So you've thought about what it takes to write a book, and
you have a killer idea, as well as some prep work done on that idea. Great!
Congrats on making it this far.
I know you're itching to "start writing, damn
it!", but before you do, there's a good reason why you should pause and
take a personal inventory before you start.
I mean that literally; inventory all of the writing tools
currently at your fingertips. It might be something as simple as "Laptop,
Word, notebook, pen." That's pretty much what I started out with, but I'm
going to tell you right now, especially if you plan on writing more than one
book, you'll be better served by beefing up your toolbox a bit before you
start. While it's possible to, say,
convert a manuscript from Word to a program like Scrivener after you start,
it's much, much easier to just start
in Scrivener and go from there.
"What's Scrivener?" I'm glad you asked...
The Tools
Idea Notebook:
This is the small notebook you should be carrying around with you at all times.
I prefer the Moleskine
Ruled Pocket Notebook, especially since I tend to be pretty tough on stuff
in my pockets and Moleskine has some of the most durable products in the
business. I've also had success with the thinner Moleskine notebooks, which you
can get in a pack of three for a little less cash.
Budget Option:
Pocket notebooks can go for as little as $2 for a two pack at a place like
Target.
Larger Notebook:
I also like to have a larger notebook that I can use for mind-mapping,
free-writing, and ideas. I usually go with Five Star Three-Subject
Notebooks, since, again, they're durable and high-quality. But anything
from a legal pad to one of those black-and-white-covered Composition Journals
that everyone remembers from high school should be just fine.
Budget Option: A
cheap notebook or legal pad is available for under $1.
Pens: Ever since
grade school, I've been a bit of a pen snob. I don't have any idea why; I just like the "flow" that a superior
rolling ball gives me. Though back then I preferred the trusty old Pilot V5s
and V7s, I since had a mishap with a cap on one of those, so now I favor
retractable gel-based ink. For my money, there's nothing better than the Uniball Signo Blue Pens.
They're a bit expensive, but like I said, I'm a pen snob--feel free to use cheap
pens or even ones you "conveniently forget to return" at hotels. Keep
in mind, I like blue ink for versatility's sake, since you might want to use
these for editing proofs of your paperbacks, as well.
Budget Option: You
can't beat free pens that are given away at any number of events. Barring that,
you can find 60 more than
adequate ballpoint pens for a little over $6.00, and can probably do better
than that if you're hunting for deals.
Computer: Even if
you write out every word of your book longhand with a quill pen on parchment,
you're going to need a computer to publish your book. If you have the money to
splurge, I strongly recommend the MacBook Pro. I got the
most budget-conscious 13" edition almost two years ago, and it still runs
like brand new, despite how many different programs I constantly keep open on
it.
Budget Option: If you're working on a budget, or don't feel comfortable
with a Mac, I'd suggest looking at sites like Tiger Direct, New Egg, or Buy
Dig, as they run sales on cheaper laptops quite frequently. Be sure to look
up reviews on CNet or a smilar
site to make sure that you aren't getting a lemon. Also keep in mind that if
you want to do your own covers in inDesign, you'll need a machine capable of
handling that beast of a program. The
best I can do for something that is "functional" (but likely can't
handle inDesign) is a $199
refurb from TigerDirect. The link takes you to their current refurb
deals--that's going to be about as good as you can do.
Scrivener: I can't
sing the praises of Scrivener enough. When I started out as an indie writer, I
thought for sure I'd have to spend a ton of money formatting books, not to
mention the headaches that become apparent with Word once you get over 30,000
words or so in your manuscript.
Scrivener
is the one product that absolutely is not
optional for the writer starting out today. It's only $45, and will pay for
itself by the time you finish your first book. For now, just know that a
formatter will charge you $50 to get your book properly formatted into a single
file type (.MOBI, .EPUB, or even .DOCX--you'll likely need at least two of the
three). Scrivener will do it quickly and painlessly for no additional charge
once you've bought the program. You can try it for free at the link at the
beginning of this paragraph; I did, and had bought the full version within an
hour.
