Scrivener for Windows Beta!

Scrivener has long been touted as an incredibly useful tool for all manner of writers. It is apparently a font of organization and clarity within first drafts, and people make it sound like milk and honey pour out of your damn computer each time you use it.

And it is only for Macs.

UNTIL NOW.

Scrivener for Windows beta is up! There is also a special 2011 NaNoWriMo version, in which if you manage to complete your 50k words you get a 50% discount on the official version of Scrivener for Windows. Which is pretty sweet.

I've just started the tutorial for the NaNoWriMo version (it lasts longer than the basic beta and includes a 20% discount even if you fail the 50K goal). Outlining stories has always been a weak point for me, and I don't trust myself to leave the second half of a story entirely to exploration, so hopefully this will be of some aid! I'll give my thoughts on the program in a week or two.

Neil's advice to young writers

(via Neil's Tumblr)

Submission!

This past week, I submitted my new short story, "Planetfall", to the Writers of the Future contest. It's the best thing I've ever written, and also serves as the prologue to the novel I'm drafting right now.

A friend of the blog, Tarly Crowbridge, won the Artists of the Future contest in one of the earlier quarters this year. I got my story in before the end of September, so if I win, my story will appear in the same anthology as her art.

Furthermore, if "Planetfall" wins, Kalisa has the right to be bitter towards me until the stars fall from the sky.

Wish me luck.