For various reasons, this is now a hot topic. I'm putting my favorites here, please add more in your reblogs. I'm not pointing to Microsoft Word because I hate it.
Looks like early 2000 Word, works great, imports and exports all formats. Saves in OpenDocumentFormat. Combine with something like Dropbox for Cloud Backup.
Super customizable to make it look pretty, all toolbars hide to be as non-distracting as possible. Can make typewriter sounds as you type, and you can set daily wordcount goals. Saves in OpenDocumentFormat. Combine with something like Dropbox for Cloud Backup.
The darling of so many writers. Too many things to fiddle with for me, but I'm sure someone else can sing its praises. You can put the database folder into a Dropbox folder for cloud saving (but make sure to always close the program before shutting down).
Web-based:
4.
Reedsy bookeditor (https://reedsy.com/write-a-book) Browser based, works on Firefox on Android. Be aware that they also have a TOS that forbids pornography on publicly shared documents.
My current writing program. Just enough features to be helpful, not so many that I start fiddling. Writing is chapter based, exports to docx, epub, pdf. You can share chapters (for beta reading) with other people registered at Reedsy.
5.
Novelpad (https://novelpad.co/) Browser based.
Looks very promising, there's a youtuber with really informative videos about it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHN8TnwjG1g). I wanted to love it, but the editor didn't work on Firefox on my phone. It might now, but I'm reluctant to switch again.
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So, this is my list. Please add more suggestions in reblogs.
Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. NovelPad, a 2023 NaNoWriMo sponsor, is a novel drafting software designed to make it easy for writers to write. Today, they're sharing a few tips to help you beat writer's block:
NovelPad loves NaNoWriMo because we have the same goal: Helping authors get the thing done!
Starting a book is usually fun and easy—your fingers dance across the keyboard as you explore an exciting world, meet your characters, and stir up intrigue for the coming plot. But once you get into the weeds of how that all works, and how you and your characters get from Point A to Point B, you might find yourself losing momentum. You might find yourself so encumbered with obstacles that you might get a case of the dreaded writer’s block.
The very good news is that writer’s block isn’t terminal, and I certainly don’t think writer’s block is as enigmatic as some people seem to think. I believe it’s actually quite a simple problem, and usually due to one of a few common factors. Let’s look at four ways you can push yourself through your case of ye olde block.
1. Check in with yourself.
Step one is always to check in with yourself.
Start by reviewing your basic self-care needs:
Are you staying hydrated?
Do you feel hungry?
Would a shower or a nap be beneficial?
Is it time for a walk or some stretching exercises?
Consider your environment as well. Maybe you need:
Noise-canceling headphones
A change of scenery
A babysitter or someone to help around the house
To open or close some windows
Next, evaluate your level of focus. Is your mind wandering elsewhere? It can be useful to create a "dump list" to jot down anything that's causing you stress, such as work-related issues, pending tasks, or upcoming events. Setting that list aside can give you the tangible feeling of pushing those things off your desk to worry about later.
Once your body, mind, and environment are sorted out, you'll likely discover that writing becomes a bit easier!
2. Look back at where you’ve been.
Even if the first tip did or did not do the trick, let’s take a look at the project itself.
Sometimes writer’s block is a blessing in disguise! Your creative gut might be telling you that something went awry. Try reading your project back and pinpointing where it became difficult to keep going. Consider alternate plots or paths to get your writing flowing again.
If you're managing multiple plots and subplots, identifying the moment you deviated from the main path can be quite challenging. To pinpoint which plot line is causing issues, you can take advantage of NovelPad's handy feature: Plot tracking.
On the Plot Board, you can review every scene of a particular plot in order, making spotting those errors in your plotlines much easier.
3. Rewrite a problem scene.
Once you've identified the scene causing issues, it's time to make improvements! This can be challenging because there are countless ways to approach a scene.
However, don't hesitate to embrace revisions. Often, a scene benefits from a thorough rewrite. With NovelPad Revisions, you can save limitless scene revisions, compare them side by side, and effortlessly switch to the one they want in the live manuscript. This keeps your different versions safe, well-organized, and readily accessible.
4. Freewrite to free yourself.
Freewriting is a great way to get your creativity flowing again. Write some poetry, compose a letter to a friend, or simply let your thoughts flow without judgment. Freewriting without judgment can help turn on your writer mode and even help you solve some problems! It's especially beneficial when you're stuck on something specific, because we often find brilliant solutions when we stop being so critical of our ideas.
Kick writer’s block off your desk with NovelPad! It's free to use throughout NaNoWriMo, and we offer discounts to participants and winners afterward. If you find that NovelPad isn't your cup of tea by the end of November, don't worry—you can still access and download your project at any time. Just write!
Our team at NovelPad believes in making it easy for writers to complete their books. That’s why we built an uncomplicated, intuitive system that stays out of the way until you need it! We want writers like you to #JustWrite without burdening you with excessive features. Speaking of features, software updates at NovelPad are based entirely on user feedback from authors to keep our features sharp, relevant, and minimalist.
All NaNoWriMo participants have access to a 15% discount on NovelPad with code WRIMO2023 — use the code during checkout to redeem your discount. Offer expires April 1, 2024.
