anybody using LibreOffice to compose?

[Gregg Bell]

I just started using it, and I'd be using it for novels (in the future). It's pretty good but I'm still not so sure about it. Like I noticed it doesn't spell check a word when all the letters in the word are capitalized. Anybody got any experience with it that they can share? Thanks.

[crich70]

Nope sorry. I'm going with Scrivener. I bought it last year and I play to write my NaNo in July with it.

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Like I noticed it doesn't spell check a word when all the letters in the word are capitalized.

That's configurable. Go to the options, then Language Settings -> Writing Aids and tick Check uppercase words.

I've been using OpenOffice/LibreOffice since before v1, and I've always been reasonably happy with it. I don't use it for writing, though. In the past I've used a text editor, and now I'm using Scrivener, which I'll probably stick with.

[gmw]

I'm still writing in LibreOffice (was using OpenOffice). There are lots of options to control things, but it can take some digging to work out where to find them. avantman42 pointed you to the option you need, but also get yourself familiar with all the details under Tools / Autocorrect Options... there is a lot in there. For example if you were writing for Smashwords publication you might be choosing to disable smart quotes - and so on.

The other thing I have found useful is to set up a spelling dictionary specifically for my writing - adding character names etc. to this dictionary rather than the default one. This way I can easily turn it on and off depending on what I am working on at the time. Whether this is important to you probably depends what else you use your PC for.

[BeccaPrice]

I tried using Open Office for awhile, but was so frustrated with trying to get my formatting right that I sprung for Word 2010 and loaded it on my little netbook. It's overkill for what I use it for, but at least I can get it to do what I want it to do, now.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by avantman42

That's configurable. Go to the options, then Language Settings -> Writing Aids and tick Check uppercase words.

Thanks Russell. I was hoping there was something like that because I really do like LO. Appreciate you sharing that.

Originally Posted by gmw

I'm still writing in LibreOffice (was using OpenOffice). There are lots of options to control things, but it can take some digging to work out where to find them. avantman42 pointed you to the option you need, but also get yourself familiar with all the details under Tools / Autocorrect Options... there is a lot in there. For example if you were writing for Smashwords publication you might be choosing to disable smart quotes - and so on.

The other thing I have found useful is to set up a spelling dictionary specifically for my writing - adding character names etc. to this dictionary rather than the default one. This way I can easily turn it on and off depending on what I am working on at the time. Whether this is important to you probably depends what else you use your PC for.

Thanks GMW. I will definitely start exploring. Good to know.

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I tried using Open Office for awhile, but was so frustrated with trying to get my formatting right that I sprung for Word 2010 and loaded it on my little netbook. It's overkill for what I use it for, but at least I can get it to do what I want it to do, now.

Thanks Becca. Were you doing something different (poems, or anything else requiring unusual formatting) that you had problems with the formatting with OO? I'll just be doing novels (but don't want to run into formatting problems).

[BeccaPrice]

I use styles extensively, and I also use my netbook (in addition to my desk computer) for technical writing, which often has extensive formatting requriements. I just couldn't get styles and columns and numbered lists to work easily; it was easier to just go back to something I knew how to kludge to make work right.

[VydorScope]

I used it for a little while, but since MS Office for me (I work at a college) is dirt cheap, I gave up and went back to Word. I find Word to work better for me, and its the word processor most editors, and etc. use so it helps to be using the same system when you can.

If I was not using Word, I'd probably use Scrivener for my books...

[gmw]

I find it curious to hear about Word people that had difficulty with OpenOffice or LibreOffice. I suppose more recent migrations - if you had finally re-taught yourself Word using the [bleep] [bleep] ribbon interface - then I can see some potential difficulty. But otherwise I find it quite strange.

I went to Word very reluctantly after many years with WordPerfect, and never did really take to Word very much. I later migrated to OpenOffice and found it close enough to Word that I had no trouble. I've since had to use Word for a few things - some technical review work for a publisher - and found it close enough to OO that I barely noticed switching back and forth. The main place that I've noticed any functional/useful difference between OpenOffice/LibreOffice and MS Office is with Excel - and even that is rarely an issue any more.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by gmw

I find it curious to hear about Word people that had difficulty with OpenOffice or LibreOffice.

Oh I had no difficulty with OO/LO. They are decent programs. Great options for those that MS charges the full crazy price for that office suite.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I use styles extensively, and I also use my netbook (in addition to my desk computer) for technical writing, which often has extensive formatting requriements. I just couldn't get styles and columns and numbered lists to work easily; it was easier to just go back to something I knew how to kludge to make work right.

Thanks Becca. Yeah, I'm not doing any of that stuff.

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I use styles extensively, and I also use my netbook (in addition to my desk computer) for technical writing, which often has extensive formatting requriements. I just couldn't get styles and columns and numbered lists to work easily; it was easier to just go back to something I knew how to kludge to make work right.

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Thanks Becca. Yeah, I'm not doing any of that stuff.

Whatever word processor you use, learn how to use styles, especially if you're writing long documents like novels. That applies even more if you're planning to create paperbacks as well as ebooks.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by avantman42

Whatever word processor you use, learn how to use styles, especially if you're writing long documents like novels. That applies even more if you're planning to create paperbacks as well as ebooks.

This.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by avantman42

Whatever word processor you use, learn how to use styles, especially if you're writing long documents like novels. That applies even more if you're planning to create paperbacks as well as ebooks.

Yep. Besides being day-to-day useful, this has also proven to be especially helpful when converting from OO/LO to epub (where the document styles go over as CSS styles).

Can anyone elaborate on Scrivener and document styles? I seem to remember this being something that had me concerned when I looked at it last time.

[Anna Drake]

I use LO. I'm currently learning to use its styles features. Fingers crossed. But I really won't know if it's been done correctly until after I upload the book.

How do you set up an alternative dictionary? Am an extremely tech-challenged person.