Apps for Writers: CardBoard Index Cards with CardBoard Novels

Did you get a new tablet for Christmas, and are you now looking for good apps to help with your writing? Or are you maybe looking for new ways to use your older tablet?

I've tried a few apps to try to use my tablets as writing tools, with mixed success. Today, I discovered a free Android app called CardBoard Index Cards that I think is going to be really useful. Unfortunately, it's not available for Apple products. I found some similar apps in the Apple App Market, but I haven't tested them, and they are not free. What makes me really like CardBoard is the CardBoard Novels add-on, which is also free. I'd like to review a similar app on my iPad, but I'm hesitant to pay for an app just to try it out, and it probably wouldn't have a similar add-on.

The CardBoard app lets you create index cards and arrange them in various layouts on a virtual corkboard. I was playing with it and thinking about how useful it could be when I happened across a reference to the Novels add-in. This add-in puts it over the top as a writing tool and makes this a tool that might stick in my toolbox. This review assumes that, as a writer, you would want to use both parts of this set.

Installing the app is easy, but the add-in gives it a couple more steps than most Android apps. First, install the main CardBoard Index Cards app like you would any other Android app. Then, go back and install CardBoard Novels. When both are installed, open Novels and follow the prompts to install it. Then, open the main app, go into its settings, and select the option to use Novels as the default card set when you create a new database. You can delete the Novels add-in app to save space. After you have run the add-in, the Novels cards are a part of the base app and the separate Novels app is no longer needed.

The base unit of the app in the database. Database can be an intimidating term to non-techies, but don't be afraid. Think of a database as a project. A database can contain multiple layouts. Each layout includes the cards you add to your board. Cards can be arranged vertically or horizontally, whichever you like best. If you select the options in the settings, you can even stack cards in groups. A card can be added to multiple layouts.

Cards can either be plain index cards, or they can be set up as card types. (More on card types later.) Like real index cards, they have two sides, and you can write whatever you want on a card. You can type more than fits on the card, but anything you write that goes beyond the end of the card is cut off from the card display. You can still view the extra text in the editor.

You can also link to pictures and have them appear on your cards. So, you could, for example, create a card describing a character, and find a picture to represent that character and put it on the other side.

In the main app, card types are color coded. The Novels add-in takes types several step deeper. The add-in includes color-coded card types and layouts for a four-act structure, character archetypes, character details, the hero's journey, and scene ideas. Each of these types has its own set of preconfigured cards. For example, there are cards for the protagonist, antagonist, ally, shadow, sidekick, mentor, and more. You can use the cards you want in your layout and ignore the rest, and you can change the titles and other content of the cards to whatever works best for you.

 

(Screenshot from author's Samsung Galaxy Tab, button bar not expanded) 

Having the preconfigured cards provides handy reminders for things you need to do when planning your work. For example, the Scene card includes a space for the viewpoint character. You might want to add info to a scene card that includes a summary of the scene, the goals for the scene (yours and the character's), and the conflict. If you like the "scene and sequel" structure model, you might also get into the habit of including the disaster and the sequel on the scene card, or you might create separate cards for the sequel. They are index cards, so you can do what you want to make them fit the way you work and think about your stories.

It took me a few minutes to get used to the interface. For example, I didn't notice at first that you can stretch the button bar across the bottom of the screen. I also accidentally created or copied cards. The interface could be more elegant, but it's sufficient, and it doesn't take long to learn. The app includes a help page that, although not very detailed, should be enough to help you figure out what you're doing. (Disclaimer: I'm looking at the help page through a tech writer's eyes, so my expectations might be different than those of the average user.)

 

(Screenshot from author's Nook HD, button bar expanded)  

Some of the terminology used in the app is perhaps overly technical and could maybe be more user-friendly. For example, a project is a database, and images are added by creating a link. If you link to an image, it displays on the card. If you link to another file, the file path shows on the card, but you don't actually link to the file. I didn't test links extensively, so they might be more useful than my quick test indicates. These terminology issues are minor, and should not hinder you quickly learning the app.

UPDATE 2/4/14: In response to this review, the developer has made changes to the terminology. "Layout" is now "Board," "Database" is "Board Set," and "Link" is "Shortcut." The developer's responsiveness to input makes me even more likely to use this when planning my next project.

Your layouts can be exported to text files that you can use elsewhere, and you can save your database to any folder. The interface for choosing a folder to save to is a little awkward, but once you get used to it, it's not difficult. I asked the developer if it's possible to sync between two Android devices, and he responded (impressively quickly, by the way) that you can indeed sync by saving your database to a Dropbox folder, then opening the file from the Dropbox folder on the other device. You could even use the BlueStacks program for Windows or Mac to run this (or any other) app on your computer. The syncing worked pretty well. Of course, any image files you link to from a card on one device do not appear on the other device, unless the images are also synced using Dropbox.
If you use a program with a storyboard function, such as Scrivener, this app will look familiar, and perhaps be unnecessary. But, if you are looking for a way to use your tablet to help you plan your stories, this one might become a valuable part of your toolkit.

