSP, does everything they do.



Have you tried GIMP? It's free. And it's pretty awesome, too. I'd say it's Photoshop's near-equal. :encouragement:


----------



## buck06191 (Mar 29, 2019)

I use a laptop and then either google Docs or a LaTeX editor, mainly Overleaf to keep stuff easily in sync between devices. LaTeX might be a weird choice generally, but I think that the habit of writing in it for work has translated to me sometimes finding it easier to translate ideas from brain to screen when I type in it. 
I also use Google Keep on my mobile for on the fly notes taking, but this is less part of the writing process and more part of the inspiration step.


----------



## gene (Mar 29, 2019)

I like your setup Winston, very similar to mine. I use a 32" Screen for my work.

Ralph Rotten thanks for the info. I made a really crude map for my book, just to help me keep up where everything is and the names of places. I have been using DreamWeaver for creating my web pages for years now. It is an old copy now but still does what i want it to.


----------



## Phil Istine (Mar 30, 2019)

gene said:


> I use a full desktop computer and microsoft  word. I have been using this setup for years now. I was wondering about other options.



I use pretty much the same, but I sometimes switch to an ancient laptop and transfer the file I'm working on by USB stick.  Sometimes I write in bed.


----------



## Chris Stevenson (Mar 30, 2019)

An older Acer desktop and MS Word. Very dependable. But showing its age.


----------



## Ralph Rotten (Mar 30, 2019)

Phil Istine said:


> I use pretty much the same, but I sometimes switch to an ancient laptop and transfer the file I'm working on by USB stick.  Sometimes I write in bed.




Dropbox lets you switch from one PC to another without the USB stick.


----------



## Phil Istine (Mar 30, 2019)

Ralph Rotten said:


> Dropbox lets you switch from one PC to another without the USB stick.



I imagine both PCs need to be internet connected to achieve that.  My laptop isn't.  Indeed, that is one of the benefits, because there are fewer distractions when writing.


----------



## JJBuchholz (Apr 3, 2019)

Laptop. Notepad for really quick notes (primarily used when my physical notebooks are all busy!), Wordpad as my main software for writing, and sometimes Kingsoft Writer for more intricate works.

Years back, I used to use Corel WordPerfect suite 8, before technology advanced to far for me to use it. Was a great program in it's day.

-JJB


----------



## Amnesiac (Apr 3, 2019)

PC, MS Word. Notepad app on my phone to jot down ideas if I'm unable to get to my laptop.


----------



## Theglasshouse (Apr 3, 2019)

Clarospeak on chrome web store(text to speech reader, and uses dyslexia friendly fonts, character spacing and line spacing) (specifically only on chrome not the windows store for dyslexia; it is free). I also use word, I used to own scrivener but I didn't use it that much and uninstalled it as my computer needs to run fast not to get errors when it is booting up. Right now tracking my progress on how I do with clarospeak which has good features. I am partly colorblind too since I confuse colors, clarospeak has a color background for people who might have vision problems such as this (iris syndrome I think it is called).  It might be helpful for someone who proofreads. One day all this will be free and more sophisticated.


----------



## Megan Pearson (Apr 4, 2019)

I have a highly useful piece of equipment I realized this week that I really depend on for my writing. It's something everyone has, but no one has yet mentioned. The cell phone. When I'm out & about and get a fabulous idea, I send myself a text. That way, when I get home, no more napkins in fading ink or scraps of borrowed paper but I have exactly what I wanted to remind myself of.


----------



## J Anfinson (Apr 4, 2019)

Laptop with Word or my tablet with Word, whichever is handy. I have a bluetooth keyboard for the tablet that pretty much turns it into a laptop. I used Google Docs some in college but I'm not real fond of it. Probably because I don't like the requirement of having to be connected to the internet in order to write.


----------



## JessicaT (Apr 5, 2019)

Does pen and paper count? But to respectfully contribute to the thread, ultimately a desktop and MS Word.


----------



## Megan Pearson (Apr 8, 2019)

JessicaT said:


> Does pen and paper count?



Best way to start!

BTW, Welcome to WF!


----------



## Solus (Apr 8, 2019)

Personally, I like writing in Grammarly. It's just so... clean. No excess of features and a font that is quite pleasing to the eye, plus a spellcheck that's kinda good


----------



## Theglasshouse (Apr 8, 2019)

I use prowriing aid, which isn't as good as grammarly but is worth mentioning.


