If you’re the kind of writer who has ever sat staring blankly at the computer terminal and wishing for a little divine intervention, then you may have already considered purchasing novel writing software. Compared to the days of old, where writers had to sharpen feathers dipped in ink…or even crank a blank sheet through the old Underwood, this generation of writers has it pretty good. But sometimes, even all the benefits of our Word program aren’t quite enough, and we need a little more along the way of organization. That’s where novel writing software comes in.
There are definitely some pros to having a dedicated software package designed to help us struggling writers get to “THE END” without too much in the way of blood, sweat and tears. You should go into any potential software purchase with eyes open, however. No software is going to write your bestseller for you.
There are many novel writing software packages available that are designed just for fiction writers. One such package is `NewNovelist’, and is the software I will be discussing here. In future articles, I will look at some of the other packages available.
`NewNovelist’, as the name implies, is designed for those writers who are getting their feet wet in the fiction writing market. While the software is the perfect solution for many beginning writers, it does have its drawbacks.
One concern I had with the software is that there is no free trial period. I always like to have a chance to use a software package first, to see if it will suit my needs. Fortunately, at just under $55, your initial outlay shouldn’t bankrupt you.
Another drawback to this software package is that is doesn’t work on Macs. Again, this is not a big deal if you run Windows on your computer, but is definitely a deal-breaker for a lot of diehard Apple fans.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for some help organizing your thoughts into a novel, a novel writing software package could be just what you’re looking for.
If you are just using Microsoft Word to complete your daily page count, you might have difficulty getting an overview of your project. Some writers like this blank slate, but, if you’re like me, you appreciate the ability to jump around when you write. With a dedicated novel writing software package, you have the ability to write the end first, if you like, and then go back to pound out the beginning. With novel writing software, the writer has the ability to work in the way that is best suited to how the brain is working. For some, that’s linear, for others it’s more all-over-the-place.
A novel writing software package can also spit out an agent-ready manuscript when the time comes. This is great for beginning writers who might not be sure about the best manuscript format to win over an agent or publisher’s heart.
Whether you decide to go it alone, with your computer’s pre-installed word processor, or you opt to try out a novel writing software package (or even hammer it out on your Underwood), one thing bears repeating: no software package it going to do it for you. It will always be up to the writer in put in the hard yards.