Test Details

I tested the app and add-in on both a 10" Samsung Galaxy 2 tablet and a 7" Nook HD. It worked fine on both, and the smaller size of the Nook did not create any usability issues.

The app claims to be created for use on a phone, so I installed it on my HTC phone. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the app looks on the 3.7" screen. I'm unlikely to use the phone for any serious work, so I didn't test beyond installing and looking at it. If you like to use your phone for such things, it should work for you. I recommend the larger screen size and keyboard of a tablet, though.

I did not test extensively, like by planning out a whole project, but I did run through some essential tasks, such as (but not limited to) creating and editing cards, changing card colors (make sure only one card is selected, unless you want to change multiple cards at once), playing around with layouts, saving a text file, adding an image and trying other links.

I tested the Dropbox syncing by opening a file from the CardBoard folder in Dropbox. The folder had been synced on each device using the Dropsync app.

Pros

• Easy to use for freeform storyboarding (base app).
• Add-in provides useful card types for several common writing methods
• Ability to customize cards and arrange them horizontally or vertically, and to stack cards
• Syncing between Android devices is easy if you use the Dropsync app to sync the CardBoard folder on each device with Dropbox
• Quick response from developer when I asked a question (without mentioning that I was writing a review) 
• Free 

Cons

• Not available for iPad or iPhone
• Minimal help file (but at least there is one)

--

Thinking about self-publishing? Avoid common mistakes: http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2013/12/26/five-mistakes-killing-self-published-authors/

Reducing Clutter On Your Windows Desktop

There are many ways to reduce clutter on your desktop to help cut down on distractions when you are writing. You can delete unnecessary icons by installing a launcher, for example. One of my favorites is to use a virtual desktop app like Dexpot, which lets me set up a Windows desktop screen with nothing but my writing programs and a suitable background.

Today, I've been testing another way, and I've decided I like it.

The Windows interface is familiar and comfortable. At least it is if you like Windows. But it is not particularly clean. Most of us have everything we ever use, right at our fingertips. This is convenient, unless we want to focus on something, like getting that manuscript finished.

But did you know you can replace the standard Windows shell (the stuff you see on your screen)? Your computer still runs Windows underneath, and you can easily switch back to the regular Windows interface.

There are several free shells available. I tested three today, and decided I like one called SharpEnviro. SharpEnviro is easy to install and configure, and it gives me a sleek and clean Windows screen:

This does not look like the Windows you are used to, but I assure you, all it is is Windows 7 with a new skin. I created my own theme with my own favorite background picture, but there are premade themes that make setup even easier.

I can still get to all my programs from the Scott menu at the top left. Frankly, the program menu in that main menu is not designed very well, but in this case, that's a good thing. If it's inconvenient to get to my favorite software distractions, I'm less likely to go there.

Because this shell is completely customizable, I placed links to my favorite writing programs in an application toolbar just left of top center. I even created a Writing menu with links to programs, project files, and my writing folder:

Everything I need is easily accessible.

I could easily take this a step further. Right now, I've set up my screen to provide everything I normally use. However, I could set it up so stuff that has nothing to with writing is harder to get to, or even hide everything that has no place in my authoring environment. Because switching to this shell requires a restart (once there, I can switch back to my regular Windows with a click, but I could hide that if I wanted), it would be inconvenient to leave my environment to check Facebook or email, provided, of course, that I don't make an easy link to my browser.

For me, and probably for you, the browser can be part of my writing environment because I use it for research. My browser is my primary dictionary and thesaurus. So I wouldn't hide it. But what I might do is set up a different browser with bookmarks only to my writing tools. For example, right now my main browser is Firefox, so maybe I would set up Chrome or Opera or Safari as a writing browser. Or maybe I would set this writing environment solely for the writing part of the job and do my research on a different space, or keep it off the main screen by using one of the built-in virtual desktops. The virtual desktops lack the customizable icons and backgrounds that Dexpot provides, but they give you additional screens so you can keep different tasks separate, like you can on the screens on your iPad or Android tablet. So you could keep your browser tucked away on Screen 2 while you work on screen one, so it requires some effort to get there. Even if it is only a click, at least it's out of your sight while you write.

You might find the idea of using an alternative shell a little frightening. You don't need to, as long as you are moderately comfortable with menu-based configuration screens. There's no scripting or hacking required. Plus, all of your usual Windows stuff, including the look and feel you are used to, is a click away. Even if you don't use the one-click way to get back because it's a little too easy, you can set things up to go back to regular Windows when you restart.

I added the option to go back to Windows with a click to my launcher, a separate program called RocketDock, which I keep hidden out of the way at the top of my screen. I have to move the cursor to the top center of my screen to get to it. That link is also in my Scott menu, but at least it's not on the desktop, which is the default configuration. Desktop icons are distracting and too easy to hit when I should be writing.

 So, if you are looking for a way to create a unique writing environment on your all-too-familiar computer, you might want to give SharpEnviro a try, or at least read up on it to see if it's what you're looking for.

"Green Screen" Distraction-free Text Editors

by Deren Hansen

I started playing with computers when green screen, character-mode displays were state-of-the art (I preferred amber over green, but that's another story). Then the original Macintosh (yes, that's what they were before they became hip enough to afford a three-letter name), splashed onto the scene with a full-time graphical user interface (GUI).

