Programs, Schmograms

I’m convinced that being a writer and trying to write according to the books is like trying be pregnant according to the books. I had to become illiterate while I was pregnant just to keep my blood pressure at a normal level. Everything I read was a warning about gestational diabetes or a terrifying story about some weird genetic defect that was going to leave my baby with twelve toes on one foot.

And that Moonpie in your hand? Forget about eating that.

You’ll chomp on a celery stick and like it.

Earlier I updated about a great app I downloaded. Really, it is pretty cool. Then this morning I downloaded yWriter on my laptop. A few days ago I downloaded a trial version of Scrivener.

I’m just trying to get a feel for this crap…er, programs…the books keep suggesting we writers use.

I want to maximize my effectiveness/success/awesomeness

And I want to look professional. I want to look less like the amateur the books keep telling me I am.

But I swear, some of these programs are more difficult to understand than my college chemistry class (it was HARD, people). It’s like my brain just doesn’t work that way. There are all of these choices and all of these buttons, and I’m finding myself very overwhelmed and very frustrated.

I have all these ideas and things I want to write down for my newest story, but I can’t muddle through the programs to get it accomplished. Even as much as I like the iPad app–there are still parts of it that I find irritating. I’m considering just buying a new notebook and drafting my outline that way. It isn’t the most sophisticated method, but I think it is the only one that will allow me to keep my sanity.

Do any of you use a program that you love? Do you have any tips on navigating Scrivener or yWriter?