After I began writing my first ebook, I used a general-purpose phrase processor as a result of I didn’t know any higher.
Phrase processors like Microsoft Phrase, Open Workplace, and Pages had been initially made for drafting memos to print and cross across the workplace.
Since then, these applications have added many options, however they weren’t constructed or improved with authors in thoughts. Authors had been an afterthought. If in case you have completed a full-length ebook, you already know what I’m speaking about. The overall-purpose phrase processor turns into your largest impediment to publication.
It’s unlucky and pointless.
Right this moment you possibly can select from numerous phrase processors made particularly for authors, together with such well-known applications as Vellum and Scrivener.
However authors all over the place are buzzing a couple of model new phrase processor referred to as Atticus, which guarantees to be the perfect of each Scrivener and Vellum. Whereas Vellum solely runs on Mac, Atticus runs on PC and Mac.
Does Atticus make book-writing simpler and higher?
I just lately interviewed the creator of Atticus, Dave Chesson, to learn how it helps each kind of writer.
What’s Atticus, and the way does it differ from Microsoft Phrase?
Dave: Microsoft Phrase was constructed to allow you to write something. It has cool performance, and many individuals are used to utilizing it. We’ve used it for years, however it was not designed to deal with giant paperwork resembling novels, nonfiction books, or screenplays.
You could possibly create these works in Microsoft Phrase, however it was not designed for them.
When folks write giant paperwork, they need sure options and elements. They need to have the ability to work inside chapters successfully and effectively. They need to have the ability to entry notes and monitor phrase counts simply. They need assist plotting, and so they need to collaborate with others.
There are three phases to writing a ebook the place software program can serve the writer.
Writing
The primary section is the writing of the ebook in phrase processing software program.
Collaborating
The second section is working with others. Your ebook ought to be checked by folks, together with editors, who can appropriate grammar and assist with developmental elements. Whenever you’re receiving suggestions out of your ARC group, beta readers, or editors, you’re collaborating.
Formatting
The third section is formatting your ebook. Whenever you format, you typeset the textual content in a readable structure and font. After your ebook is typeset, that you must export the proper file format for the print and digital copies of your ebook so you possibly can add it to every of the net markets.
There has not been a single piece of software program that may do all these issues till now. You possibly can write in Scrivener, however you possibly can’t collaborate. You possibly can format with Scrivener, however chances are you’ll have to buy a $50 course on Udemy to learn the way.
Thomas: Most individuals must export from Scrivener into Microsoft Phrase to work together with their editor. After they’re completed enhancing in Phrase, they must kick it again to Scrivener to format, and generally that course of breaks, and it’s a large number.
Dave: Your formatting choices in Scrivener are very restricted.
You could possibly keep away from Scrivener altogether and easily use Microsoft Phrase for writing and enhancing. Should you do, you’ll electronic mail paperwork forwards and backwards and find yourself with a bunch of paperwork referred to as Manuscript.ultimate.doc and Manuscript.FINAL.FINAL.doc.
Whenever you lastly work out which one is the ultimate one, you continue to must add it to a formatting software program like Vellum.
Vellum has intuitive methods to make your ebook look very skilled, however then that you must export it.
The purpose is that authors have made do with so many various items of software program. We’ve historically wanted a number of instruments to create a ebook, and every device provides an extra expense to the general value of publishing your ebook.
That’s the issue I wished to resolve.
I don’t need to go away this system to carry out one other obligatory job.
I wished one program to assist me with my ebook, permit me to collaborate with editors and ARC readers, and provides me management over who has entry to my manuscript.
Then when it’s prepared, I can simply begin formatting in that very same program. After I’m completed formatting, I can export and add it to Amazon and different markets.
Atticus is that program. However right here’s the cool half. If I need to appropriate a typo or replace the backmatter hyperlinks a 12 months later, I can simply open Atticus, make the change, and hit the export button. There’s no looking round and hoping an outdated file will work.
You simply go into this system, make your change, and hit export.
