Combination ofo outliner and Writers Blocks
Posted by pma
on 8/9/2005
pma
8/9/2005 9:33 am
I just downloaded Writers Blocks 3 (WB3), and somehow like the modular approach to writing. But at the same time it lacks the outlining facilities.
So I started wondering if a one pane outliner exists, which works with "meanings" which can easily be moved around, much the same way as WB3, also with the graphical metaphor of actual blocks that you move around (even though they could be larger/flexible in size), but at the same time with outlining facilities. I know that you can work with columns in WB3, but that is somehow insufficient in a complex text with several outline levels. And then it should be able to export it to a Word outline.
BTW: I don't like the "marketing stunt", that when you download the trial, you have a "special prize for you my friend" offer sent through email, in which you can get a discount of 50 USD off the "regular" price. That is, if you buy it within the 10 days, you have the trial. I just don't like this kind of pressure. When I get this kind of offers, I always think that well, the REGULAR price is 99 USD, and then they charge 50 USD MORE, if somebody is studpid enough to pay it.
--Peter.
So I started wondering if a one pane outliner exists, which works with "meanings" which can easily be moved around, much the same way as WB3, also with the graphical metaphor of actual blocks that you move around (even though they could be larger/flexible in size), but at the same time with outlining facilities. I know that you can work with columns in WB3, but that is somehow insufficient in a complex text with several outline levels. And then it should be able to export it to a Word outline.
BTW: I don't like the "marketing stunt", that when you download the trial, you have a "special prize for you my friend" offer sent through email, in which you can get a discount of 50 USD off the "regular" price. That is, if you buy it within the 10 days, you have the trial. I just don't like this kind of pressure. When I get this kind of offers, I always think that well, the REGULAR price is 99 USD, and then they charge 50 USD MORE, if somebody is studpid enough to pay it.
--Peter.
graham.smith
8/9/2005 10:28 am
Have a look at ndXcards http://www.ndxcards.com/
This uses a Notecard approach and allows you to drag notecards into an outline. You can have several note cards open at once and the next version is going to have some form of "card table" where you will be able to drag, stack and organise cards across the screen. Its difficult to explain, but excellent as it is, I found ndxCards a bit fussy.
I have also found SuperNoteCard a useful looking tool, but it doesn't really have outlining. None the less it has useful organising tools http://www.mindola.com/
Having looked at these recently (including WB3) I am sticking with Brainstorm as the tool for grabbing ideas and structuring and then moving the Brainstorm outline into NoteMap for finishing off. Brainstorm is at http://www.brainstormsw.com/ and NoteMap is at http://www.casesoft.com/notemap/index.shtml
Brainstorm allows multiple windows of the same outline so you can see varying depths of the same outline in different windows, with any editing reflected in all the windows. It is a good way of sorting out lots of complex ideas, writings and snippets of data.
NoteMap allows formatting and spell checking with an excellent "send to Word" facility, and Braintorm outlines paste into NoteMap perfectly.
MoteMap allows you to expand and collapse different parts of the Outline, giving you a detailed view of the section you are working on, and it has tools such as "gather" that allow you to mark items across the outline and move them all to the same branch. I have only been using it a week and I am very impressed.
All the above programs have excellent support and they are all excellent in their own way. Its just finding the one that fits in with the way you want to work. All are worth downloading the demo, and you may find something that just works for you.
And it may not be what you think. I was a big fan of mindmapping programs for organising and structuring my writing, but I find that I now use Brainstorm for this sort of thing.
Hope some of this is useful.
Graham
This uses a Notecard approach and allows you to drag notecards into an outline. You can have several note cards open at once and the next version is going to have some form of "card table" where you will be able to drag, stack and organise cards across the screen. Its difficult to explain, but excellent as it is, I found ndxCards a bit fussy.
I have also found SuperNoteCard a useful looking tool, but it doesn't really have outlining. None the less it has useful organising tools http://www.mindola.com/
Having looked at these recently (including WB3) I am sticking with Brainstorm as the tool for grabbing ideas and structuring and then moving the Brainstorm outline into NoteMap for finishing off. Brainstorm is at http://www.brainstormsw.com/ and NoteMap is at http://www.casesoft.com/notemap/index.shtml
Brainstorm allows multiple windows of the same outline so you can see varying depths of the same outline in different windows, with any editing reflected in all the windows. It is a good way of sorting out lots of complex ideas, writings and snippets of data.
NoteMap allows formatting and spell checking with an excellent "send to Word" facility, and Braintorm outlines paste into NoteMap perfectly.
MoteMap allows you to expand and collapse different parts of the Outline, giving you a detailed view of the section you are working on, and it has tools such as "gather" that allow you to mark items across the outline and move them all to the same branch. I have only been using it a week and I am very impressed.
All the above programs have excellent support and they are all excellent in their own way. Its just finding the one that fits in with the way you want to work. All are worth downloading the demo, and you may find something that just works for you.
And it may not be what you think. I was a big fan of mindmapping programs for organising and structuring my writing, but I find that I now use Brainstorm for this sort of thing.
Hope some of this is useful.
Graham