I like to dabble in writing. Like many writers, I love putting pen (or pencil) to paper. At 85 years old, however, even I can’t read my wobbly scribbling. A while back I took a secretarial typing class, and can still type between 85-90 words per minute. Graduating from manual to electric (correcting) typewriters, I welcomed computers and word processing. I call myself a writer, but perhaps I’m more of a keyboardist.
In the past, I used Microsoft Word to draft and revise my manuscripts. It worked well, but I wanted more features to help me organize and manage my works-in-progress. After kicking the tires of several word-processing programs claiming to help authors write their novels, I finally settled on Scrivener. Without question, Scrivener is an impressive and useful program. The problem was I only used or needed certain basic features. I likened it to driving a Massarotti and never getting past second gear.
Then, I learned about Dabblewriter, which some like to describe as Scrivener without the learning curve. And I’m hooked! It’s simpler and easier to use, at least for me. And even better it’s cloud-based, which means I can access it anywhere. I’ve used my tablet to write and edit while waiting in my doctor’s office. On my phone, I read my novel, making notes if I need to correct or add something.
Dabblewriter is now my writing tool for the manuscript I’m currently writing in book inc’s Novel Incubator. While it has some AI grammar capabilities, I also integrate ProWritingAid to catch my writing goofs. With Dabblewriter, I can keep my writing organized and distraction-free. It works for me. I hope you discover what works for you.