Best software for writing a book?

Doosht · 25 Oct 2008 at 20:09

I want to make a short book...100 pages or so.
Is there some good software out there for this purpose.

dave-lew99 · 25 Oct 2008 at 20:16

In terms of writing - any word processing app, in terms of layout for print then things like Acrobat Pro are more suited to the task.

Burnsy2023 · 25 Oct 2008 at 20:24

MS Word 2007, does everything you want.

alex24 · 25 Oct 2008 at 22:07

Burnsy2023 said:
MS Word 2007, does everything you want.

Agreed, can't see you needing to do anything more than what this offers, plus I find the new interface of 2007 very easy to use in comparison to the older versions.

It's well priced atm too, if you don't have it already.

apeZ · 25 Oct 2008 at 22:49

On a similar note, if you wanted to do scriptwriting, rather than general writing - could I put in a good word for Celtx, a free scriptwriting-oriented word processor. Google it.

But yeah... MS Word will be sufficient for normal documents

MarcLister · 25 Oct 2008 at 23:43

Tbh you could use Notepad++ to begin with then copy and paste into word to introduce a layout. Then use CutePDF to make a nice PDF of your story.

GarethDW · 26 Oct 2008 at 03:33

MarcLister said:
Tbh you could use Notepad++ to begin with then copy and paste into word to introduce a layout. Then use CutePDF to make a nice PDF of your story.

pffft - using those products there's no licence fee payable to Microsoft (apart from the requirement for Windows, but most people I know don't pay for Windows in any case).

Next you'll be suggesting people use open source products.

manveruppd · 26 Oct 2008 at 04:41

alexhull24 said:
It's well priced atm too, if you don't have it already.

Doesn't free > cheap? (In English, that is - in maths free<cheap

)

MarcLister · 26 Oct 2008 at 11:33

GarethDW said:
pffft - using those products there's no licence fee payable to Microsoft (apart from the requirement for Windows, but most people I know don't pay for Windows in any case).

I pay for Windows.

GarethDW said:
Next you'll be suggesting people use open source products.

Ah yes, that reminds me. I'd like to suggest people perhaps use open source products.

superplay · 26 Oct 2008 at 19:37

You could give the software that Blurb give a way called booksmart.

http://www.blurb.com/

If you create your book in the softare, you can send it to them and they will print a poper book hardcopy for a fee.

Moredhel · 26 Oct 2008 at 19:42

Word is great because of it's outlining view. Can move and organise your book nicely, start by writing the outline in the outline view then flesh out each chapter / section once you think your outline is right. You can then move entire sections easily if you wish.

swinnie · 26 Oct 2008 at 19:54

If you're going to be using the Office suite in other instances other than this book, then Microsoft Office Home and Student is definitely worth the 50 notes OcUK are selling it for at the moment. If this is a 'one-off' then just use OpenOffice.