Writing Using Software Tools

Nov 16, 2012

Coming from a software development background^[1], when writing, I was naturally drawn to the tools with which I was familiar. This post describes my approach to creating both print-ready PDF and Kindle formats, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of going this route.

Simple Text Editor

Writing is done using a simple text editor—any editor of your choice. That’s right; no fancy word processors or authoring software. The document consists of a “master” file and each of the parts, chapters, or sections. This allows you to easily manage editing since you don’t need to load the entire text at once. The master document has directives to include each chapter in the order you want them to appear in the book.

No Formatting

Rather than worry about fonts, titles, chapter headings, and headers, I use a markup language ^[2] that defines how the document should be formatted. When generated, the software formats the document, ready for both print and Kindle. I haven’t ventured into other e-book formats but those can be easily generated as well.

Examples

Here are two examples of books generated using this methodology: one a technical book and the other a novel:

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The Geospatial Desktop (Locate Press) describes the use of open source GIS software to produce maps and analyze data. This text is fairly rich in illustrations and code listings. The generated document was print-ready with embedded graphics.
Forging North is a work of historical fiction. Both print-ready copy and a Kindle mobi file were generated from the same source text. The mobi file is a format accepted by Amazon when submitting a book to Kindle Desktop Publishing.

Advantages

Simple, familiar editing tool(s)
Automatic generation of print-ready PDF and e-book formats
Automatic generation of table of contents, index, and cross-references
Easy document management
Since all files are plain text, they are suitable for use with a revision control system

Disadvantages

A learning curve involved with using the markup language and generation tools
Many/most editors prefer to review using change tracking in Word or other word processing software. An extra step or two is required to convert the generated document to a suitable format
Some level of geekiness is involved

[1] GeoApt.com
[2] reStructuredText - http://docutils.sourceforge.net/rst.html

Available Now

From Fleeting Edge Press:

The Life on the Alaska Frontier series:

Sulphide Gulch Quotes

"Did not want the story to end. Like a youngster on Christmas morning I was happy to find the story continued."

"I read all four books in this series. I thought they were well written and I enjoyed reading them. Great descriptions of the country and good character development."

Heartbreak Cabin Quotes

"This story has a solid plot and flows smoothly from the previous novel. The scenes are easily believable, and the author is great at weaving facts and interesting details into the story. I found it hard to put this series down from start to finish. Excellent story telling."

"This is a great read, recommended to anyone who would love to read a clean wholesome book. I could read the series again and still enjoy."

Fortymile Quotes

"This book is a step back in time to the real days of Alaska. It is well written and one feels ad if they are a part of the story. I could see the country in my mind and feel the emotions in my heart."

"This is a well written book. I enjoyed reading it. So much so that I couldn't put it down once I started it. It would be nice to see another book or two in this series."

"The book gave me an appreciation of the struggles faced by the early Alaskan pioneers and miners. This book was a good addition to G.E. Sherman's first book."

Forging North Quotes

"Just finished [the] book. GREAT STORY!!!! Can't wait for the next one!! It flowed so well and kept me engaged the whole time."

"I just finished [the] book---where is the next one? Easy to read and very engaging..."

"I read the book in one day because, once I started, I couldn't put it down..."

“Reality is always different than the dream, but that doesn’t make the dream any less important." - Thomas Thornton