Angela Booth's Writing Blog

(Mac) Leopard upgrade report - my writing tools all work

Cover Flow in the Finder

I've spent the weekend upgrading software after the release of Leopard, and so far it's been fun all the way.

Several Mac-using writers have contacted me to let them know how the upgrade went, so I hope this information helps you.

The upgrade to Leopard took around two hours, and went very smoothly, no hiccups at all. All my peripherals work, even my Palm, which was temperamental on Tiger.

My Mac writing tools all work fine; MS Office apps work, and so does Scrivener. I've covered writing tools on the Mac before, so I won't list them all again, but I've used them all under Leopard now, and they're fine.

Adobe's not updating older products for Leopard, but Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications will be updated in December. I'm still on version 8 for Dreamweaver and Fireworks, and they both work great under Leopard, so no hassles there.

Technorati Tags: writers' software

(Mac users only) Upgrading to Leopard

Oh, the excitement! I can't wait to get my hands on Mac OS X Leopard. This guide has  whetted my appetite; it's 20 minutes long, but it convinced me that the upgrade is worthwhile, just for the new Finder.

If you'll be upgrading this weekend, as I will, do take care and make a complete full system boot-able backup first, just in case something horrible like a power outage happens when you're in the middle of the upgrade.

SuperDuper makes a bootable exact copy of your disk:

The trick I used for my system upgrades/moves previously, and with the Leopard beta, was to run an exact copy to a Firewire disk using SuperDuper. SuperDuper is nice because you can at least make an exact copy of your disk that works well in the demo mode.

Have fun. :-)

Mac users: I have five invites to Skitch

I have five invitations to wonderful Skitch to give away.

The first five readers who'd like an invite get one, so please contact me - angela.booth(AT)gmail.com and put SKITCH INVITE in the subject line... You'll love it. (Mac users only, sadly.)

UPDATE: All the invitations are now gone. Happy Skitching...

Technorati Tags: writers' software

Writing help: find the answers to your questions about writing

Got questions? Please get in touch. You'll find an online form at Fab Freelance Writing that makes it easy. Although I can't promise individual replies, I'll often answer your question on one of the blogs, in the ezine, or I'll direct you to one of my writing manuals, in instant-download format.

My other writing-related blogs are:

* Fab Freelance Writing Blog- a new blog which will help you if you're interested in selling your writing;

* Blogging For Dollars Blog - a new blog which helps you to become a professional blogger.

You can also check out my writing-related ebooks at Ebooks and Special Reports.

Often you'll find just the information you want on the blog itself. You can search the blog by using the Search function - scroll about halfway down this page to find the Search Query box.

Of, you can click on one of the Category headings on the left, or use the tag cloud, also on the left.

Technorati Tags: blog how-to, blog tools, blog your writing, copywriting, get started copywriting, get started freelance writing, make money blogging, make money writing, practice your writing, productivity

(Mac) Wonderful Scrivener offers beta 5

Scrivener is out in a new beta, so it looks as if it won't be long until the final version is released. As I've stated before, if you're on a Mac, this is must-have writers' software. Don't worry about the program's beta status. It's rock-solid, I've never had any problems with it at all.

There's a long list of updates and enhancements in this new beta. Read the forum, there are many Scrivener enthusiasts who can help you (including the developer, who's very responsive), and you'll find hints and tips on how to use Scrivener to make writing easier and more fun.

I've moved all my long projects to Scrivener, because the program handles them much more effectively than any combination of programs I've used.

Technorati Tags: Mac Tiger, novel, Planning, software, writers' software

(Mac) More on Scrivener, I LOVE this app!

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How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... (apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning.)

I've only been using Scrivener for a couple of weeks, but it's becoming my favorite, most-used application. (Note, don't download from the link on that page, it's beta 3.)

It's still in beta, and I can't wait for the final release. As with all beta software, remember to save your work regularly, but this latest beta 4, is wonderful, not a single bump in the smooth road of using it. Download it here.

The big benefit of Scrivener is that you can outline, research and write, all in a single application. The Scrivener forum, a bunch of knowledgeable "writerly" people (I can't think of another way to describe people who are serious about writing and who write), generously give lots of tips which will not only help you use Scrivener, but to write as well.

Last night I imported all the articles I've written for the Fab Freelance Writing Ezine into Scrivener, so that I could categorize them, and see at a glance what I've already covered, when I'm writing new articles. It took moments - just click and drag, and they were imported perfectly. I'm keeping all my notes and research and drafts for new articles for FFW Ezine in one Scrivener file. Delightful.

If you're a Mac user and writer, you'll love this program.

Technorati Tags: Mac, Mac Tiger, software, writers' software

Recommendation: Writing Tools, 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

Writing Tools, 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

If you're serious about writing, you'll appreciate Roy Peter Clark's wonderful new book, Writing Tools, 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer. I got my copy yesterday, and I'll be working through all the tools in it.

(Mac) Scrivener, exciting writer's software

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A scrivener is a "clerk, scribe or notary", according to the Oxford American Dictionary, and fellow scrivener, you have a delight in store when you try this new (to me) writer's software, Scrivener.

As with programs like Jer's Novel Writer, Scrivener helps you to keep all your material for a project - drafts, research, and notes - in one place. However, Scrivener has unique tools that promise to make writing easier.

I've only played with the program so far, and haven't test-written with it, so I'll just tell you what impressed me most, from my initial tinkerings:

* The word count is visible in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. Yes, I know, crass of me, but I like to see word counts, even though word counts don't matter in the first couple of drafts;

* There's a fantastic full-screen mode, so you can write distraction-free;

* The corkboard and outliner let you take a bird's eye view of your project and move material around;

* You can create files for scenes, or whatever you choose, and then mash them together in the 'Scrivenings' mode, so you can read and edit them all together.

