4 Reasons Why I Love yWriter

yWriter
yWriter – my new favorite novel-writing tool.

“Hi. My name is Karen and I’m a recovering Word addict. It’s been six months and ten days since I last worked on my novel-in-progress using Word. I’ve replaced my Word addiction with a yWriter obsession!”

To say I’m obsessed with yWriter is probably an understatement. I think my husband is on the verge of telling me that I spend more time with it than I do with him. So what is this thing that has my husband believing he’s a “Writing Widower?”

It’s a word-processing program designed and developed by novelist and computer programmer, Simon Haynes. While writing his first novel, he found himself struggling with large files of story data, and keeping track of chapters and scenes was beyond cumbersome.

Drawing on his programming background, where projects are broken into smaller “modules,” he developed a stand-alone word processing system that takes writing projects and breaks them down into the literary equivalent of a module; the “scene.”

I found this program years ago, but never used it. After reading “Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success,” by K.M. Weiland, I downloaded the current version and dug in. There was a slight bit of “What’s THIS tab do?” in the beginning, but it’s not a hard program to get the hang of. Now I love it! Below are four of the reasons why I now hug my monitor at the end of a daily writing session!

1. It’s a digital “Story Bible”

I’ll admit it; the concept of a story bible is new to me. Before now, I wrote short stories. A document or two to keep the highlights handy was all I needed. But now I’m tackling my first novel and I’ve found that I need to keep a lot more information at my stubby fingertips.

I started off with numerous folders and Word documents: Character Sketches, Setting Sketches, Plot Sketches, Summaries and a Synopsis. They were filed all nice and neatly. But when I needed to find out say, what color scales a particular dragon has, I had to hunt it down. My bad for making them three different colors in three different documents.

With yWriter, it’s all in one place. Does Hyram have black, red or gold scales? Instead of opening up half a dozen documents, I can find out with one click on the “Characters” tab.

There are also tabs for you to fill in information on Locations (Settings, in my mind), Items, Project Notes and Scenes.

Keep your characters and settings straight.
Keep your characters and settings straight.
An At-A-Glance view of your scene's goals, conflict and outcome.
An At-A-Glance view of your scene’s goals, conflict and outcome.

2. Break your big project down into smaller chunks

Any writing project can be daunting, whether it’s a 150 word essay to a 150,000 word super novel. As with any task, breaking it down into smaller chunks helps you focus, feel accomplished and not have a full-blown panic attack.

In yWriter, each book is a “Project”. You can then break that down into Chapters and further into scenes. Your “Scene Screen” has a Word-like word processing section for your actual typing. Above, though, are another selection of tabs, to help you keep your scene straight. Details, Characters, Locations, Items, Notes, Pictures, and Scene Goals are a click away.

So when you’re typing away and you suddenly find yourself asking “Wait, is it the Priest or the Scholar that shows Hyram the secret map?” click on the characters tab and see which characters you’ve indicated are in this scene. If that doesn’t help, check your details or notes tab.

Need to re-arrange your scenes? Just drag and drop them in the order you want! When you’re ready, you can export your chapters and scenes out into a manuscript (which I haven’t done yet because, honestly, I’m still wrangling Chapter 1 into shape).

No need to search for files in the middle of a writing session. The information is all a tab away.
No need to search for files in the middle of a writing session. The information is all a tab-click away.

3. Make and keep a writing goal

I found this to be a nifty tool. Under “Tools” is something called a “Daily Word Count Target”. When you open it up you can enter in a Start and End Date as well as a target word count. Then it calculates how many words per day you have to write to meet that end date. It also keeps track of how many words you’ve written and how far you have to go. For those of us who like visual indicators, there’s even a progress bar.

Create and keep track of your writing goals and daily word count.
Create and keep track of your writing goals and daily word count.

4. It’s Free

What can I say? Even with a day job, I still pretty much fit into that “Starving Artist” category. You can “register” your copy, but it’s not required at all. The disclaimer on Spacejock.com says:

“You won’t pay anything to download yWriter, and the software contains no adverts, unwanted web toolbars, desktop search programs or other cruft.”

