Category: Programming

My New Writing Workflow

KenMcConnell1 Comment

I’ve been changing my writing workflow this week. What follows is how I draft, edit and build my Indie novel ebooks. I’m admittedly an extreme corner case here, but I think no matter which OS you use, these tools are available. You may have to tailor some programs to your specific OS (Operating System).

I start with Plume Creator. Plume is a first draft writing program similar to Scrivener. Since I write on Ubuntu, I can’t use Scrivener and for the last three novels I’ve used Plume with great success. Plume is Open Source and can be downloaded for Linux and Windows. There is a Mac version, but it’s a few releases behind.

I then export to .odt and import the book into Libre Office’s Write. Then I send it to my editor and he marks it up using Write’s commenting features. When we get the manuscript perfect, I’m ready to build my epub. Write is Open Source and can be used on Linux, Mac and Windows. After all my edits are made, I clean up the document removing tabs and extra spaces.

I now use Jutoh to import my .odt document and divide it up into separate chapter files and add front and back matter pages. I use Jutoh to set my style sheet and import special fonts. When done, I unzip the epub and look it over in the fourth program – Sublime Text 2. Jutoh is NOT Open Source but is available for Linux, Mac and Windows.

Sublime Text is an editor used by programmers. It lets me manually tweak the XML in the epub. Sublime Text is NOT Open Source and is available for Linux, Mac and Windows. Reminder – you must unzip an .epub directory to get at the raw XML files. As you can see below, Jutoh leaves a nice clean base to work with.

You can probably substitute Scrivener for Plume and Word for Write on both Mac and Windows OS. There are many other programming editor tools available on Mac and Windows that are free or low cost.

Plume Creator Dark Theme Preview

KenMcConnell1 Comment

Those of you writers out there using the fantastic writing tool – Plume Creator are in for a treat in an upcoming release. Plume is getting themes and that means a dark version is in the works. I’ve been helping the developer, Cyril, work out a dark theme for the Linux version of Plume. Below is an early screenshot showing the unfinished theme.

So what do you think? Are we on the right track?

If you have any UI or design experience please leave a comment with your constructive criticism. We aim to please!

New Version of Plume Creator Released

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Version 0.61 Beta of Plume Creator has hit the download servers at Sourceforge. Get it while it’s hot!

Lots of attention has been placed on the look and feel of this release. If you are a writer who likes the idea of a Scrivener type program, but needs it to work on Linux like I do, this program is well worth the effort to get and start using. It’s also available to Windows users.

I’m one of a handful of people helping the developer, Cyril Jacquet, test the program. In fact, I’ve been using Plume Creator to write my latest novel and absolutely loving it. This is still beta software, but I’ve never had it completely botch my novel. Normal backups guarantee that peace of mind.

Cyril is very open to suggestions in making the program better, so if while using it you think of a way to improve it, let him know. You could see that feature in a future release! Plume is Open Source and uses the QT libraries, the same as KDE. As you can see in the above screenshot, it looks fabulous in Unity.

Library Talk on Ebook Publishing

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Getting Your Work Published Online SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2013, 1 – 3PM
 
Location Library! at Collister
Room Sycamore Room
Registration Required No
Contact Name Jim
Contact Phone 562-4995
Location Library! at Collister
Type of Event Classes/Workshops/Speakers
Age Teens

Young Adults grade 7-12 join local author Ken McConnell, author of the Sci-Fi novels Starforgers, Starstrikers and Tyrmia, to explore the why and how of self-publishing and showcase some of the tools needed to render your work. Getting Your Work Published Online is part of the Collister Media Arts series of programs.

Sublime Text – Setup

KenMcConnell1 Comment

I’ve recently converted my coding text editor to Sublime Text. This post is a reference for if I have to set it up again. The editor can be used on any OS and looks particularly nice on all of them. It’s also a Python program. (This post subject to updates, as I find nifty plugins)

Get it here: Sublime Text

Reference this blog post for common plugins and general tomfoolery.

Package Control

HTML auto fill.

GIT plugin.

Code Completion plugin.

Lint plugin.

Make Sublime your default editor in Ubuntu.

Make your default Monokai theme have a dark side bar.

 

 

Geany IDE and Python Programming

KenMcConnell2 Comments

I’ve been helping my youngest son, Spencer, learn to program in Python by designing an RPG game. We’re following this guy on YouTube and will then branch off and add to his framework. Spen’s using my old netbook running the latest Ubuntu and he decided that he liked the Geany IDE the best. I checked it out and have to agree with him.

