Whether you keep a journal or are working on a book, writing programs offer extra features that make these tasks go more smoothly than in a word processor.One of the best things about having a laptop (as so many people know) is that it gives you the freedom to work almost anywhere--in coffee shops, airports, hotel rooms, the park. I find I need this anonymity in particular when I'm trying to get some writing done. At the office (and at home), there are always distractions that interrupt my train of thought. But not so when I'm out and about.
Whether you're keeping a journal of your ideas or working on a lengthy, multipart piece (like a book), you should try out some apps made just for these sorts of tasks. Sure, you could use a text editor or a run-of-the-mill word processor. But I've found that more specialized writing programs offer useful extra features for, say, organizing chapters and keeping track of dated entries. Here are three of my favourites.
The Journal has a great interface for recording your thoughts and ideas, but comes at a hefty price (US$40). The included templates help get you started writing a journal using a convenient tabbed interface. (Shareware/Windows)
Book Writer is aimed at the serious writer, but offers some great features that all writers can use. This one allows you to quickly switch between chapters (or entries) and offers several useful features to search for past entries even if you've misspelled words. (Shareware/Windows)
Pocket Diary is a little less involved than the others, but is great for keeping a journal and taking notes. This program has both laptop and PDA versions, so you can write on either device and then sync up the two versions. (Shareware/Windows)
What do you think? What's your favourite writing software? TalkBack to me below!
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