I certainly haven’t seen anything to indicate otherwise. No computer wonkiness, no pop-ups, no ads. Just a nifty tool that has helped me reign in an out of control story.

I know there are other programs out there to help novelists and writers of all types. Do you use any and if so, what do you like or not like about them? And if you try yWriter, please come back and let me know what you thought of it! You can find it at: http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html

Now, off to hug my husband instead of my monitor…

Author’s Note: Simon Haynes and Spacejock have no idea who I am or that I even exist. He (they) did not ask me for a review of this product. I did it because I love it and want to share it with others who may find it awesome or at least useful. I’m not being compensated in any way for my opinion.

Photo Credits: The images in this post are screen shots of my computer/work. I own the copyright to the images and the written content in them. I ask that they not be reproduced in any way, shape or form. Thanks!

3 Key Features of Tablet PCs

This week’s post is a “guest post” of sorts. This appears in  ComputerGeeks2Go’s “How to Choose a New Computer” series and they’ve graciously given me permission to reprint it here in it’s entirety. To learn more about choosing computers, website design and hosting, visit their website at www.computergeeks2go.com.

Congratulations on your decision to buy a new Tablet PC. With so many choices out there, here are the three most important features to keep in mind as you choose.

Key Feature 1 – Operating System

Google and Apple are the prime players in the mobile operating world, though Microsoft and Blackberry each have a finger in the pie as well. Here, we’re going to break down what each company’s operating system offers you.

Google’s Android

Android first made its splash in the mobile phone market and now you’ll find that little green powerhouse on the Transformer Prime, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Acer Iconia a500 and more.

Google designed the Android software specifically for mobile devices (smart phones, tablets, netbooks, etc.) and some of the features that come with the latest version of the OS are:

  • Everything “Google” (Gmail, GoogleTalk, YouTube) is already included on the tablet and since you have to create a (free) Gmail account to set up your tablet, it’s all at your fingertips the moment you first turn it on.
  • Multi-tasking made simple – use the “Recent Apps” button to quickly switch back and forth between tasks.
  • Speaking of Apps, check out the “Marketplace” and download everything from games to books to productivity software.
  • Group shortcuts – have shortcuts to 5 different cookbook apps? Instead of taking up screen space, “stack” them on one another in their own group.
  • Powerful web browsing

Apple’s iOS

Originally Apple’s iPhone operating system, iOS now runs on all of Apple’s products, including the iPad. With iOS you get:

  • A mega app store
  • Easy integration with all of Apple’s other products
  • Parental control – control your children’s access to your iPad
  • Wireless sync to your Mac or PC
  • Multi-tasking
  • Enhanced Accessibility

Microsoft’s Windows OS

Windows has been a household name since the ‘80’s and you now find it on tablets such as Lenovo’s IdeaPad and Archos 9. Some of the features inherent in the Windows Tablet are:

  • User-Friendly Interface – If you have a home or work PC, you’re already familiar with what it looks like.
  • Adobe Flash support
  • Easy multi-tasking
  • Compatible with a range of software

Blackberry

Blackberry’s been synonymous with “Corporate mobility” for a long time and now you can find it on Blackberry tablets like the PlayBook. And while the other three companies seem to market their tablets to the masses, Blackberry seems content to keep its focus on the corporate market. In that respect, their operating system includes:

  • Powerhouse multi-tasking – according to Blackberry’s website, you can run your apps simultaneously
  • Jump quickly from one open application to the next
  • Mac and PC sync – though you have to run an installer to enable sync between your Blackberry tablet and Mac or PC
  • Documents to Go – view and edit your Microsoft Office Suite documents
  • Blackberry App store

Key Feature 2 – Storage

After deciding which operating system to go with, the next big decision is how much storage space do you need? Tablets come with anywhere from 8GB to 64GB of on-board storage space. The more applications, videos, pictures, etc. you store on your tablet, the more storage space you need.

With that being said, most of the tablets have slots for external SD cards (Secure Digital [SD] memory card) and are compatible with many cloud storage solutions. So you can save some money by buying a tablet with less on-board storage and using the cloud.