Thomas: When any person emails you with a typo, it’s an ideal feeling to have the ability to make the change in 5 minutes and electronic mail that particular person again to say, “Thanks a lot. It’s mounted.” After they reload their Kindle file or purchase a brand new paper copy, they will see it’s mounted.
Usually, an electronic mail a couple of typo makes you’re feeling unhealthy as a result of you already know there are 10,000 printed copies in a warehouse with that mistake, and there’s no fixing it. If you’re indie printed and you employ a print-on-demand printer, there’s no want for that. Errors will be mounted as rapidly as they occur.
Some authors outsource their enhancing to their readers and simply look forward to folks to electronic mail them with typos. Don’t try this. Rent an actual editor. However even with actual editors, typos can slip via the cracks. It’s good to have the ability to repair them rapidly.
Dave: I really uploaded the mistaken file as soon as. I had had so many recordsdata, and I used to be looking for the ultimate, ultimate copy. I believed the all-caps FINAL copy was the one to publish.
However it wasn’t till I bought a damaging assessment that I spotted the copy I believed was ultimate didn’t embody the final chapter. To repair it, I needed to pay the formatter to reformat it once more.
My level is that our customary writer instruments have made the method of writing a ebook inefficient. It will also be costly whenever you add all of the completely different elements to it.
My objective is to create one software program device that you just by no means have to depart for those who don’t need to. You possibly can management each side of it.
We haven’t touched on all the opposite issues authors do, like outlining, plotting, analytics, grammar correction, and objective setting. I need to incorporate options that allow you to manage, write, collaborate, examine your analytics, hit your objectives, hit your every day writing metrics, and publish in Atticus.
Thomas: It’s not a Swiss Military knife in the identical manner that Microsoft Phrase is a Swiss Military knife. Atticus is a multi-tool created particularly for an writer.
Dave: To create such a device could be a monstrous job. So, we began by creating the software program to deal with two elements: writing and formatting. Once we launched Atticus in October 2021, it was mainly a formatting program like Vellum, however it labored on PC, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, and wherever you wished to make use of it.
Since then, we’ve been including options, and we’ve got plans to proceed so as to add options. For instance, I’d like to program my ebook to open up on a sure web page.
Proper now, whenever you open a ebook on Kindle, it can open up on chapter one. Nicely, what if I had different elements that I wished folks to go to? What if there was a content material improve or a suggestion? What if I would like them to go to the copyright web page first? I need to add a function to Atticus that can let you try this.
Whenever you’re writing your ebook in Atticus, you might have a display screen that looks like a phrase doc, however you possibly can simply rearrange your chapters. There’s additionally a goal-setting function and a behavior tracker.
Quickly we’ll be including that collaboration function.
Should you’ve purchased my different software program device, Writer Rocket, you already know that I’m continually working to enhance and add options. We’ll be doing the identical factor with Atticus. Each new function or functionality shall be a free improve for present software program house owners.
Thomas: After I labored as advertising and marketing director for a advertising and marketing company, our lead developer threatened to make a program on the corporate server that may robotically delete any recordsdata with the phrase “ultimate” within the doc identify.
You could possibly by no means say one thing was a ultimate model. You could possibly solely say it was “model 47.” The ultimate, ultimate, ultimate, ultimate model will get too complicated.
After I wrote my ebook, I didn’t use Microsoft Phrase for the collaboration section as a result of I wished to keep away from renaming and emailing new paperwork. I used Google Docs so I may have edits from 5 folks in a single place. I didn’t must cope with customers who didn’t know methods to use the device and tousled the formatting.
How will collaboration work in Atticus?
Dave: As we’ve been growing the collaboration function, we’ve needed to do not forget that editors favor Phrase over Google Docs. It’s a bummer as a result of, in Google Docs, you possibly can have 5 folks engaged on a doc concurrently. Because the writer, you possibly can talk with them via the feedback. However editors love the monitor modifications function in Phrase, and so they’re used to utilizing it.
We need to construct one thing that looks like Phrase however acts like Google Docs, and that’s how we’re approaching it.
Think about a collaboration function the place you can see a listing of the kinds of collaboration on the fitting aspect of your display screen.
