Newnovelist software - anyone used?

[CarrieSheppard]

I notice that Noel has had a look but not bought - I've just received a mailing trying to sell it to me.

Anyone tried it?  Any comments?

Cheers
Carrie

[janstedehouder]

I tried it, but I did not like it. I found the whole interface cumbersome and prefer Writer's Cafe. And Writer's Cafe is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, three platforms I use interchangeably, so in this way I can store my projects on an external USB drive and lug it from PC to PC.

[Narnian Prince]

   Actually Carrie, I've been using it for a couple of years now.  I enjoy it as it helps me to keep things organized (my muse often tosses my sheets of paper to the wind).  I also like the way it puts things in perspective when I forget to.  It has different categories for the characters and the "worlds" that they are part of or belong to them.  I sometimes get lost when I am free writing and this helps me to find myself again.  I've also got Writer's Cafe and enjoy that a lot also.  I find a lot of similarities between the two programs so they both work fine for me.  Julia (my wife) also picked up StoryCraft Pro for me last Christmas and that's another one I enjoy baffling my muse with.  I think it's a matter of personal taste though as there are so many programs out there. 

   Good luck with whatever you choose (if any), Carrie. 

   Chris

[PaulW]

I do use it for some stories, basically as a tool to make me think about what I'm doing and a store for descriptive pieces. When I actually got down to using the chapters for creating the plot for the novel it broke down a little for me. I prefer to let the characters drive the story rather than preset chapter subjects and it got in the way. (Although it was useful as a study tool for literature construction).

[memnoch]

I've never used software of any type before but am in desperate need of help. do you guys know of any cheap or even free programs worth having. I start life as a student on Sat so can't aford to be splashing out money at this stage.

Cheers

Memnoch

[pete_dog]

Re: Newnovelist, I bought it a while ago and (very) occasionally use it - that's not necessarily an indictment on the software itself, more my somewhat "flighty" nature when it comes to these things - my PC is crammed full of underused software!

It is a useful piece of software for organising your thoughts with regard to characters, settings, etc - especially if you're working on a complex saga with a cast of thousands based in a myriad of places. There is a function to help set up scenes, plotlines, etc. but like PaulW I found this not as useful. For story structure and plot, I personally find the best method to be Word/Excel, with a well-thumbed copy of Robert McKee's Story to hand - but that's just me.

Memnoch - these software programmes can be useful, but (correct me if I'm wrong guys) they only really help organise thoughts - in terms of getting your own original story down, it's going to be down to you and you alone - no software will write it for you (thank god - otherwise we'd all be churning out the same tat which passes for Hollywood plots these days!). Probably the best thing is if you identify exactly what you need the software for - it may be that some of the stuff which you already have (spreadsheets, etc) will be more than good enough.

[Louise Secker]

I have bought this software and after attemtping to use it - i gave up after 5 mins.

Maybe i should give it another go...

[PaulW]

I pretty much did that as well the first time. I went back to it though and it DID help me plot out a novel and organise my research and back stories. As I started writing the novel I found that the chapter structure it imposed didn't suit me and was making it difficult to progress my novel as I would like. So I have scrapped that bit. The rest I use though. I don't like writing chapters too much ahead of where I am, it makes them feel too solid (ok, that's a bit metaphysical I know) so instead I just write the piece into the relevant chapter notes - then when I reach the target chapter, if it's still relevant, a bit of cut and paste works well.

[janstedehouder]

I always like to start with MindManager. It's not novel writing software, but it's a great tool to brainstorm, to organize and to store snippets and pieces of information.

[Ann]

I have New Novelist.  I have found it very useful, especially for developing characters.  There's one drawback, which I have written to them about.  When you've finished setting up your story, you can generate a report.  I did this so I could ponder over what I'd done so far. To my dismay, I found that when it generates the report, it wipes the work out of the program, which meant that I couldn't go back and continue to develop the structure, unless I keyed everything in again from scratch! 

[Gltagaman]

Ann
I too have New Novelist and have briefly skirmished with it. It requires more time than I have at present but bits of my novel are currently on it pending the finding of a truckload of time to work on the novel in a program other than WORD.

 It was disturbing to hear of your esperience with the report, somewhat in keeping with my novel's hero who loses his information of the villain's plans when his computer is subject to a trojan Horse virus.

Please say what the makers come up with as no doubt this problem may have affected many users.

Thanks

Geoff

[Ann]

Ann
I too have New Novelist and have briefly skirmished with it. It requires more time than I have at present but bits of my novel are currently on it pending the finding of a truckload of time to work on the novel in a program other than WORD.

 It was disturbing to hear of your esperience with the report, somewhat in keeping with my novel's hero who loses his information of the villain's plans when his computer is subject to a trojan Horse virus.

Please say what the makers come up with as no doubt this problem may have affected many users.

Thanks

Geoff

I sympathise with your hero.  I had trouble with Trojans myself on my previous computer.  Pesky varmints they are! 

Will certainly report any feedback from New Novelist. I could have got mixed up of course. 


Ann

[memnoch]

heya i got Newnovelist the other day as my mum had heard something about it. It seems to work ok. Don't like that if you move from one screen to another without saving it deletes whats been put there but i do like the character and place function.
It makes you think about the smaller characters in your piece and build on them which is both fun and rewarding

[Ann]

Ann
I too have New Novelist and have briefly skirmished with it. It requires more time than I have at present but bits of my novel are currently on it pending the finding of a truckload of time to work on the novel in a program other than WORD.

 It was disturbing to hear of your esperience with the report, somewhat in keeping with my novel's hero who loses his information of the villain's plans when his computer is subject to a trojan Horse virus.

Please say what the makers come up with as no doubt this problem may have affected many users.

Thanks

Geoff

I've had feedback from New Novelist yesterday. 

They sent me a link to download an upgrade.  My version was NN 1.1.  The new one is 2.0.  As I subscribe to their occasional newsletter, I was surprised they hadn't informed me there was a new version. 

I couldn't download using Mozilla Firefox, which is my preferred browser (IE won't let me have my web site as my home page unless I fiddle with the registry and I have too much of a nervous disposition for registry fiddling)!  It installed fine with IE though. 

NN 2.0 has a new interface, which I like much better and some new features, such as an audio feedback which I will definitely try out as I find reading my writing out loud invaluable. 

The problem I had with the report generator deleting the work after generating the report still exists, though there is a message in this version to say that after making the report, this will happen.  I've written back and asked if they will consider tweaking this function in any new upgrades, as I like to work on things in the 'real world' as well as on the computer or I get a square head! 

There are a good number of other new aspects to NN 2.0 and I will definitely be using it again.

[Gltagaman]

Ann

I'm slowly transferrig my work to a new computer. When the latter is connected to my network I will fire up new novelist and get the upgrade.

I bought a reading program recently from Serif for £9.95. It's called Word Read. I have tried it out and it's easier than taking my work to a writing group but doesn't have the persoanl touch. Serif are curently having a sale so it may be available more cheaply now.

 I had previously downloaded the demo of an American program which could be customised for country and accent but cost something like £60.

Many thanks and good luck with new Novelist.

Geoff