The screenshot shows our first class and a bit of test code to see if it works. The IDE will let you hit Run and open the program in a terminal to see the results. Very handy. Personally, I’d just use Scribes with an open terminal, but since he’s new to programming, I think it helps to have an IDE.

We set up our project on Dropbox so we can both access it from different computers. We have a Windows laptop that he also uses and yesterday I set up Python on that and wrote a quick batch script to run the current test class automatically. I think we are set for some fun times ahead.

Plume Creator Mentioned in Linux Journal

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My friend Shawn Powers is the editor of Linux Journal Magazine. In this month’s issue he mentions Plume Creator, the writing tool I’ve been helping the developer Cyril test.

I hope this gives the program some new users. Plume no longer looks like the screenshot in the feature, its changing so fast. If you want to get in on the fun, please go here and download it to give it a spin.

Thanks again, Shawn for helping to boost our signal!

Scribes Text Editor

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Since moving to Ubuntu Linux on my laptop, I have developed an interest in native applications. One of my favorite new text editors is called Scribes. Scribes is more than just another Gnome based text editor. It’s an example of a programmer pushing the boundaries and following his bliss, to make a unique and awesome new take on a simple application.

“Let’s make text editing seamless, empowering and fun. Let’s make ease of use and productivity our foremost priority. Let’s show how simplicity and minimalism inspires good design.”

As this bit from the About page says, Scribes is not your average text editor. It has a mission. Lateef Alabi-Oki is the programmer behind Scribes. He has very particular ideas about what he’s doing and I for one, find that refreshing. You should read his blog if you are a programmer.

Anyway, do give this editor a spin and see if you like it. I use it all the time now and love it.

Linux Laptop Search

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My current writing laptop is an old, first run Intel MacBook. The track pad button is dying and so is the screen. I don’t have very long to search for and replace it with a new laptop. Luckily, I’ve started writing my files to Dropbox; so I shouldn’t lose any data when the HDD crashes.

My search for a replacement laptop has been on for many months now. I keep going back and forth between a MacBook Air and a Windows laptop that I can wipe and run Linux on. The only viable reason for me to go with the MacBook is that I really love using Scrivener. Linux support for that application is pretty much non-existent. I’ve never been an Apple fan and my dislike of Microsoft is legendary. Meanwhile, nothing has given me more pure joy in the past ten years than using Linux.

This weekend I ran across an interesting article while Googling for Linux compatible ultrabooks. Apparently Dell has started a black ops project (now in the white world) with the objective of getting Linux developers to use their laptops, specifically the new XPS 13 ultrabook. The project is known as Sputnik and it involves hardware manufacturers and of course Canonical, who make Ubuntu Linux. You can follow the blog of Barton George the Sputnik leader. Here is a short interview with Barton.

It’s a little odd that they picked an ultrabook to showcase as a developer platform, I think future versions of Sputnik will run on more robust laptops. I love that they did start on the XPS 13, because that’s the type of laptop I was looking to purchase. It’s good to know that Ubuntu 12.04, or at least their image of it, works fine with all the hardware on that laptop. Including the touch pad as of a week ago.

I still have not made up my mind, but as of today, I’m leaning heavily towards the Dell XPS 13 for my next writing laptop. You can check out reviews of this laptop everywhere, but two of the best are here and here.

As for not being able to use Scrivener, well you know, life existed before that program. I don’t really need the hand holding it offers writers. Let’s face it, I use Linux. I’m not going to whimper about much when it comes to software. I’ll probably use a combination of Focus Writer, Open Office and Sigil to get the job done. At this point, I’m really looking forward to using Linux full time again.

You must create a USB boot disc with the Sputnik ISO. Here is a program to assist with that. Also, Ubuntu has a forum dedicated to Dell installations. The later entries have some information about the Sputnik ISO.

Upgrading WordPress Issue

KenMcConnell2 Comments

I had some out of memory errors whenever I tried to upgrade my WordPress installation for this site. Finally someone clued me in to the fix. Deactivate all your plugins first, then do the upgrade. When you are finished upgrading, reactivate the plugins. It’s a simple memory management issue, WordPress tries to old all the plugins in memory and then has no room for doing the upgrade.

Anyway, the upgrade proceeded normally after I learned that trick. Now you know it too.