You could possibly select to collaborate with different writers, editors, beta group members, or formatters. Every of these collaborations is completely different, and every consumer could be granted completely different permissions inside the doc. For instance, for those who had been collaborating with one other author, you can each write collectively. Should you had been collaborating with the editor, they might use monitor modifications to make options. Should you had been collaborating on formatting, your formatter may solely contact formatting. Beta and ARC readers may solely remark.
We plan to design the function so that you just’ll have the ability to grant completely different ranges of permission to your numerous collaborators. When your formatter or editor has completed, you’ll have the ability to take away their entry robotically.
The collaboration panel, will present you precisely who has entry to your ebook, and you should have management of their entry.
Solely writers and formatters might want to have a duplicate of the Atticus software program to be able to collaborate with you in your doc. There’s a lot performance that comes with writing and formatting that each writers and formatters will want entry to all of the software program performance.
However editors and beta readers is not going to have to have Atticus to be able to edit and skim your manuscript. To grant entry to an editor or beta reader, you’ll solely have to enter their electronic mail tackle, and Atticus will ship them a hyperlink. After they click on that hyperlink, they’ll have the ability to create a free editor’s model or beta-reader model on-line.
As soon as they’ve logged in, they will see that one undertaking. It’s going to look similar to Phrase, the place they will monitor modifications. You’ll have the ability to settle for their modifications, and they’ll go into impact in your manuscript. Should you don’t settle for the modifications, they gained’t have an effect on your manuscript.
Beta readers will have the ability to learn your ebook, make feedback, and correspond about your story, however they gained’t have the ability to edits or change your textual content.
When our collaboration function is full, you’ll even have the ability to grant permission for beta readers to see one another’s feedback or not.
That permission function will resolve an issue I’ve seen in Google Docs. Generally, one beta reader will remark that one half was complicated and didn’t learn proper. After their remark, all the opposite beta readers say, “Yeah. That’s true.”
However after I speak to them individually, they are saying, “Nicely, I believed it was okay, however I noticed that everyone else had commented , and after I learn it once more, I agreed.”
The facility of 1 commenter’s suggestion may affect different commenters. Chances are you’ll waste a bunch of time making an attempt to repair one thing that wasn’t damaged within the first place.
I would like our collaboration function to let you management whether or not your beta readers see different folks’s feedback or not.
These are the kinds of author-specific challenges we’re maintaining in thoughts as we develop the collaboration function in Atticus. When collaboration goes stay, will probably be a free improve for our present software program house owners.
Thomas: I’ve seen the ability of suggestion in ebook opinions. The primary few individuals who go away a assessment for a ebook set the tone for subsequent reviewers. Folks really feel protected going together with the gang, which isn’t what you need. Whenever you get suggestions, you need folks’s precise opinions, not what they’re saying to evolve to the group’s opinions.
How is writing the primary draft in Atticus completely different from beginning with a clean Phrase Doc?
Dave: Should you begin with a clean Phrase doc, that you must be ready on the way you need to write. You’ll at the least need to escape your chapters.
In Scrivener, I escape the chapters and put together notes in order that I bear in mind what I need to cowl in each.
Should you resolve you need to write in Google Docs, that you must perceive that at 80,000-100,000 phrases, Google Docs begins to lag a bit, so that you must take into account that whenever you’re writing giant paperwork.
Thomas: I bear in mind when the function that blew everybody’s minds was focus mode in Scrivener. It hid each toolbar and recreated the typewriter expertise the place all you can do was write. There have been no distractions.
Does Atticus have a spotlight mode the place you solely see the web page?
Dave: Not but, however it’s completely on its manner. To make you’re feeling like you possibly can maintain us accountable for what we’re proposing to do, we’ve got a public roadmap the place you possibly can see what our programmers are engaged on, what’s coming subsequent, and what has been accomplished.
We replace our roadmap weekly as a result of we’re continually including new options. I believe focus mode will come after we full darkish mode.
The cool half concerning the software program is that you just don’t must re-download it each time we come out with new options. The following time you open it up, it already has the brand new options added.
