Writing Software

There are several kinds of writing software out there and deciding which one works best for you might be hard. Sometimes you just don't need these things and can stick with good old Microsoft Word...if you have it. Some of the programs are actually a lot cheaper than getting Microsoft Word. You just have to explore and do research on what is the best suited.

These are the ones that I've used or heard of over the last several years:

• Scrivener: When I first heard about this product, it was made strictly for Apple products so I wasn't able to get it. Once it finally became compatible for Windows, I decided to give it a try...and I hated it. There were too many issues and it didn't work the way I wanted it to. It wasn't worth the price in, in my opinion. Though, just recently, I decided to test it out again to see how it worked for me. I have to say, I love the program. It's simple to use it has the basic functions I need and helps me stay organized. It's definitely worth looking into. If you are a NaNoWriMo winner, you'll have a coupon to get a good chunk of the price knocked off. That makes it even better.

• Liquid Story Binder: I used to use this program but it stopped updating and there were some functions that needed some work. I still love the heck out of this program though. It's versatile and I can use it for almost every aspect of my life. This program isn't as easy to use as other programs but it has a lot of functions that an author tends to use. You don't have to use them all either. Pick which ones you want to use and it will be in your binder. It does cost money so it's best to test it out first. It might be too much for you or you might fall in love with it. Even if it's not being updated, it really helps keep things together. 


• Focuswriter: This program is as simple as it gets. The goal of this is to make a distraction free work space for a writer. I've never used this one personally but some of the people I know seem to really enjoy it. This is free to download.

• Writermonkey: I've never used this before. I've only ever heard of it once or twice but I thought I should mention it. It's free to download and might be something you are interested in.

•  LibreOffice: For people who like Microsoft Word but just can't afford it. This is an alternative for that. It's free too!

• yWriter: I used this a long time ago. This software is free and it's pretty simple. It gets the job done.

These are the ones that I've seen and some I've used in the past. Don't forget to research your other options. You could simply just use Google Drive and keep everything like that. You don't have to spend money to find good writing software. While I prefer Scrivener, I still tend to go back to using Microsoft Word or even Google Drive when I need something simple or I just want to write something out. Just get a feeling of what you want. Don't spend money unless you think it's worth it. Maybe try the free trial to see if you like it. That's always another option.