Looking for a new writing software? I've used NovelPad for a year and drafted two books with them since my last review video, so here's an update! Last time, I praised it for being straightforward, streamlined, and efficient.
In this video, I talk about their recent updates to the system, what I like and dislike about it now, and if I still think NovelPad is a worthwhile investment for novelists.
ORIGINAL WALKTHROUGH/REVIEW
WRITING A BOOK IN 5 WEEKS
TRY NOVELPAD FOR FREE
I found this review very interesting and I'm gonna try out Novelpad as a substitute for googledocs (because I'm getting increasingly nervous about putting my writing into google).
Novelpad is an online writing program with an offline mode. Find it here to test it out: https://novelpad.co/
Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. NovelPad, a 2021 NaNoWriMo sponsor, is an effortless novel editor, designed for you. Today, NovelPad community member Nathaniel George is here to some insight on why we writers choose to tell stories:
As writers, we're charged with capturing a picture that only exists in our imagination. We assemble prose and metaphor in ways that allow another human to share in our vision. We endeavor to perform nothing short of witchcraft, the spells we cast being sent into the universe, seeking a worthy vessel.
At NovelPad we set out to create the best writing experience possible, and this aim has shaped everything we've built. We wanted to make a writing tool that is effortless for anyone by organizing the characters, ideas, and places so a writer can focus on the story itself. With NovelPad, anyone can get started writing and see their story through to the end.
We believe writing is as fundamental as breathing and is an integral part of the human experience. As we near the next session of Camp NaNoWriMo, we thought it worthwhile to remind ourselves of the importance of writing and our value as writers.
Writing on purpose
Humans are obsessed with numbers. This is not a recent phenomenon, as counting has been with us long before the first writing system. Counting as a measure of success is ingrained in everything we do. Got a raise at work? That's a promotion. Want to get in shape? Work out for 30 minutes at least 3 times a day, lose 10 kilos, and run 8 km. Want to be famous? You need more likes, more followers. Want to be a writer? Spend at least an hour a day, finish 2 chapters this month, and write at least 12,000 words a week.
As Wrimos our goals are clearly laid out before us, meant to challenge and motivate us. But achieving writing goals isn't the purpose of writing. The chief purpose of writing is much more profound than that: In all of human history, the existence of life, and the universe itself, you are the singular source for the story you have to tell.
We're tempted to think that success is only measured by copies sold, awards received, or number of published titles. These are laudable achievements for which anyone should be proud. But do not lose sight of the value your story adds to the human experience. It is an irreplaceable narrative that can only come from you.
Time Travelers
In the 3rd Millennium BCE, a king named Shuruppag thought his son should have the benefit of his wisdom. His fatherly advice is some of the oldest writing in existence. But despite 5000 years of time, we can read what he had to say, and for a moment see the world through his eyes. One of his last lines seems almost prescient:
“It is inconceivable that something is lost forever.”
—The instructions of Shuruppag, line 264
Writing is our only shot at immortality. It is the only way we can reach through time and be heard as clearly as we are today. I doubt that the king could have understood how far into the future he was casting his guidance, but even today his proverbs have value. As you prepare for NaNoWriMo, understand this superpower that you wield, and use it to broadcast your voice into the future.
Never Not Writing
Writing consistently can be a daunting prospect as we move through our lives. The stresses of life, family, relationships, and finances don't exactly create an ideal space for us to put pen to paper. But writing is not the mechanical act of putting down words. Writing is storytelling. It's creating a world in imagination and bringing those characters and places to life. Sometimes the worlds we create consume our attention, a distraction from our day-to-day life. Other times we conceal them in our sub-conscience, in safe-keeping for their due time.
Writing is a uniquely human behavior. We create characters with our imagination and give them complex emotions, dreams, and fears. These feelings can be as real to us as our own because ultimately, they are our own experiences. Writing allows us to explore parts of ourselves that otherwise would stay buried, and it enables us to empathize with those around us. We write because it offers each of us a way to make sense of the world. It's like a reflex that our brains have learned to use for understanding each other. The stories are there no matter what we do. Our only decision is whether we offer them up for others to see.
Writing is a part of the human experience, and it offers us responsibility, power, and rewards in vast amounts. Whether this is your first time or a lifelong passion, every story holds immeasurable value for you, for us, for all humankind. At NovelPad we hope you will share your story because with it, the world is a bit better off.
Nathaniel is an avid author and one of the first ever users of NovelPad. You'll find him, when he's not writing that is, helping other writers in the NovelPad community along their journey to reaching their writing goals.
Are you a slow writer? Same! I get through writing projects like a little turtle in his first pair of boots, but in this video I talk about how I wrote a whole book in five weeks! If you need tips, tricks, and tools to make your writing more efficient, some of the things I used might help you too. Let me know your own fav tips for writing faster. ^_^
I get back from vacation and my writing program has added a million new things I don't understand...this is fuckin scary please take me back to classic
every once in a while I'm editing and I'm really happy I don't have to deal with Google Docs's absolutely batshit bonkers spellcheck. Like, this is a huge outlier where I can think to myself, yeah, this error probably means I need to restructure my sentence a bit to not confuse NovelPad, and it's not me burying my head in my hands and screaming about this happening every sentence.