Are you taking options for options so as to add to Atticus?
Thomas: How would somebody submit a suggestion?
Dave: If in case you have questions or options, ship them to our help group. We’ve labored with authors for a very long time, and we’re an organization run by authors, so your suggestion could already be within the works.
We’re about 80% completed with the formatting capabilities we need to add, and that has allowed us to tug forward of all people else available on the market. We’re about 60% completed with the writing part, and the remainder of these options will come to fruition quickly.
Then we’ll begin on collaboration.
How does Atticus examine to Vellum’s formatting capabilities?
Thomas: How do Atticus’s options examine to Vellum’s? If somebody has been utilizing Vellum, how will Atticus be completely different?
Dave: Some authors have actually purchased a Mac pc to allow them to use Vellum. I believe that goes to point out how Velum has set themselves up. They constructed an ideal set of software program that anybody may use, regardless of your skillset. You could possibly add your Phrase doc, and with a few clicks, you can create a gorgeous, professional-looking ebook. It’s very intuitive software program.
On the fitting aspect of the Vellum display screen, you possibly can see what your completed ebook will seem like on Kindle, iPhone, or in print. You possibly can even change trim sizes with the press of a button. However it solely runs on Mac, so PC customers must purchase a Mac simply so they might use Vellum.
We wished intuitive performance with the previewer, however we wished it to work on PC, Mac, Chromebook, or Linux.
However there have been additionally many different issues we wished Atticus to try this Vellum didn’t do. For instance, again within the day, folks would say they might acknowledge a Vellum ebook as a result of Vellum solely had eight chapter themes to select from. Every ebook began to look the identical.
Once we began designing Atticus, we employed skilled designers, so Atticus customers had extra templates to select from.
We additionally began constructing a customized chapter theme builder. After we got here out with ours, Vellum got here out with theirs as nicely.
We mainly took the concept and the benefit and circulation that Vellum had, and we improved upon it and added extra options.
Atticus can also be cheaper than Vellum by over $100, and that features the extra options which are accomplished and the options which are nonetheless in progress. In essence, Atticus is Vellum with extra options, a stronger writing functionality. Atticus works on all computer systems and is $100 cheaper than Vellum.
Thomas: The event of Atticus has been good for Vellum as a result of six months after you launched Atticus, Vellum 3 got here out. This competitors is sweet for authors. I’m not anti-Vellum. I personal Vellum, and if any person from Vellum needs to come back on the present, we’d be glad to have you ever.
Authors profit when Dave and the oldsters at Atticus compete with the oldsters at Vellum to see who can serve authors higher. You’ve each already left Microsoft Phrase within the mud just by present.
Phrase is just not good competitors. Nobody switches to Atticus or Vellum and thinks, “Man, I miss Phrase.”
Microsoft Phrases is like utilizing a Swiss Military knife to tighten a Phillips screw. Technically you are able to do it. However whenever you get an actual screwdriver to do the job effectively, nobody misses the Swiss Military knife.
Does Atticus have a narration function?
Thomas: There’s been a giant buzz just lately about narration. Loads of authors are beginning to narrate. Computer systems are getting higher at connecting voice to textual content, and we’re getting used to speaking to our computer systems.
What’s your plan for including narration?
Dave: We’re working to combine a few of the free dictation software program. Should you already personal the Dragon dictation software program, we’re working with Dragon to make it work inside Atticus.
Certainly one of our firm’s objectives is to work with different firms that care about authors. We simply labored with BookBrush to permit customers to design particular photos that work completely inside Atticus. And BookBrush has created a large part only for that. We’re additionally working with Draft 2 Digital and Plottr so folks can export their plotting and add it proper into Atticus.
Thomas: Plottr is an unimaginable device for serving to you create a plot on your ebook in a short time. It really works with the hero’s journey and the snowflake technique. Should you’ve learn a well-liked plotting ebook, chances are high there’s a plot or a template for that ebook.
How can an writer use Plottr and Atticus?
