McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
One or many documents?
terroja:
I have to keep it all in one document, because I'm always scrolling up to make sure I'm not contradicting myself. Plus I tweak too much to go through the trouble of opening separate docs for each chapter.
ethyachk:
I keep the story in one file, but always have an outline nearby to help both guide and let me go back and find things quickly. I also have another file that's just full of ideas I'm either intending to work into the book or keeping on the back burner for this book or the next one.
Personally, I use Open Office and I've never had a problem with it. I also haven't written an 800 page book, so I haven't tested it quite that thoroughly.
Darrington:
I can't imagine putting chapters in separate documents, but apparently it works well for some people. :) I prefer one long document myself. It's just so fulfilling to see that page count go up and up... And I also tend to search through the entire document for little details I can't quite remember, especially with my current writing habits (should they even be considered to exist at the moment).
I know I started having some problems with Word once I reached about the 200-page mark, but I can't quite remember what it was, and which computer it was with. I despise Word's spell check and grammar check, especially grammar. I spell check for myself as I type, and heed the squiggly green lines when they come up. Grammar check is worthless...
becroberts:
I keep all the chapters in one document, but quite often I'll write an entire scene (usually in script format) while I'm away from my computer and so I have lots of pages lying around with pieces of story until I type them up. My notes, both paper and electronic, also contain snppets of text that eventually make it in to the story.
Roaram:
I work in paper, then my cowriter types the pages up into a rough draft, then he edits it, and gives me back a revised segment, which I then rewrite on paper, which he then types and edits and so on an so forth. I think I may be one of the last people under the age of 90 that avoids computers at all costs (present submission sent via internet capable cell phone!)
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