It all started with this idea: I wanted to write a story about a young man who goes on an adventure, becomes emperor when he doesn't want to, just to keep someone else from taking over his father's empire. The idea had run through my mind for a while, but I didn't have a good way to organize it.
Unsuccessful Project Management
I started by using Microsoft's Excel to outline the book, get some general ideas on paper, and therefore make it possible to build a story that was organized. The outline was fine, but I had to keep going back to this document to keep writing. It took me out of "the zone", which was very inefficient. And everyone who has tried to write a story knows that any excuse to procrastinate is exploited.
Next I tried writing it in Google Docs, along with Microsoft Word, and I kept running into the same problem: switching back and forth. It was frustrating, took a lot of time, and didn't make it a good use of time to write when I spent more time switching back and forth. I needed something else.
Scrivener Gold
After reviewing a lot of author websites, I found Scrivener. I will say that this program is perhaps the most comprehensive program that was ever developed for large writing projects. I loved it, even using a previous version that wasn't as stable as the latest, Scrivener Gold. Still, it has one particular problem: it needs to be dedicated to either a desktop or laptop computer. Lately I've been commuting by bus and train which isn't very laptop friendly.
The Mobile Solution
Because of the need for a more mobile solution, I invested in an iPod Touch. Why not a netbook? Because the same restrictions for a laptop's clamshell format applies to the netbook. So, I thought I could do it with the iPod. There were plenty of word processing options for the iPod, and I was getting pretty good at typing with my thumbs, but not fast enough. That, and it was hard to see exactly what I was writing, because the print was so small. No, typing on the iPod wasn't the best solution. I needed something else.
Then Apple announced the iPad, and it was exactly what I wanted. I could tether a bluetooth keyboard to it if needed, type on the screen, and see what I wanted. But a standard word processor wasn't going to do it for me. I need something that provides a lot of the project management options I wanted, and allow non-linear writing as a simple process. So the idea for Novel Writer was born.
Novel Writer
Novel Writer will be a stripped down word processor with very few features. Why only a few features? Because I don't need fancy bullet points, tags, colors, fonts, etc. I'm not doing desktop publishing, I'm just writing. I only need an outline with text tied to each point, notes tied to each part as well, and a database of characters, places, things, and plot ideas that can be pulled up for various items. That's it, nothing fancy. As such, the program can be very small.
I'm planning on building several versions of this software: one for the desktop on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and another for mobile platforms for the Apple iPad and the upcoming Android tablets. As each one is developed, I'll have them posted here.