Thursday, March 31, 2011

Changing Addresses

moving truckI've decided to move all blogging to my website at www.brindaberry.com/blog.html. I hope you'll follow me there! There are so many advantages to having everything about me in one place. The only disadvantage is that I might miss out on YOU. If you subscribe to my blog now, please take a moment to sign up on the email subscribe at my new location.


Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Writing on the ipad

Every writer I talk with has a different tool that he/she uses for writing. Some use the computer. Others use notebooks or index cards. I've even heard about notes on dinner napkins.

I'm now the owner of an ipad and wanted to find an app for writing where I could take my tool with me everywhere. Okay, I know that paper napkins can be had anywhere...but I need organization. And something without a ketchup stain.

Are you a writer? If so, check out the wonderful Manuscript App. With this app, I'm able to use electronic notecards, make outlines for chapters, and then organize each chapter in separate sections. For a visual boost, I can access my Work-In-Progress as a hardbound book with the title in gleaming gold letters. The work also has the word count listed at the bottom.

The cons are there, of course. I haven't figured out if there is a spell check, but I'm pretty sure it's missing. It is also too easy to delete something without getting the handy message you get in other software programs. You know the one. The box pops up with, "Are you sure you want to delete this file?" I was always annoyed with it before. Now, I miss it.

Overall, I'd recommend the app for your first draft and for organizing all your thoughts.It also worked well for putting in my synopsis, outlines, and notes. For the second draft, I had to move to Word or Pages. I'd give it a thumbs up for the writer working on the ipad.