With what do you do what you do?

[CammoBlammo]

Hi folks,

I've read a few of the threads here lately and I'm beginning to realise that there are many different tools and methodologies writers here use. For example, Steve Eley showed us a bit of his gear, and Bold Deceiver's new toy is just, well, lovely (for the record, I happen to be responsible for the running of a Salvation Army Thrift Shop!).

Anyway, I'm wondering what other people use and how they use it. I've only just started with writing fiction --- I've completed one story (4500 words, and theoretically accepted for publication --- long story) and one or two in various stages of development. I'm hoping that seeing how other people work might inspire me to better things. Besides, it gives me something to do other than writing!

I currently do all my writing in Emacs (which I noticed that Steve uses as well). Emacs has a lot of useful facilities, including the ability to narrow the view down to one particular section of text so that I'm not distracted by other stuff.

One of the other things Emacs does is run in both a standard GUI and on a text console (I run GNU/Linux, although Emacs also runs on Windows). This is probably the most important thing I can do. My desktop machine is fully tricked out like anyone's, and is far too full of games, browsers, email clients and the like to be conducive to writing. So I have a laptop (a Toshiba Tecra 510CDT --- you think Bold Deceiver's typewriter was old??) that only runs in text mode. I have a similar set up at work. This means that bludging takes more effort than it's worth. This is especially useful when I have papers due for my University course.

Another useful piece of software I use is Subversion. This is a version control system which is primarily used by software developers to track changes made to software. Subversion allows me to 'roll back' to an earlier version of the story if I decide I've gone down the wrong path. If I get really fancy I can have several versions of the story running concurrently, and even merge changes between them. It also keeps the story in sync between my various computers.

I'm not so sure going straight to the computer is that helpful, so I bought myself a notebook (paper, not laptop!) today so I can experiment with other ways of working. I'm even thinking about using the voice recorder on my mobile phone for when I get those fantastic phrases pop into my head while I'm driving.

So... how about everyone else?

[Listener]

Is it wrong of me that I like using MS Word?

I use Word 2003 on my laptop or my work desktop.  When I outline, I usually start that on paper.

[Heradel]

Not exactly analogous, but close: http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=389.0;all

[CammoBlammo]

Not exactly analogous, but close: http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=389.0;all

Aargh. I actually looked to see if anything like this had been discussed before, and I was quite surprised it hadn't. My wife won't be surprised to see I missed it. Still, I'm always open to new ideas!

[Tango Alpha Delta]

Not exactly analogous, but close: http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=389.0;all

Aargh. I actually looked to see if anything like this had been discussed before, and I was quite surprised it hadn't. My wife won't be surprised to see I missed it. Still, I'm always open to new ideas!

Don't feel bad... if it's older than 120 days, you are encouraged to start a new thread, anyway.  (I didn't check Heradel's link, I'm just saying...)

The vast majority of my writing is either done in a flat text file, or in a compose window (you didn't think I lived that dangerously, did you).  I type fast (70-100 wpm in English; ~45 wpm in Russian, back in the day), and proofread three or four times, then either post (if I'm blogging) or paste (if I'm wiki-ing).  Of course, the vast majority of my non-work-related writing these days is frivolous bloggetry (on myspace, here, or last.fm), which makes me sad.  I have loads of half-arsed semi-biographical pieces and some spec-fic ideas that want to be worked together into a worthwhile whole, but until then...

[Russell Nash]

Not exactly analogous, but close: http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=389.0;all

Aargh. I actually looked to see if anything like this had been discussed before, and I was quite surprised it hadn't. My wife won't be surprised to see I missed it. Still, I'm always open to new ideas!

Don't feel bad... if it's older than 120 days, you are encouraged to start a new thread, anyway.  (I didn't check Heradel's link, I'm just saying...)

Actually, as a moderator I far prefer an old thread being revived than starting a new thread for a topic that has already been handled.  Why have people repost the same points, when it's already there?

[Tango Alpha Delta]

Not exactly analogous, but close: http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=389.0;all

Aargh. I actually looked to see if anything like this had been discussed before, and I was quite surprised it hadn't. My wife won't be surprised to see I missed it. Still, I'm always open to new ideas!

Don't feel bad... if it's older than 120 days, you are encouraged to start a new thread, anyway.  (I didn't check Heradel's link, I'm just saying...)

Actually, as a moderator I far prefer an old thread being revived than starting a new thread for a topic that has already been handled.  Why have people repost the same points, when it's already there?

Heh... well, there have been a few threads I've run across and wanted to comment on, but the software prompted me to start a new thread.  In most cases, I just figure the world will not end if I leave it dead, and move on... but now I shall become the great Esacpe Artists Necrofilimancer!

(Don't worry... I'll try not to be annoying about it.)

[Russell Nash]

Not exactly analogous, but close: http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=389.0;all

Aargh. I actually looked to see if anything like this had been discussed before, and I was quite surprised it hadn't. My wife won't be surprised to see I missed it. Still, I'm always open to new ideas!

Don't feel bad... if it's older than 120 days, you are encouraged to start a new thread, anyway.  (I didn't check Heradel's link, I'm just saying...)

Actually, as a moderator I far prefer an old thread being revived than starting a new thread for a topic that has already been handled.  Why have people repost the same points, when it's already there?

Heh... well, there have been a few threads I've run across and wanted to comment on, but the software prompted me to start a new thread.  In most cases, I just figure the world will not end if I leave it dead, and move on... but now I shall become the great Esacpe Artists Necrofilimancer!

(Don't worry... I'll try not to be annoying about it.)

If you have something new to say, I say, "do that voodoo that you do so well."