All things being equal whichever writing software you use is strictly up to you and what helps you get your stories published as soon as possible. I have heard from a few authors that they still like to take a notebook pad of paper to their favorite comfortable spot and just start writing what comes into their head. Then go home and type it into their computer. It is a process and one that you have to figure out what works for you. The actual writing software needed to publish your work is determined by the publisher or if self publishing the vendor.
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KDP Amazon has formatting templates that works with WORD so that you can just open your pre-formatted WORD document, copy and paste in the text from notepad or just start typing into the document itself. Once you are done and have completed their checklist you save the document and then “SAVE AS” PDF and upload it to their website for further testing by their online software. If you have never learned the WORD program and don’t want to pay for it you can always download the
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If you are doing the eBook version they have whats called Kindle Create software that you can download for free and convert your WORD .doc or .docx into Kindle eBook format and then submit from the software. This software has some very interesting features for textbooks, travel guides, music books, cookbooks, etc. in that you can upload the Print Ready Formatted PDF and add video, music, image pop-ups and clickable links. Now that has some very interesting possibilities for eBook version of your non-fiction books! The Kindle Previewer software is also free to download and will allow you to see how your book will look in Kindle format on a Table, Kindle Reader or Smartphone. Extremely helpful in making sure all you images are sized right for that particular view, has different fonts you can preview as well as making sure all your links work and you text shows up on the page the way you would like it to.
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Smashwords is still another viable self-publishing company. However, they are strictly in the eBook variety. They only accept properly formatted books in a Word Document (Either Microsoft or Open Office). They do submit your ebooks to the public library’s vendors in most states. That way you can ask your local libraries to purchase the eBook versions and you can donate a paperback version when they hold the next local author event. If they do not have one planned in the near future you might want to suggest one and get all the published authors in your writing group to commit to coming. Great publicity and another opportunity to get your books in front of new readers.
They have a FREE Style Guide that you must read before submitting your stories for publication. Reading and adhering to their style guide is not as hard as you think. Just take it a step at a time and you will be able to publish with them within a couple of hours. Another thing I really like about them is that they pay higher royalties percentages and every 30 days. They will submit your eBook to Amazon but recommend that you submit it yourself if you are self-publishing with them too.
Whether you use word processing software or not you will need to have one that can produce the required document types in the format need by whomever you are publishing with. I know that major publishing houses also have their own publishing document requirements too. If you haven’t already now is the time to head on over to your local community education center and see about taking a Microsoft WORD course. Remember that most of the same commands in WORD can be used and set up in the free OPEN OFFICE program.
