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Thursday, November 19, 2009

yWriter 5

I’ve always written prose in Word, but lately I’ve been having issues with keeping a handle on plot threads and the outlining process, and integrating the whole thing in to an editing process. Really, it has been a real pain in the ass. Because of this I’ve done some searching for some kind of organizational software solution without spending money. Yeah, I know, I’m cheap.

I came across yWriter and, so far, it seems pretty cool. Oh yeah, it’s free.

I, being the simpleton that I am, have not really delved too much in to yWriter as a full on solution, but I have adapted some of its features so that they are very good solutions for me. Basically, yWriter is a program for the novelist. It’s set up for organizing chapters and scenes within chapters. It also allows you to keep character bios and backgrounds. It’s real strength though is when it’s used as an outline tool. Well, that’s for me. It probably has some other strengths, but I just haven’t goofed around with it enough.

For my situation it’s been very handy. Here’s my situation. For the last couple of years I’ve been working on a novel told with short stories. Basically a collection of loosely, and sometimes not so loosely, connected short stories that in their entirety tell a larger story. Yeah, not very original, but it’s a perfect solution for me; being ADHD and all, but that’s a different topic of discussion. What I do with yWriter is treat each story as a chapter. Each chapter is outlined and the characters are fully fleshed out. Throughout this project I’ve taken different scenes within a story (chapter) and moved them to another story. With Word it’s a real pain in the ass. With yWriter it’s simply a matter of dragging and dropping. It automatically updates the outline as well. When it’s all done I’ll be able to export the whole project to Word and then print that puppy out.

Being that I’m by nature a pretty straight forward kind of person I still do almost all of my writing in Word and then import it to yWriter.

So, as I use this little gadget I’ll keep you posted on how it works for me. If I don’t, well, blame the ADHD.

Sunday, September 06, 2009

Your Screenplay Sucks!

I’m currently reading Your Screenplay Sucks!: 100 Ways To Make It Great

I’ve heard enough good things about this book that I broke down and bought it.

To be honest I’m not too high on reading a bunch of screenplay books. I’ve learned the most by simply reading screenplays. That being said, I have read Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting and it has been hugely informative. In fact, I’d almost go so far as to say that this amazing book could rank as a life changer.

Anyway, I’ll be diving into Why Your Screenplay Sucks tonight. I’m hoping for ideas regarding my current third draft. 

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

I’ve Been Dabbling

With Sophocles 2007 beta. I’ve used the 2005-2006 beta for a couple of years and have been very happy with it. I’m not exactly sure what the differences are with the 2007 version because I didn’t use the previous versions very much.

Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time working on a script with the 2007 beta and I must say that it’s been great. Of course, I can’t compare it to programs like Final Draft because I don’t feel like forking over 230 bones. The one obvious drawback I do see for Sophocles is the fact that it is PC only, so Mac users are SOL.

I’m about halfway through a first draft and I’ve found the scene, sequence, and step features to by way useful. At first I was thinking that a feature in which you could generate and manipulate scene cards would be handy, but now that I’ve gotten used to using the sequence and step features, I’ve found that I don’t need a scene card feature. That said, I still use the old fashioned real scene cards. I like to sit in bed before falling asleep and experiment; mixing and matching them. When I come across something especially nifty, I simply transfer the idea to Sophocles’s sequence, scene, and step feature.

Anyway, from my admittedly limited experience, I recommend you go download the beta and have a go. 

Friday, January 19, 2007

Of Hemingway

Last night I read Ernest Hemingway’s story A Clean, Well-Lighted Place and was taken aback by this beautiful passage:

They sat together at a table that was close against the wall near the door of the café and looked at the terrace where the tables were all empty except where the old man sat in the shadow of the leaves of the tree that moved slightly in the wind. A girl and a soldier went by in the street. The street light shone on the brass number on his collar. The girl wore no head covering and hurried beside him.

Reading this made me smile. It’s not often you see such contrast as Hemingway was capable of producing. He starts out with this long run-on sentence that would make most writing gurus faint and then follows it up with three shorter—almost staccato—sentences that shift the focus of the scene, allowing for a smooth transition back to the two waiters having a conversation inside of the café.

“The guard will pick him up,” one waiter said.
“What does it matter if he gets what he’s after?”

To me, it’s dramatically cinematic in a modern sense, which is ironic in that the story was written over 70 years ago. 

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Catching Up and 1018 Press

I’ve brought out some older projects and started revising them with a fresh set of eyes so to speak. One thing that I’ve been having trouble with is the location of markets appropriate for much of the material I have. This is my fault because I have not spent the time needed in searching the markets out.

On an unrelated note, I’m beginning to realize that the online writing community is amazingly robust and, for the most part, quite open and friendly. The one thing that I have heard (and I’m beginning to see it for myself) is that online forums can be problematic. I think that is the case with most online forums no matter what their subject matter is. One thing that is intolerable, though, is when those that run/moderate the forums resort to intellectually dishonest, ego-driven tactics. This is precisely why I’ve withdrawn my participation in the forum over at 1018 Press. I’ve received a number of e-mails from forum participants expressing their dismay at the editor’s behavior which leads me to wonder if the editor is aware of the beating his integrity is taking because of his own actions. Either way, I wish 1018 Press the best.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Handy Tools From Unexpected Places

For most writers, coming up with character names is always a challenge. If not a challenge, then a minor pain in the ass. Sure, one can always go to The Random Name Generator (link via this guy), but my favorite method is to open up an account at a free online web-mail service and then use that e-mail address to fill out every online form you come across. Use it in ways that you would never use your home-based account. After a few weeks copious amounts of spam will start rolling in and along with it, a goldmine of ideas for character names.

I know, you may think I’m joking, but I’m serious. Hell, just today I’ve received e-mails from:

Concetta Shook (sounds like a 60’s era Bond Girl)

Anastasia Roland

Rene Parsons

Niclolas Riddle

Sylvia Buckley

Ruby Segura

This is just from today. Really, for an almost endless supply of good name ideas to fit almost any story, open up that spam-mail account. Also, you can look at it this way: you’re actually using them for something you want.

Oh, wait. Lucinda Phelps just sent me some crap I won’t read, but I sure like that name. It’s going in my notebook.