What Writing Software to Use for Your Next Project?

What are some of the writing software authors are using? Why I’ve picked yWriter. A fellow author created yWriter and offers it for free to the public. Why you will switch your writing software to yWriter.

According to yWriter Wiki, “yWriter is a free word processor that breaks your project into chapters and scenes. It should help you keep track of your work, leaving your mind free to create.” https://sites.google.com/site/ywritersj/project-definition?authuser=0

The software breaks your work up into the chapters and that chapters scenes. You can track the scenes in a chapter and move the scenes around to different chapters if need be.

Choosing a software.

There are as many writing software programs as there are writers, it seems. You can get software for your PC, tablet, and phone. Here is a list of the top 6 software most writers use.

According to authorunlimited.com

Scrivener
yWriter
Fast Pencil’s Book Writer
Ommwriter
Noisli
Sigil

Here are some of the best writing software programs according to www.techradar.com/best/free-writing-software Techradar 10 Tools the Pros Use

Zoho Writer
LibreOffice
Google Docs
yWriter
Evernote
Novelize
Ulysses
Hemmingway app
Scrivener
FastPencil

The Write Practice has a great article on Book Writing Software 2022 by Joe Bunting https://thewritepractice.com/best-book-writing-software/

Why I choose yWriter and Google Docs.

I’ve been using Google Docs since back in the early 2000s and I’ve had a few issues with Google Docs, but I always seem to find a way around them when they occur. For drafting my novels I use yWriter and then back up my work up in Google Docs.

According to the Write Practice, here are the pros and cons of Google Docs.

Pros of Google Docs:

Real-time collaboration with editors, beta readers, or other writers
Suggestion mode
Free!

Cons of Google Docs:

No large-document organization features
No productivity features
Offline mode withstanding usually requires an internet connection

Cost: Free!

What I love about yWriter?

I love the word count feature and second; I love the reports. The streamlined look keeps me focused and minimizes distractions. The biggest reason is that it’s created by a fellow author and offered for free.

According to ChateBooks article 14 of the Best Free Book Writing Software on the Market by Tanisha Dec. 14, 2017 https://www.chatebooks.com/blog/6-best-free-book-writing-software-market/

PROS:

Organization: This distraction-free tool allows you to organize and keep track of your stories, plots, characters, locations and even scenes.
Interface: The program’s interface is designed around the structure of a novel and it is immensely straightforward in its use.
Software Versions: The yWriter software was previously only available for PC use; however, an Android version was recently released and there is now a beta version for iOS.

CONS:

yWriter doesn’t work with Mac yet and it doesn’t come with templates. *Update 2019/2020 update: There's now a native Mac version. There's no longer any need to run the Windows version on Macs.

yWriter Wiki’s Quick-start guide https://sites.google.com/site/ywritersj/q?authuser=0

Once you have the program installed and started the project. You will encounter the New Project wizard.

This will take you through the steps needed to set up and save your project. Fill in the requested fields. Make sure your Title, Author, and File Path are correct before you hit finish on the wizard.

Then you’ll arrive at yWriters’ main screen.

The main screen is a little intimidating for some first-time users.

In the Chapter list, you will see the following

The title of each chapter

The W column: number of words in the chapter

The S column: number of scenes in the chapter

The P column: number the running total word count up to that point

Under that list is the Chapter description box

Across the top you have the menu bar with:

Project, reports, search, chapter, scene, characters, locations, items, tools, localise and help

Then you have the main box with tabs for scenes, project notes, characters, locations, and items

The bar below that is the title of the scene you are working on

Then is another box at the bottom with more tabs; content, description, characters, locations, items, scene notes, and goals.

Once you create a chapter and create a scene by clicking on the top bar menu. I add characters, locations that I know of, items I know of to the by clicking create from the drop menu bar at the top.

If you would like more help with yWriter you can always find YouTube videos, the wiki page or...

You can take my Free Workshop this month