They're currently selling it for £23, which is nearly a tenner less than buying it direct. http://www.softwide.com/search.asp?ID1=search&ID2=all&ID3=4186&IDPlatform=all

I wondered what you all were going on about mentioning NN on other forums! Sounds intriguing, but I'm pretty organised (and debt-ridden) so I won't bother (might recommend it to my brother, so I can check out his, though!).

Ani, have you started reading Sara Maitland? I've got a signed copy as she was one of the tutors at my MA summer school last year, but I still haven't got around to reading it!

Cath

Now that I have this efficient tool - I find I'm still going back to writing out character notes in pen - it just feels more authentic than using a computer.

Traveller, I glad you resurrected this, not just because it's an interesting thread, but also because I hadn't seen Skippoo's question!

Skip, I have read Becoming a Fairy Godmother, and I just loved it. And I read it in one sitting, too (so long as you don't count getting up to make coffee!) Read it!!!

You were so lucky to have her for a tutor.

Ani

have resurrected this partly because I have just bought the software on e-bay, unused for £12.00, and I wondered if those of you who had bought it and now have had some time to try it were still impressed with it

I don't use it like it's meant to be used. I end up making a page in the global notes section and write a list of bullet points - just the same as I would with a word document or a pen and paper. It's only when you get into planning the novel that you sort of consider the other parts.

It is good for new writers who have never approached the task of a full length novel. It gives a good idea of how in depth you have to go with secondary charcters and this and that. The plot outlines it gives you are (as I think I said before) a bit Scooby Doo, but are reasonable building blocks for approaching novel writing.

Now that I've got it I do think I'll use it, or at least play with it, but it isn't that wonderful. The information you put in is just the same as you would scribble on various pages of a loose leaf pad, only not so easy to access. It can help you plot out a story and see if it is worthwhile, but it also takes some of the fun and spontanuity out of it all.

For £12 I'd say go ahead and get it and make your own mind up; but it doesn't make the writing of a novel any easier. All it really does is act as a filing system for keeping notes on characters and locations. It isn't really the place you would write chunks of text that you could eventually cut and paste into your novel.

Colin M

I think it's really good actually. I used it to plan out ripped and using it I found I had to really think about the plot, setting and characters more than I would have otherwise. It's great for planning but I do write in Word so don't use it past the planning stage. I did find it really useful though and will certainly use it for future novel ideas - in fact I have a few in various stages on planning using NN already!

Sue

What I didn't like was that it claims that you'll never have writer's block because it always gives you something to do/think about. I didn't find this to be true. That claim made me think that there were going to be a lot of tutorial scenarios in there.

I'd still recommend it though because it is a useful tool. It could be improved, but if no one takes the plunge and doesn't come out with something like New Novelist in the first place, then there won't be anything to improve.

Colin M

You're right Colin. You need to have the story idea before you use the software! It's great for developing your original idea and it does prompt you but there are certainly areas that could be improved. I found the character prompts quite useful but would have liked to have printed them out as a report. Still, I am glad I got it and I'll certainly continue to use it. I don't think anything will fill a blank mind though - if only!!
Sx

http://www.carlhose.com/storygurus.htm Bunch of similar software reviewed here...