I’ve been writing more lately. I finally broke down and decided to learn how to use all these great applications to actually get some shit moving. I suppose I’ll break down what I’ve been using to create what I collectively refer to as the Tellerverse.
Tools of the Trade
finding the write pencil.
I’ve been writing more lately. I finally broke down and decided to learn how to use all these great applications to actually get some shit moving. I suppose I’ll break down what I’ve been using to create what I collectively refer to as the Tellerverse.
Peace of Mind
Firstly, there’s git. This isn’t so much a writing application as it is a source code control mechanism. However, for writing its very handy for backing things up. All of my stories are in a git repository on my Mac Pro. That is then synced to my web-server and also my Macbook. I sleep more soundly having synchronized copies of everything I’ve written in more than one place.
What? When?
A large part of the Tellerverse is that so much happens over such an incredibly long period of time. Keeping all that straight in my head wouldn’t work with just a legal pad and a pencil. Honestly, the timeline for the Tellerverse covers about 16,000 years now.
Timeline from Bee Docs has made all that work so much simpler now. Someday I’ll post the Tellerverse timeline. It’s huge.
This, then this, then this
Some folks like outlines. Some folks hate them. I think I was the only kid in my class that liked them. OmniOutliner is a no brainer for organizing moleskine scribblings into a coherent plot.
Wiki-Fu
This is a two parter. I use Wikipedia generously to figure out everything from Quantum physics to Queen Elizabeth I. It’s all relevant to the Tellerverse.
Also, tucked away on this very server in an undisclosed location is a wiki of everything there is to know about the Tellerverse. Character histories, technology briefs, slang terms, ship designs, all of that is on the wiki. I imagine finishing one book will result in three to four books worth of wiki pages.
Putting it all together
Scrivener. The flexibility of this app is what has finally gotten me moving ahead with the stories. Something about being able to write in bite size chunks makes things much less daunting.
