Irene Smith

Q10

Web Site: http://www.baara.com/q10/

License: Freeware

When you really, truly want to focus on the words, the Q10 word processor helps you do just that.  Q10 is not Microsoft Word nor does it try to be. What it does is give you a clean, customizable interface. No distractions, no way to get lost in formatting your pages instead of piling up word count. Best of all, it is free.

If Q10 was simply a text editor, it would be a nice Notepad replacement. However, it’s more than that. Q10 is perfect for people doing timed writing because it includes a timer. If you are the type of writer who sets word count goals for yourself, Q10 can handle that too. You don’t have to worry about compatibility because Q10 saves your work in simple text format. You can import the file into a larger work or have it all ready to be submitted via email or to a blog or other social web site without having to worry about special characters.

Here is a list of useful features:

• You can specify the number of words per page. If you know the approximate number of words per page for your finished document, this feature will give you a much better idea of the page count for the finished document.
• Set the screen so it is comfortable to look at hour after hour by specifying colors, line spacing, first line indent, and more.
• You can put Q10 on a jump drive along with y0ur documents and use it on any computer. The program consists of a single executable.
• Yes, Q10 has a spell checker.
• Q10 allows you to mark a paragraph as a note. You can view a list of notes and note paragraphs work like internal bookmarks that you can access quickly.
• You can set target word count and multiple word counters.
• It is possible to define auto-correct entries for those typing errors that you make over and over. You can also define quick text lists for frequently used word and phrases.
• If you like to be safe (and who doesn’t?) you can tell Q10 to automatically save your work on a regular basis.
• Finally–and this is my favorite–Q10 makes typewriter sounds as you enter text. There’s something comfortable about the clackety-clack for those of old enough to actually remember typewriters.

All in all, Q10 is a small, fast, and stable application that allows me to write without other applications becoming a distraction. I recommend it to anybody who wants an easy to use text processor with a clean undistracting interface. It’s great for sprinting at NaNoWriMo time.

MindVisualizer^TM

Web Site: http://www.innovationgear.com/

License: Commercial, $79

(Demo version available. See the web site for details.)

There is a wide variety of software available to create mind maps and some of it is even free. So why am I telling you about a product that isn’t free? I usually use free software when it is available. Unfortunately, sometimes you get what you pay for. I discovered MindVisualizer^TM the other day when I was looking for a replacement for a freeware mind mapping application that suddenly stopped working. I downloaded the demo and fell in love.

Mind Mapping is a cool thing. It is a way of brainstorming with yourself. The act of creating the map can help you shut up the critic within and concentrate on creating. Whether what you are trying to create is a short story, a novel, a business plan, or a shopping list, mind mapping can help.

MindVisualizer^TM is easy to use because it has a user interface similar to Microsoft Office. The commands and shortcut keys you are used to using in Office are available to you. I found myself using the program almost immediately without having to refer to the manuals. The program does its job unobtrusively. Freed of having to think about the mechanics of the application, your mind has free rein to focus on the task.

The image in Figure 1 shows a sample mind map that was created using MindVisualizer^TM. I didn’t put a lot of thought into it, in fact, it only took me about five minutes to create it. Just the same, it looks good. I accepted the defaults as I created the nodes and inserted child nodes. The best part of using the program as opposed to creating a mind map on paper is that you can move nodes around, edit nodes, and generally play with the concepts in you map until you are satisfied. For perfectionists (that would be me!) it provides the perfect opportunity to “let go” and be creative without being stuck with something less than pleasing afterwards.

There is much more to this program than the ability to create extremely simple mind maps like the one shone above. You have a great deal of control over the look of your map too, from the shape of the nodes, to fonts and colors. You can also add images to the mind map in the form of small icons or larger images. The demo version of the program provides a nice selection that you can play with. Map nodes can include hyperlinks and links to files on your computer system as well as simple text, making it easy to use the program to organize your life too.

One feature I found particularly useful is the ability to create linked maps. Right click on any node and select “Create Linked Map From Here,” and a new map file opens with the main node containing the text of the node you selected when creating the linked map. The original node has a hyperlink that you can click to load the linked map and the linked map includes a link back to the parent map too, so you can easily move from one to the other.

Completed maps can be exported in a variety of formats including PDF, Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel,) Open Office, and various graphic formats including JPG and PNG.

The creators of this program have managed to load it with useful features without making it cumbersome and complicated to use. I downloaded the demo version of the program from the MindVisualizer^TM web site last weekend and I have fallen in love with it. I heartily recommend it.