Budget Option:
There is none here. Even if you have to scrimp and save, do it to get
Scrivener.
Scrivener for Dummies: Gwen Hernandez has done a wonderful job
of putting together a resource to help you fully harness the power of this
wonderful, powerful program. Get a copy of this book
and start reading it, cover-to-cover, in your free time while writing. Even if
you have to put it in your (ahem) "reading room" to get it done, if
you catch my drift.
Budget Option: You
can go through the Literature
and Latte tutorial site for free and Google various Scrivener support
options for nothing. I still prefer Gwen's book, though, since she has all of
the info in one place.
Microsoft Word: I
know, I know: "Word's so expensive! I thought you said that this Scrivener
did everything for you!" Scrivener does a lot, but as I've discovered more
about advanced formatting of paper books, I've found that having a copy of Word
helps a lot. I still write blog posts
in Word, for what it's worth. If you're only putting up ebooks, then I think
you can get away with Scrivener just fine. If you want to have your book
available in print, or even if you want to start a blog as a promotional tool,
you're going to have to bite the bullet and get a copy of Word.
Budget Option: I
really, really dislike Open Office, but some people
swear by it. It's likely "good enough" if you just want a Word
substitute for blog posts and such. I cannot
speak to its functionality as far as blocking and formatting a print book,
though. It's free, so have at it.
Adobe inDesign:
inDesign is a tool that separates the pros from the wannabes. A lot of folks
see that I'm paying $20 a month for a piece
of software (the horror!) and think that I've lost my mind. While I have lost my mind for other reasons
entirely, I can't tell you how often I use this program to make covers for
books and short stories (like the cover for Rogue,
at right), for articles that I put up on Scribd, for header and footer
pictures, for title pages; the list goes on-and-on. Sure you might be able to get by with a Photoshop
facsimile like GIMP, or you may think it's cool to pay $50-500 per cover, but
I've already gotten the $240 of value from this program so far this year and
then some. On a side note, if you are going to use inDesign to make covers, I'd
highly recommend taking a class like Dean Wesley Smith's cover design course;
it may seem like a chunk of cash, but consider that the (admittedly awesome)
cover for Jesus Was a Time Traveler
cost me $349, and would now cost $549. DWS's cover class has made it so that I
feel comfortable enough making my own covers for the cost of some good art off
of Dreamstime.
Budget Option:
Hire a cover designer who's starting out to do your cover on the cheap. This
can run anywhere from $20 to $50 (and higher, if you want a pro). These folks
used to be all over the KDP
boards, but they haven't been too active as of late. Still, Google searches are your friend here.
I cannot stress this enough: if you
don't know how to make a pro-looking cover, outsource it to someone who does.
A PDF Reader:
Finally: something for free! I love using Preview on Mac, but Adobe has made
some upgrades to their free Reader
program that make it a worth rival to Apple's product. You don't
necessarily need it at the start, but when looking at print covers and
formatting your book proof for print, it will be invaluable.
The Kindle Reader App
for Your
PC or Mac:
You need this to make sure the formatting in your book looks okay; no
weirdly-spaced lines or hanging orphans, if possible. The good part is that the
Kindle apps for computers are the absolute worst
that your book is going to look. Sure, the spacing might get a bit wonky on
your phone reader from time-to-time, but I think folks are more forgiving of
that because it still happens with the big-time publishers, as well.
###
I think that about covers it. Did I miss anything that
anyone else uses to write and/or publish? If so, let me know in the comments.
D.J. Gelner is a fiction and freelance
writer from St. Louis, Missouri. Check out his books, available at his Amazon
Author Page and on Nook, iBooks, and Kobo. Follow him on twitter (@djgelner) or facebook (here). E-mail
him directly at djgelbooks@gmail.com.
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