My project for today was to get together a method to organize my current web novel, Taliesin: Vampire Dreams. I was googling around for something on the Snowflake method and instead I found an article which gave links to free software for organizing your novel. There are 3 different free software options given.
Storybook: Open Source Novel Writing Software for Novelists, Authors and Creative Writers --- tried this. They are really big on trying to sell you the paid version, which is the only version that lets you export and print out the outline you create with it. I'm not sure the free version is all that useful if you can't print out your work.
yWriter: Free novel writing software to help you write a book. Very good software and it really is free, not just a demo.
PageFour: Novel writing software - software for creative writers --- includes a tabbed word processor and outliner This is actually just a demo of the paid version and has restrictions.
After looking all three over I've decided to download Storybook and use it to organize Taliesin and perhaps my other writing. I'm not sure if it will help--- or if anything will help. Being disorganized is my worst failing as a writer. I'd love to hear from other writers who've tried one of these free resources--- has it helped your writing?
NOTE: there is software for the Snowflake Method, but it costs $100, which is $100 more than I can spare this month or any month of the foreseeable future. Besides which I thought the free software, being of more general interest, was worth a mention. But if you have the money and like the snowflake method, you might consider getting that software.
Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI will need something like this eventually since my novel (yeah, the one I started in 2009!) is only done through chapter 1. [sighs]
Will you give us updates?
Yes, I'll probably give updates. I've downloaded Storybook and have put in some characters. I'm going to look at the tutorial for it at the web site to figure out how to use it better.
ReplyDeleteIf my computer was working better I'd try all three and compare, but right now I'd rather not risk it.
I just found this:
ReplyDeleteWriters Project Organizer. It's $25 to buy, free to try. I haven't tried it, but I plan to. It looks MOST useful.
Marian Allen
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@Marion,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like it might be useful to some writers, especially the ones with $25 to spare.
I've downloaded the second one, yWriter, which I like much better than Storybook which turns out to be mostly a demo for their paid version.
I'm thinking of reviewing the three software products individually. I've also had one called NewNovelist in the past but that was clunky compared to yWriter (which is free).