What, If Any, Writer's Software Do You Use?

[DADavenport]

I am looking for a good tool to use as I get deeper into my WIP. I am not the greatest organizer and at times I feel completely out of my depth.

Microsoft word is okay, but I need more to help organizing what I am doing and keeping me on the straight and narrow. I am currently considering Wizards Writer's Software Deluxe but I wanted some feedback on what other writers are using.

Anybody out there with some suggestions for me?

[J.D. Rhoades]

I barely trust Word. I'm terrified of anything else.

[DADavenport]

LOL! Thanks, J.D. I am currently in the middle of The Devil's Right Hand and am enjoying it immensely. I am extremely intrigued with Angela and the dynamic she has with Jack. Am looking forward to more of them. I'll be checking your website out soon.

[J.D. Rhoades]

Glad you like it!

[Angie]

You might try checking out Scrivener. I use it for moving big pieces around, but mainly I stick with Word. My husband really likes Scrivener, though. He used to be one of those index card people, so it works great for him.

[DADavenport]

I don't have MAC, and it says it's incompatible with Windows. Too bad, because it looks user friendly and very much what I have in mind! Thanks for the tip, Angie.

[Angie]

Sorry! Guess I've gotten so used to cross-platform software that I didn't really think to check first. My bad...and good luck finding something that works for you.

[DADavenport]

Is it mainly for screenwriters? It sounds very useful, and I like the 15 day trial period as well. Thanks, Angela

[John Dishon]

Check out YWriter. It's free.

[James Phelan]

For my latest novel I have switched from MS Word (evil, always with bugs and macro viruses) to a program that I bought online via the Apple website (about $70), titled "Storyist". Simply, it's the best word processing program that I've ever used.
It has templates for screenplays, novels etc but you can skip all that. It's geared for simply typing your stuff out, and has a great navigating column on the left with all the chapters and sections, and you can drag and drop etc much easier than you can with Word. It has a heap of other stuff that I don't use, like storyboards and character profile folders etc. And, it has a nice and simple buckup feature - click a button, and you can add a comment, and it's backed up.
All that said, I am fie days from deadline and it may turn around and crash on me!!!

[Johnny Ostentatious]

Not really writer's software, but I'm now using Open Office.

[Karen from AustCrime]

YEAH - nice to see somebody else who uses Open Office! There was a thread along these lines a while ago IIRC, but at that stage I also mentioned: http://www.writerscafe.co.uk/ not open source / but its is cross platform.

[Keith Snyder]

I don't think it matters what you use for the actual writing. Lately I've started using DEVONThink Pro to organize and easily recall research materials (documents, email messages, web pages). But the writing itself... unless you're doing screenwriting and need the formatting features of Final Draft or whatever, I really don't think the software matters at all.