Somewhere around 1989 I bought my first computer. I was
amazed because it was so fast and it did incredible things. You could correct
mistakes when you typed and you didn’t even need any White Out. You could print
copies and you didn’t need carbon paper. And the speed was unbelievable. I
could only type about 75 words a minute on my electric typewriter. On this baby,
I was pushing 90.
But it was so dang frustrating! Sometimes I would get so
upset because I couldn’t make that beautiful machine do what I wanted it to do.
There was so much to learn and it was like a foreign language. And I was always
so afraid I might hit the wrong button and lose everything. So, what to do? How
to learn? I thought about calling a friend, but most of them didn’t have
computers and the ones who did didn’t know any more than I did.
So, out came the big, old manuals. Anyone remember those?
They were huge. There was no Google back then. I would start to look something
up, but most of the time I couldn’t understand the explanation. I would spend
hours looking up the sections that described the section I needed to learn
about.
Finally, I learned to just try stuff and see what happened.
And back-up! Always had to back up everything so I didn’t accidently hit the
wrong button. Even backing stuff up wasn’t easy. I had to get out the big book
to see how to do that.
I’m glad I wasn’t trying to write novels back then, because
although it was way better than a manual typewriter, it was still challenging.
Fast forward twenty-four years…
After many wonderful years on one PC after another (each one
better and faster than the one before it), I get the crazy idea to buy a MAC. I
already have several Apple products that I really like. My iPhone and iPad are great.
So, how hard can it be to learn how to use the Big Daddy Apple?
Well, I’m finding out. When this last PC starting to go out
on me. (It kept shutting down right in the middle of my writing.) I went to the
store to replace it with just another PC a little faster and better than the
last. But I kept hearing my editor’s words in my head, “Get an Apple! Get an
Apple!”
The next thing I knew I was sitting up a beautiful iMac on
my desk. Now what to do…I felt like I was right back where I started nearly twenty-five
years ago. However, now we have Google, and I signed up for classes. Of course,
as soon as I get home from the class I’ve forgotten about half of what I
learned there.
The problem was the timing. I was finishing up the
formatting on my fifth book, The Advocate’s Ex Parte. I couldn’t get it done
because my PC kept crashing. So, I decided to finish on my new iMac. I saved my novel into my Dropbox and opened
it up in Pages (Apple’s answer to Word). Oops…lots of formatting problems. So,
I bought Microsoft’s Word program. Now it should all work. You’d think, right?
And it did until I went to save it as a PDF.
I had my book all set up in a Createspace template on a 5.25
x 8 page, but when I uploaded it to Createspace it was suddenly back in a standard
page size, 8.5 by 11. I discovered that when you save to PDF from Word in a Mac,
it automatically shifts to 8.5 by 11. Google time! I finally figured that one
out and solved that problem.
By this time, I’m days into this project and nearing my
release date. I keep at it. I managed to get everything into the right page
size but then I discover that when you save to a PDF, you get a separate file
for every section break in your template. Dang! That won’t work.
I finally got it worked out and I’m not even going to go
into the “Drop Cap” problems.
The past few weeks have been one sense of déjà vu after
another. It brought back those memories of trying to conquer that first PC, and
to learn yet another foreign language.
By the way, I love my new iMac, in spite of all the
frustration I’ve felt the past few weeks, and I can’t wait to start my next
novel on it. And just like that first PC, I’m once again amazed that it is so
fast and does all those incredible things.
We've come a long way, Baby!
Are you a PC or Apple person? Would you write a book if you had to do it without a machine, just paper and pen?
I wrote my first novel on a Commodore 64. Eventually, I ended up with a PC. But once I started using a Mac at work for the magazine, I started to hate my PC and eventually bought a Mac for home.
ReplyDeleteI now write in Scrivener and love it! I paste into a Word doc to send to my editors but someday that may become as obsolete as the Commodore.
Thanks for the reminder that writing is now much easier!
I do love my MAC, but it sure was bad timing for the switch.
DeleteI've been thinking about using Scrivener. I'm glad you brought that up. Maybe I'll give it a go.
As a former software engineer, I can honestly say I'm bi-lingual when it comes to computers. I used to have a Mac. I currently have an ASUS laptop. I like to work on laptops - it's so freeing to know I can take my work anywhere. The only thing that prevents me from getting a MacBook is the price.
ReplyDeleteI just bought Scrivener and will be learning how to use it for the new Peri book. So far, I'm having a bit of trouble incorporating my style of getting started (a bunch of ideas that morph into a sort of outline with all my character journals) with all of the folders. But I'll get there.
What prompted you to buy Scrivener, Gayle?
DeleteSo many of my writer-friends were bragging about how much easier it was to keep track of everything, keep their notes in one place, and do analysis on their manuscripts. It was cheap (only $40), so I thought I'd give it a go.
DeleteI use both. They're different for sure, but I wouldn't say either is better (especially since Scrivener for PC came out).
ReplyDeleteI'd write using pen and paper if that was the only way. In fact, just the other day my characters got in a heated argument when I was at McDonalds, so I pulled a piece of junk mail from my purse and wrote down what they were saying on the back of it with a Sharpie.