Key Feature 3 – Screen Size and Weight

Today’s tablets range in (screen) size from 7 inches to 12 inches and can handle screen resolutions of 800 x 600 pixels to 1280 x 800 pixels. Most tablets weigh less than a pound, making them extremely portable. The smaller tablets are nearly pocket-sized.

Let us help

If you’re not sure which tablet to buy, call us at email us at sales@computergeeks2go.com. We’ll be happy to help you choose the right tablet for you.

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As you can see in the bottom, right corner of my site, ComputerGeeks2Go is my host. They didn’t come to me to post this on their behalf. I asked if I could.

Odd Finds in the Memory Vault

Karen Bristow and her sister, circa 1983-1984
The tall, goofy-looking brunette is me, somewhere between 3rd and 4th grade. The cute little blond is my sister.

Ever wonder what causes certain people from childhood to stick in your brain for no discernible reason?

People who, when they pop up on your mental movie screen, cause you to pause and think, “Whoa. Where’d they come from?”

My memory vault is stocked with some strange standouts. I mean, I can understand remembering my very first BFF, the first kid to bully me in school, or the first boy who’s heart I broke.

Those people had a profound enough impact in my life to scorch their own trail to my long-term memory.

But Ian and Derek from Mrs. Gould’s 4th grade class? We did nothing more than share space in the back of the classroom and swap yogurt for Twinkies at lunch. I’d understand remembering them for nearly three decades if we’d at least swapped spit. Maybe it was the unique name or the leather jackets? Or just the fact that they were complete opposites.

Ian, who to me, had the coolest name ever, sat to the right of me for most of the school year. His desk was as orderly and pristine as mine was a black hole that swallowed up my homework and barfed out excuses.

He came to school every day in dress slacks, loafers, a button down shirt and either a navy or red sweater vest. He never misplaced his homework or had to borrow a pencil. Nor did he have a problem loaning his pencils to me when I needed one. He was just a sweet kid who, thankfully, hated Twinkies as much as I hated yogurt.

Behind him sat tall, dark and Polish Derek. The “Bad Boy” of 4th grade. (If the 4th grade can have “bad boys” that is.) He wasn’t a jerk, that I remember, but he sure could pull off an attitude that matched his “Thriller” uniform; leather pants, either black or red, a matching jacket full of zippers and buckles, and high-top shoes.

He was the only kid in the school who could outrun me, but not by much. And if my desk was a black hole, then his was a supernova. Nothing that entered his desk came out unscathed, or at all.

Though the three of us did team up once in a while (a very unlikely-looking trio) for assignments or kickball, I can’t pinpoint one thing about them that stands out enough to make them so extremely memorable. Yet I’ve named my firstborn after one and pillaged the memories of both for personality traits and quirks for characters that haven’t yet found a home in stories.

Somewhere, somehow, in the ten-month span of 4th grade, they did something that caused my subconscious to freeze-frame them permanently in my mental photo album. And the ego part of me sometimes wonders, “do I stick out for no good reason in their memories too?”

Do you have any memories of people that cause you to ask yourself – “What the heck? Why him/her?”

Photo Credit: My Dad

Like the Poltergeist, I’m Back

Where’ve I been? Digging some weeds out of my mental garden so my roses can grow!

Or was that the Terminator who was back? Either way, I’m back, here, at my blog where I belong.

Where have i been?

I could say that I’ve been busy with the end of school/beginning of summer kids activities. It’d be true.

But it would also be a lie.

The real truth is, I got a little tired, a little lazy, and a little scared. I let some self-doubt creep into my psyche and wrap my right brain in a choke-hold.

Enough of that crap. I’m back. I’ve missed my blog, and the readers who stop by, too much and I’ve got some nifty pens and notebooks screaming “use me!” (All of my first drafts are written “old school” – pen, paper and hand cramps.)

So be on the lookout for some upcoming brain dumps on everything from new gluten-free discoveries to my advice to politicians looking to win my vote in November.

And as always, thank you for stopping by and reading!

Photo Credit: Karen Bristow