FREE SOFTWARE TO HELP YOU WRITE/CREATE
Is there a FREE word processor out there?
YES! Libre Office and Apache Open Office are very similar to MS Office and completely free! They have help forums to ask questions, there are youtube videos to help you learn, and if you need extra add ons, you can download just one particular feature or tool that you need. For example, I have an "add on extension" where I push a button and the program automatically converts my document to an .epub!
Are There Programs Specifically For Authors/Novelists?
The top two most popular seem to be Scrivener & Ywriter. I have never used either, but from research it seems they are similar, help you keep track of your characters, scenes, documents, and they keep everything in one place. Y Writer was created by an author to help him keep track of his novel's scenes, chapters, and characters.
Scrivener runs about $40 YWriter is FREE
Scrivener runs about $40 YWriter is FREE
Ok, So the Book is Written, What About Editing?
There are tons of scammers out there! People are sucking the life and money out of new authors without qualifications. Createspace is an Amazon company, so they are reputable, but are they affordable? For my last novel, to get their best editing/proofreading package.... wait for it.... the price would have been $470 for the first 10,000 words... fro a grand total of $4,759. I don't have that. So what is an author to do?
There is a FREE online tool, PRO Writing Aid. You can open a FREE account and copy/paste 3000 words at a time. It runs a ton of reports including but not limited to: passive verbs, repetitive starts, overuse of most common words, cliches, use of adverbs and so much more. If you pay $35 per year, you can upload your MS Word Document to the site and it will give you drop down boxing to edit within the document. This will save you a ton of time, although I have never used that option. Because I use Apache Open Office instead of MS Word, I have never tried the annual option.
There is a FREE online tool, PRO Writing Aid. You can open a FREE account and copy/paste 3000 words at a time. It runs a ton of reports including but not limited to: passive verbs, repetitive starts, overuse of most common words, cliches, use of adverbs and so much more. If you pay $35 per year, you can upload your MS Word Document to the site and it will give you drop down boxing to edit within the document. This will save you a ton of time, although I have never used that option. Because I use Apache Open Office instead of MS Word, I have never tried the annual option.
What about a FREE Photo Imaging Program?
GIMP! of GNU Image Manipulation Program is a full service program that will allow you to create beautiful e-book, paperback, hardcover, audiobook covers! This are just some of the covers I have made with GIMP
VERY IMPORTANT!!! Be Sure You use photos & fonts that have licenses that say "Public Domain" and "May be used for commercial use". Otherwise you are stealing someone's work.
VERY IMPORTANT!!! Be Sure You use photos & fonts that have licenses that say "Public Domain" and "May be used for commercial use". Otherwise you are stealing someone's work.
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