I think I would write with pen and paper too if that were the only way, but I'm so grateful it isn't our only option.
DeleteI'm still trying to grasp Scrivener, even though I took a workshop. I'm 19 chapters into the WIP and can't deal with learning a new program and having to backtrack. Next book, I'll try it. When I needed a new computer recently, I did think about switching to a Mac, but everything else we have in this house is PC based, and I didn't want to take the time (you see a theme here?) to learn something new--plus have to get all new software. Our first computer was an Apple 2, I think. Back then it was Apple, Atari or Tandy?
ReplyDeleteTerry
Terry's Place
I wonder if I'm brave enough to try Scrivener right now...I'm still recovering from my MAC-attack.
ReplyDeleteAnyone here remember the old Prodigy? I think it was the first email-chat program.
ReplyDeleteI bought a MacBook a few years ago because of Scrivener. Backward, I know. I haven't regretted my decision one minute.
ReplyDeleteAnd then you liked it so much, you bought me a copy... and I bought another copy when I switched my writing over to my PC. Yep, it's a good piece of software. :)
DeleteI still love the PC. My first one was in 1985, MS-Dos and all that. Prior to that it was a typewriter and pen and paper...oh, and white-out following the awful days of carbon paper! But what I really would prefer is using Word Perfect. Still like it better than Word. I have a lap top that I never use. I only bought it for a backup so I wouldn't panic if my PC was down. Still prefer my regular computer. I even prefer reading books with the Kindle app on my computer rather than on my Kindle.
ReplyDeleteYou made me remember my IBM Selectric typewriter. OMG… that was slick. That special backspace key that would automatically white out for you??? I couldn't imagine a typewriter getting any better than that. Turns out, I was right. ;-)
DeleteYeah, I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I got my IBM Selectric! It was fabulous.
DeleteMAC - since the Apple IIe, only MAC. I hate PC-Windows - have to use it at school. Clunky, clunky, clunky. Even (especially) Word. I only use Word because one of my major editing clients needs work in Word because her editor insists on it. Feh. Nisus Writer for Mac is cleaner and less of a system hog (or Mellel if you do academic or languages).
ReplyDeleteI wrote a novel in Supernotecard, which is a less bells-and-whistley version of Scrivener. I still use SNC for record-keeping and indexing.
I really like Scrivener, though I haven't begun to scratch the surface of its features. The online-email help is fast and friendly. There's a forum, but who has time for another one? Seriously, I had some questions and they got answered fast. You can use Scrivener as a blank page, or take advantage of organizational features. Very flexible.
If any of you need any Mac ideas or support, let me know. (I have a friend who runs a Mac support business.) Also, Macworld magazine (online or print) has some great tips and tricks.
Teresa, if you want to use Scrivener and have questions, just ask. The basics are just the dive-in type of stuff. (Also, Aeon Timeline is a nice supplement for, um, timelines.)
No computer? No typewriter? I supposed I could go back to pen and paper. If someone can decipher my signature 30 seconds after I write it. When I handwrite, it's like the Flash - all a blur.
This is somewhat tangential, but I wanted to share it, and since I'm only a responder, and a late one at that, I'll have to put it into a comment. I got this in an email from one of my feeds, and thought of you guys:
ReplyDelete"The king died and then the queen died" is a story. "The king died, and then the queen died of grief" is a plot...."The queen died, no one knew why, until it was discovered that it was through grief at the death of the king." This is a plot with a mystery in it, a form capable of high development.
E. M. FORSTER
I like what he said about "plot with mystery, a form capable of high development."
I've been a Mac guy for several years, and I'll never go back to a PC again. In fact, my upper lip starts twitching even when I look at one. After that come the traumatic flashbacks, images of frozen screens, endless flipping hourglasses, and of course, the dreadful gray message box telling me that something is wrong but never once providing a solution on how to make it right.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the cult--great to have you :)
LOL, Andrew! I've often described my switch from PC to Mac as "stepping over to the dark side."
DeleteAndrew and Peg, I wonder if you'd have the same trouble with PC now that you're comfortable on a Mac. In my pre-Mac days, my poor husband had to fix my PC at least once a week. So he got me a Mac (since they're supposed to be pretty idiot proof). Yay, he didn't have to lay hands on the Mac, and he had so much more free time. But then, when it was time to buy some snazzy Adobe software I wanted to use on multiple machines, I went back to PC (you can use the software on two machines, but not on two operating systems, and it would be silly to get a second Mac when we have a bunch of PCs). But you know, he hasn't had to lay hands on this new PC, because somehow, after getting good at figuring out my Mac, I'm now good at figuring out my PC. Weird, huh?
DeleteI switched to a Mac 5 years ago and would never go back to PC. I originally purchased Mac for the built-in anti virus. In my PC days, every computer I owned got infected and I went through 3 of them within 5 years. With what I was spending on replacements, I plunked the cash down for a Macbook Pro and actually saved. I love my Mac. As for writing software, I don't use any. I looked at Scrivener and didn't like it - probably b/c I don't outline. I'd hate to have to write book longhand. My fingers cramp thinking about it
ReplyDelete