----------



## JessicaT (Apr 8, 2019)

*Best way to start!

BTW, Welcome to WF!
*
Thank you!


----------



## Amnesiac (Apr 8, 2019)

I actually did mention the notepad on my cellphone if I'm out and about and an idea strikes. :encouragement:


----------



## Megan Pearson (Apr 8, 2019)

Solus said:


> Personally, I like writing in Grammarly. It's just so... clean. No excess of features *and afont that is quite pleasing to the eye*, plus a spellcheck that's kinda good



_Why does this remind me of Eve and the apple that was quite pleasing to the eye??? Kind-a makes me wonder what kind of software we've got hanging here on this tree? (Ack--post!)_

On a more serious note, isn't Grammarly on a Windows platform? 
(Thanks ahead of time.)


----------



## willowarc (Apr 10, 2019)

I do the majority of my typing (and formatting) in Microsoft Word at my college campus. My college gives all students a free sub to Office 365 as long as they are enrolled and take classes. It basically a standard issue WinX desktop PC. When I am not near a PC, however, old fashioned pen and paper work just as good for me.


----------



## meegads (Apr 18, 2019)

A basic but serviceable Chromebook and Google Docs.  I especially like that I can do a quick edit or add a note on my phone while I'm out and about or at work if need be.


----------



## Bard_Daniel (Apr 20, 2019)

Microsoft Word.


----------



## Tettsuo (Apr 20, 2019)

Bibisco

http://www.bibisco.com/


----------



## Bard_Daniel (Apr 21, 2019)

Tettsuo said:


> Bibisco
> 
> http://www.bibisco.com/



This actually looks pretty neat!

I'll be revisiting this thread and exploring all these different writing programs.


----------



## Dluuni (Apr 28, 2019)

Google Docs. I absolutely require the cloud.


----------



## Phil Istine (Apr 28, 2019)

I'd like to bring printers into the equation because I find it's easier to spot typos and other glitches on the printed sheet.

If possible, it's usually cheaper in the longer term to buy a laser printer than inkjet.  The inkjet will give you a cheap start, but the cost of consumables can soon wipe out that benefit, especially when needing to clean print heads regularly.

I use a Brother, single colour laser printer with a built-in duplex unit.  I will explain why:  Over the longer term, I save a small fortune on consumables.  A laser cartridge lasts way, way longer than multiple inkjet cartridges, though they are more expensive.  Bear in mind that when changing a laser cartridge, you don't need to change the drum every time.  Some brands of printer make this tricky, I'm told, but with my Brother printer (HL-5150D), it's simple.  The current drum is on its third toner cartridge.  I've had a warning light for ages and I do have a spare drum standing by, but no problem so far.  I believe that Brother laser printers all have this ability to separate drum changes from cartridge changes - a substantial saving.  I understand that print quality can slowly worsen, but this isn't an issue when printing text only, especially if it's not the finished article.

As for the built-in duplex facility, this is brilliant for a writer who uses both sides of the paper, as you can print the pages sequentially without risking loads of waste.  If a printer only prints one side, you must print all the odd number pages and reload the printed work to produce the even number pages on the back.  This can become an irritation for several reasons:  On some printers, the sheets are out of shape after one pass which can cause misfeeds or doubles on the second pass, though it is possible to roll the corners to flatten the sheets.
*
Misfeeds and doubles*

This need not be a problem on a very small print run,but on a longer run they can cause havoc.  Imagine printing the second side of, say, a 40 page run and you have a double feed early on.  This will cause all the subsequent page numbers of the second side to be out of synch with the first side, wasting most of what you print.  It's far better to have a printer that prints page 1, flips it automatically, prints page 2 etc.
This may sound a little extravagant until you realise that I print all my own stationery on it for my self-employment.
If possible, it's better to pay more at the start and reduce problems later.  I've had my current laser printer for quite a few years.
I hope this is of help to someone.


----------



## Jacqui Jay (Apr 30, 2019)

I'm a Mac person and, at different times, will be writing on either my iMac, My PowerBook or my iPad.
I use Word mostly, but sometimes I have to copy/paste into it, if I have had occasion to write a bit on my iPhone.
Strangely, I find I can do most of my editing and polishing best  when I'm in a room with other people with noise going on around me.


----------

