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A_womon
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: A_womon
Post Number: 2083
Registered: 05-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 04, 2008 - 07:50 am: | 
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Hi E,
I was wondering how many bestselling authors, (or really just authors in general)do you think use one of the many writing enhancement software packages that are available to help define characters and plots among other things?
Also, have you ever used this type of aid? I've always thought of it as cheating and only for those who really hadn't been blessed with the gift for writing or didn't want to learn the craft the old fashioned way--hard work and a whole lot of reading good books! HA! I must say that I'm beginning to rethink my position on this, cause if authors who are selling GOOD books are getting this type of help, maybe it's foolish not to get on board in order to be competitive in the hard scrabble world of traditional publishing.
Hey CALEB ALEXANDER if you're lurking I'd like to read your take on this as well and of course anyone else who would care to comment. |
Emanuel
Veteran Poster
Username: Emanuel
Post Number: 503
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 04, 2008 - 01:14 pm: |
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Most writers I know, like me, only use MS Word. I've seen ads for the software you're talking about in The Writer but it appears to be a waste of money. |
A_womon
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: A_womon
Post Number: 2092
Registered: 05-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 05:03 am: |
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You'd be surprised to find, then that in my search on the internet, many estblished writers (fiction, television, and even some very well know screenwriters) reccomend using some of the software available to improve your writing skills. I ran the demos on some of them and found them to be quite informative and found they contained very useful information. While I haven't committed to buying any of if yet, I am not the staunch opponent that I was of it either. I'm know thinking it is not more cheating than taking a creative writing course at your local university. |
Zane
Regular Poster
Username: Zane
Post Number: 78
Registered: 11-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 11:48 am: |
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I only use MS Word. I have read several books on writing and highly recommend Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seger and On Writing by Stephen King. I honestly believe that writing is such a solitary process that I cannot imagine trying to have my creativity structured in any way. I do use Final Draft for scriptwriting but that is more so out of laziness and being able to click on a button for transitions and easy formatting and not anything to do with the creative process.
Zane |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11418
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 12:33 pm: |
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I don't know about Micro-Soft Word, but Micro-Soft Works is like having your own personal secretary. It performs whatever tasks you direct it to do and the menu of its services is a smorgasbord. But any software that co-opts a writers' creativity is not my cup of tea.
Technology is encouraging people to treat a book as a product and authors as little factories made up of assembly lines.
Anybody ever heard of the "sigularity principle"? It's looming on the horizon |
Emanuel
Veteran Poster
Username: Emanuel
Post Number: 508
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 08:46 pm: |
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Well, the ones I've heard the most about are Style Ease (http://www.stylease.com/) for APA style writing and Write Way Pro (http://www.writewaypro.com/) for help with character development, plot development, etc. I guess if someone gave me a free copy of Write Way Pro I wouldn't turn it down.
I still think a detailed outline followed by a good first draft without editing is the way to go. But everyone has their own style, and no one way is right. There are even writers who use old-fashioned typewriters and write longhand. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11424
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 09:59 pm: |
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I love MicroSoft Works for its conveniences, but anybody with an imagination should be able to develop characters on their own. If writers don't have imaginations then they are craftsmen not creators. IMO. |
A_womon
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: A_womon
Post Number: 2103
Registered: 05-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 10:38 pm: |
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character devlopment isn't all that easy. So many charactera are thin and underdeveloped. Even bestselling authors have been accused of not fleshing out their characters more, so there is a definite knack to making characters multidemsional.
There are other programs out there. One of the ones I sampled was STORYWRITER. And all it does is move your thinking process along and help you develop YOUR OWN ideas. Contrary to popular belief, it does't and isn't set up to "give you creativity" You must bring your creativity to the table to even use the software. I don't know I might consider using it for an upcoming project to see how it is received and compare it to how my current work is recieved and then I'll know... |
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