Creating: Writing Tools
Monday has always been a writing-focused day. I never want Mondays to be a how-to. I feel this is so important that I repeat it every once in a while. Each of us is unique. I've said this before, but anytime I write about what works for me, please don't ever be dismayed if my way makes you want to pull out your hair.
Sure we all know the overall guidelines, no matter what we write. How we achieve them is personal to each of us. This is why my Monday posts are often connected to writing by a thread thinner than a hair. More to give you ideas to think about that to suggest how to do anything specific. There are a million places on the web to find those things.
Whew. I feel better now :)
So today I want to talk about writing tools. Pen, pencil, paper, computer. Done.
Not so fast.
A lot of you lately have been chatting about getting some of your best ideas in the shower - with no way to write them down. But there is! Check this link. You can also find different brands at Amazon.
I've recently completed a massive edit, the details of which would bore you to tears and take a year of blog posts to place in full perspective. In the process I found an amazing tool - thanks to one of my critique partners - probably already known to most of you since I'm usually late to the party ... AutoCrit.
The final stages of an edit, when you're really looking at words and phrases and sentences, is the part that drives me straight around the bend at warp speed. AutoCrit saved my sanity. Is it perfect? No. Is it free? No. But it's as perfect as I need. And it's an excellent value. I HEART AutoCrit.
Imagination. It's magic. It's inspired. It's the stuff fiction is made of. It's a tool we all use. We need to keep it well-fed, let it play, make it work out even when it wants to be lazy. And make sure that it knows how to respond at moment's notice ... zero to sixty in .05 seconds. Yeah, that's the imagination we want to preserve.
These are certainly not all the tools in a writer's armory, but I hope there's one here that will appeal to you.
What are your favorite tools?
Sure we all know the overall guidelines, no matter what we write. How we achieve them is personal to each of us. This is why my Monday posts are often connected to writing by a thread thinner than a hair. More to give you ideas to think about that to suggest how to do anything specific. There are a million places on the web to find those things.
Whew. I feel better now :)
So today I want to talk about writing tools. Pen, pencil, paper, computer. Done.
Not so fast.
A lot of you lately have been chatting about getting some of your best ideas in the shower - with no way to write them down. But there is! Check this link. You can also find different brands at Amazon.
I've recently completed a massive edit, the details of which would bore you to tears and take a year of blog posts to place in full perspective. In the process I found an amazing tool - thanks to one of my critique partners - probably already known to most of you since I'm usually late to the party ... AutoCrit.
The final stages of an edit, when you're really looking at words and phrases and sentences, is the part that drives me straight around the bend at warp speed. AutoCrit saved my sanity. Is it perfect? No. Is it free? No. But it's as perfect as I need. And it's an excellent value. I HEART AutoCrit.
Imagination. It's magic. It's inspired. It's the stuff fiction is made of. It's a tool we all use. We need to keep it well-fed, let it play, make it work out even when it wants to be lazy. And make sure that it knows how to respond at moment's notice ... zero to sixty in .05 seconds. Yeah, that's the imagination we want to preserve.
These are certainly not all the tools in a writer's armory, but I hope there's one here that will appeal to you.
What are your favorite tools?
Comments
I love AutoCrit. I don't know if you know this, but if you're a Premium member of Savvy Authors (savvyauthors.com) you have access to AutoCrit as well as a multitude of other awesome tools and benefits. For instance the month of July - for premium members only) there are pitch appointments available online to agents and editors FOR FREE.
Anyway, thought I would pass that along. I like to print my books out and edit wtih a red pen. Makes me feel all special lol
have a great week!
Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery
AutoCrit sounds pretty cool. I will have to think about that option.
Clarissa - Who knows what they'll come up with next :)
Joanne - I don't have an ereader yet, but I will one day. It's good to know. I don't have a journal for each project, but I do keep a binder.
Janet - Mine usually works overtime. Give AutoCrit a try. It will do short bits for free.
Terry - I've tried post-its and note cards. For me they work so-so.
Alex - Do check it out. It's a learning experience and a godsend for editing.
Hart - Try them all!
LR - Exactly!
Talli - Writer's Cafe is new to me. I'll take a peek!
Laura - Do it!
My favorite tool is Scrivener. It allows me to outline, cork board, do context searches, store & retrieve research in every form imaginable. It also provides word frequency reports, and stores consultable snapshots of mss drafts. Best part? It does all this without ever requiring me to open a 2nd program or window. Wouldn't write without it.
VR - Oops! Lots of people love Scrivener. I tried the beta for PC, but found it slow and clunky. Maybe it was the beta part.
When I get an idea in the shower, I just repeat it in my head until I get out. The middle-of-the-night ideas are harder. But if I don't get up, I'll lose the thought!
I use Excel for outlines.
Other than that, I love multi-colored gel pens for hard copy edits.
Medeia - I'm using Excel on my current project, too.
Jayne - I don't know. Check it out and let us know!
If I'm not writing on the computer, a good old legal pad or composition book and a pen are my favorites.
Now to check Autocrit.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Arlee - Dunno. Takes a long time to wash shampoo out of your hair with some of those really low-flow shower heads, though.