A few years later, folks from the English department at the University of Delaware published a study in which they argued that the quality of freshman papers written on a Macintosh was lower than those written on PC-class computers with character-mode displays. Oh, the papers produced on Macs looked better with well-laid-out text and proportional fonts, but (so the authors of the study claimed) the content of those papers was less well-thought-out than the papers composed without graphical blandishments.* They suggested that this was because the students tended to believe that their papers were good (and more importantly finished) because they looked good.

The study and its claims were controversial. But I think there was a kernel of truth in the observation that there's value in a writing system that gets out from between you and your words: that removes even the little distractions like formatting.

Of course, now that we all use graphical interfaces the point may seem moot or at best hopelessly retro. Perhaps, but there are several applications for various platforms that give you a full screen with nothing there but your words in a console font.

I use a package called WriteMonkey on my Windows systems.

Having an editor in which I can focus entirely on my words helps me use my limited writing time well.

You can, of course, achieve a similar effect with the Full Screen mode in your standard word processor. Perhaps it's the retro angle, but I enjoy the Matrix-like way in which the black background fades away and the glowing words float in prose-space.

Of course, life is never as simple as it should be and WriteMonkey has its drawbacks, most of which come back to the fact that it is a text editor, not a word processor. This means that you get plain double quotes instead of the nice opening and closing quotes that Word supplies as you type. Also, Write Monkey doesn't convert a pair of dashes into an em-dash (again, like Word).

I turned this liability into a feature: after writing about a chapter with WriteMonkey, I import the text into Word and use the fact that I need to correct the quotes and em-dashes as an excuse to edit the new material.

For those of you who prefer Macs, I understand that Writeroom provides similar functionality. There's also JDarkRoom, which is written in Java and should run on your platform of choice.


Deren blogs at The Laws of Making.

Must-Have Free Software for Writers: Evernote

by Scott Rhoades

I get the feeling when I write about software that many of your eyes (and just how many eyes do you have, anyway?) glaze over, while a small percentage of you feel the nerd node in your brain perk up and you get excited.

This week, though, I'm writing about something that you eye-glazers might really want to pay attention to, and most of you geek freaks already know about: I'm talking about Evernote, one of the most useful apps a writer can have in his toolbox this side of a comfortable word processor.

Imagine this: you're driving down the road and you see an old house or a bit of scenery that is exactly what you pictured for your work-in-progress. You hit the brakes, screech to a halt, and jump out of the car, smart phone in hand. You snap a few photos, then create a voice note explaining why the pictures are important. Because your phone has GPS, your pictures and note are tagged with the location where you took the pictures.

Or, you're sitting in some waiting room somewhere, perusing a four-month-old magazine, when a story sparks a story idea. You don't have your laptop, and you know how well you can trust your memory. But you do have your phone. So you open up Evernote, jot down a few notes, maybe even take a picture of the item in the magazine that set off the idea. By the time you get home, the note is already on your computer, waiting for you.

All of this good material is almost instantly available on every computer you own, plus your iPad and your phone, because you created all of them in Evernote.

Evernote is the Swiss army knife of electronic notebooks. You can create as many notebooks you need, each with as many notes as you need. You can attach sound files, photos, and several other kinds of files. (With the paid version, you can attach any file you want to attach.) You can use add-ons for most popular browsers to clip bits of Web pages that you want to remember. You can even synch up with some popular email and calendaring apps, like Outlook.

Everything you put in Evernote is automatically synchronized with your Windows and Mac computers (at home and at work), with your iPhone or Droid or Blackberry or Palm, and with your iPad, and is accessible on the Web. In other words, your notes are available everywhere, any time. You can even share notes with friends, even if they don't use Evernote.

You can use Evernote to store to-do lists, notes and ideas for stories, even your manuscript draft. Need a good, convenient place to track your submissions, always a tricky thing now that most queries are sent in email so you might send them from both work and home, while your old query tracker was only on your home computer. And you can use Evernote's "ink note" feature on your computer to sketch a map or an idea for an illustration. I only wish ink notes were available on touch screen devices. That would be really cool. (OK, it kind of is, with a for-pay iPad app called Inkiness, but the reviews aren't that great and it's not native to Evernote.)

Oh, and Evernote is free. You can get additional space--although the free version provides 60MB per month, more than enough for most people, unless you want to attach a lot of high-res pictures--and a few other features by paying for a premium account, but everything most writers really need is available in the free version. You can get Evernote for your Mac or Windows computers at www.evernote.com, and for your mobile devices at whichever app store or market you use. You'll want it on everything so it's always there for you. The Web site also has documentation, videos, and other information that will help you get up to speed quickly, although Evernote is easy enough to use that the docs aren't really necessary. They might help you discover a use you hadn't thought of, though.

So what are you waiting for? We writers often have our heads in clouds, so we might as well keep our notes in the cloud as well. And why not make your first note a copy of this blog post, to remind you why you got the thing in the first place.

If you are already an Evernote user, leave a comment and let the rest of us know how you use it, especially if you use it as part of your writing life.