I write notes and drafts in semi-xml in vim, and the actual thing in LyX.
I write notes and drafts in semi-xml in vim, and the actual thing in LyX.
I think Scrivener is really very good for novel writing or any long-form writing project. It stands out from other software by allowing you to manipulate 'chunks' of text and reorganise them easily and flexibly. You don't have to stick with a 'continuous roll of paper' metaphor (most word processors) or a hierarchical outline (most outliners). Writing in chunks then repositioning the chunks seems to be a key aspect of the writing process. I have seen writers literally cut up their manuscript into sections with scissors and then re-paste the sections onto new sheets of paper. I've also seen writers working with 200 or so 3x5 cards on the floor. Scrivener allows you to do both of these things on the screen quite easily, as well as having lots of other features.
The good news is it's now, finally, available in beta for Windows which also works with Linux. You can read the forum thread for details.
The down side is it's not free software, but there's an emerging free software solution with LyX-outline (this makes more sense if you read the blog). It's is an extension to the LyX document processor, which aims to clone the usability of Scrivener.
Both Scrivener for Linux and LyX-outline are in development rather than fully finished, but they're both really worthwhile. Take a look.
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