Scrivener is beta software, so backup your work. From a first-view however, this is a writer's tool that's a must-have, if you work on long projects. I can even see myself using it for articles, so I can keep drafts, interviews and research notes all in one place. Great stuff, and many thanks to the developer for creating such an attractive and exciting writer's tool.

Technorati Tags: writers' software

(Mac) Pages templates you can download

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I love Pages. The program is easy to use - after a short learning curve if you come from the Windows world like I do - and you can quickly turn out professionally designed documents.

But the program does simple tasks well too. For example, my most-used Pages template isn't for a brochure or a newsletter. It's a template for a simple ruled page (above), which I downloaded free from the iWorkCommunity.com Template Exchange. I have a Cornell Notes template too, from the same site. The site is a great resource.

Technorati Tags: Mac, writers' software

Writely becomes Google Docs & Spreadsheets

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Have you tried the new Writely yet? It's now an integrated app called Google Docs and Spreadsheets. You can upload any of your own documents, whether Word, Excel or other, and work on them online, as well as sharing them with others. It's ideal to work on material when you're out of the office, using other computers, at the library, for example.

One of the biggest benefits of this online app is its ability to create PDFs with active hyperlinks. I just saved this document as a PDF, and included a link to my Creativity Factory blog - http://www.angelabooth.com/wp/

I selected File, Save As PDF, and the new PDF was created and saved to my computer desktop. When I opened the PDF, the link was active. Great stuff if you need to create PDFs but don't own Adobe Acrobat.

You can also create instant HTML documents, with images - once again, this is ideal if you're not at your own computer.

Give Google Docs & Spreadsheets a try - it may become one of your favorite applications, because it frees you from being tied to a particular computer. I'll be asking my writing students to use the app, because it makes working together so easy.

Technorati Tags: software, Web software, writers' software

(Mac) Jer's Novel Writer helps you to take control

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If I were doing NaNoWriMo this year my writing tool of choice would be Jer's Novel Writer. It's free, and it increases the chances that you'll complete your novel and revise your rough draft, because it organizes your material.

A new version has just been released, so if you're using a Mac, take a look. Note: I've no idea whether there's a similar Windows program. The Mac shines in creativity tools. Check out download.com for Windows software.

Technorati Tags: Mac, writers' software

PocketMod: Get organized with a single sheet of paper

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When I was browsing for a new Moleskine notebook this morning (I'm a Moleskine notebook fan) I came across this delightful DIY notebook idea.

The PocketMod is amazing. It brands itself as a "disposable organizer" made from a single sheet of paper. I use the DIYPlanner, printed out on heavy paper, so this intrigued me.

Easier done than said - a new notebook in a couple of minutes
I dragged across the pages that I wanted, folded and snipped - and wow, an excellent little notebook for my ideas. It's ideal to take on my daily walks, and to stuff underneath the elastic of my primary Moleskine which lives on my desk beside my computer.

Try the PocketMod - I give it ten stars for usefulness and another ten for cuteness.

Technorati Tags: be more productive, diary, Moleskine, DIY

AbiWord - take your favorite free word processor with you

Want to take AbiWord with you? You can with AbiWord Portable. Great idea.

Technorati Tags: writers' software

(Mac) A gorgeous word processor: Pages 2

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Over the past month or so, I've found myself working with Pages more and more, basically because the program's so easy to use. In comparison, MS Word for the Mac is a dinosaur.

Pages comes with a huge range of templates. The image above is of one of the brochure templates, which comes with eight different styles of pages you can add to the brochure. All the templates are professionally designed, and look gorgeous. They come with placeholder images and text. Just drag your own image into a placeholder, and Pages automatically resizes the image to fit.

If you use a Mac, and you haven't looked at the new version of Pages, check it out. You'll love it.

New Fab Freelance Writing Ezine helps you to earn a fabulous income, and have fun while you're doing it

I've just put up the Web page for the ezine. Enjoy. I've had some wonderful compliments on the free report - thank you. :-)

Technorati Tags: Mac Tiger, writers' software

(Mac) Perfect writers' outlining notebook application

click -a NoteBook Cornell-style page

Have you noticed that files multiply when you're not looking? You start a writing project, and before you know it, you've got ten, 20, 50 files. Images, MS Word documents, Web pages, sound files: where do they all come from?

Writing means learning to live with chaos

Yes, writing is messy because creativity is messy. The result of the mad proliferation of files however is that if you're forced to stop working on project for a few days, it takes you an hour to work out exactly where you were, and what you were thinking before you can start working on it again.

I'm convinced that many writers give up at this point. Oh, you don't KNOW you've given up on a project, you just procrastinate, because you've lost the original inspiration for the project. Then, time passes, and this project is just another false start that clutters up your computer's hard drive.

I use Curio to gather all my assets for a project, but Curio lacks outlining. So I was hopeful when I downloaded the trial of Circus Ponies NoteBook, because I wanted asset-management AND outlining, and it turns out this application has both, and much more.

From the site:

Are you a power outliner? NoteBook's MORE-style outlining commands are built right in, with familiar keyboard equivalents. New to outlining? Follow our quick tutorial, included with the download, and you'll be on your way in no time.

I've only been using NoteBook for a couple of days, but I've already set up notebooks for a couple of Web projects which were driving me demented, and they're back on track.

Great stuff - Mac magic. :-)

Technorati Tags: Mac Tiger, software, writers' software