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.

[Angela Zeman]

OH, let me count the software boxes!

I recommend John Truby's Blockbuster 5. You sound exactly like me--full of material, but where to PUT IT! Truby's stuff is exactly that--an organizer. Useful for screenplays, novels, short stories, plays--no problem. Total flexibility, and great prodding questions to help a writer see the results of decisions before they're written. Examples, tutorials, and outline templates if you want them, too many features to list. I can't recommend it highly enough. Oh, and it saves everything automatically. No 'oopses.'

[DADavenport]

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

[Angela Zeman]

It has a lot of screenwriting focus, but Blockbuster works for all formats.

Just a note: I've found screenwriting stuff so enlightening that I commonly urge all writers to study screenwriting--it's much more down and dirty about the elements of story. Screenwriting is really a bare-bones story. And when the bones are in place, you can't help but create a great story in any format.

Another thing: there are some amazingly great writing teachers in the screenwriting world. Jeff Kitchen, James Mercurio, Dara Marks--and a guy I totally revere: Karl Iglesias. And of course, John Truby.

[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.