Dave: We’re working proper now to create a technique to export Plottr and add the file to Atticus. Atticus will take that plotting data and put it in the fitting spot. Whenever you’re in chapter one, you will notice the required plotting notes you want for chapter one and so forth.
You don’t have to leap from window to window or display screen to display screen to be able to use two applications on the similar time. I personally like Plottr. I believe it’s an outstanding plotting device.
Thomas: What about information safety? Many authors concern dropping their work.
If I’m drafting my ebook in Atticus, how do I maintain that file protected?
Dave: Atticus saves your work to the cloud robotically. Should you knock over a glass of wine in your laptop computer and wreck your laptop computer, your work is protected and backed up.
You can too put it aside manually in your pc. We name it a snapshot. You possibly can click on “snapshot,” and it’ll save to the folder you designate.
We’ve got plans to create one thing the place you possibly can inform Atticus to robotically again up regionally to a sure place in your pc.
We use AWS Amazon servers, and two-thirds of the world is run on these servers. If these servers go down, we’d have a bunch of real-world issues occurring.
That being mentioned, you possibly can relaxation assured that your work is saved in your pc and within the cloud. You possibly can simply restore earlier variations saved in your pc if wanted.
Proper now, you possibly can take the snapshot, however it’s important to bear in mind to take the snapshot. We’re engaged on automating that.
How do I entry Atticus?
Dave: You could possibly go to app.atticus.io and log in. Should you’re at Aunt Gerty’s home, you possibly can log in and begin writing on her pc.
You can too obtain it onto your desktop, cellphone, Chromebook, or Mac. Should you’ve been logged in earlier than, you even use Atticus whenever you don’t have an web connection.
You solely want an web connection to make use of Atticus for those who haven’t signed in earlier than or for those who’re collaborating or exporting your file.
So these are the one occasions you’ll want web. In case your connection went down and also you had it downloaded to your pc, you can nonetheless write. It simply gained’t sync up with the cloud till you’re related once more.
Thomas: You’ll additionally want an web connection to sync together with your different units. For instance, for those who’re writing in your Chromebook at a espresso store but additionally have a desktop as your main pc, you’ll want an web connection to sync the 2. You don’t must electronic mail the recordsdata forwards and backwards between the 2 units.
How does Atticus examine to Adobe InDesign?
Thomas: Conventional publishers use Adobe InDesign or one thing related. How does this examine to Adobe InDesign?
Dave: Adobe InDesign can do every little thing. It could do every little thing we’ve talked about to this point. Possibly say a few of the HTML programming is likely to be a bit completely different. For instance, I don’t assume Adobe InDesign can set a selected chapter to confide in.
However for design and structure, Adobe InDesign has lovely capabilities. They’ve lovely call-out containers. Should you get an outstanding InDesign designer, they will make some cool-looking books.
Thomas: And let’s reiterate that you want a designer to make use of InDesign. Folks go to school to learn to use this system. You possibly can’t watch a tutorial and be outfitted to make use of it.
Dave: InDesign is a ability. It’s a gorgeous piece of software program, however it’s important to have hours of training and expertise earlier than you possibly can create issues that look higher than what you possibly can create in Atticus or Vellum.
Should you rent a designer to format your ebook in InDesign, you additionally must pay them to repair any errors you discover later. Earlier I discussed that I uploaded the mistaken file. I needed to pay my designer to repair my mistake. Even if you wish to make a delicate change that looks like solely a paragraph or a line, it might find yourself being one thing that requires hours of your designer’s time to make sure every web page seems to be proper.
Whereas with Vellum or Atticus, you can go in, change the phrase, hit publish, and export, and there it’s.
InDesign affords elevated capabilities, however you additionally want the training to make use of it. It has so many bells and whistles that it’s important to be a specialist or pay a specialist.
Does Atticus work for designing kids’s books?
Thomas: Publishers use InDesign for laying out kids’s books. Getting the photographs and phrases to suit collectively is a very completely different set of abilities and a unique set of software program.
Atticus is just not a device for laying out kids’s books.
To be taught extra about Atticus, go to the web site.
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