And it must be worth it because there’s a whole web page telling me how valuable this software is before they even hint about the price.  But apparently you can save 50% on this cost if you buy “Writing Fiction for Dummies.”  So, here’s the link for the Dummies offer.  Make of it what you will.

(Note, to all of us who write without an outline. Look at how much money we save.)

The above sentence was partially written with Google Scribe. An auto-complete tool that apparently believes that you should make advance reservations for hotel demon service.

Google Scribe is a strange tool that has no real use that I can figure out. But hey, for Nanowrimo, it could be a blast. You type in a word or part of a sentence and it suggests the next potential word.

With the sentence above, I started with “some of the fallen” from a current WIP (work in progress). I was surprised when a potential suggestion was “angels” because I was writing about angels. The rest of the sentence was composed by choosing words offered up by Google Scribe.

So, how to use this during Nanowrimo? Well, you could start typing a sentence and choose your way through the Google Scribe offerings and create a sentence that inspires you. I hadn’t even considered having the Paradiso Hotel in my story require advance demon reservations. But it’s actually an idea I could use. At least in fiction. In real life, I think I’d skip the demons.

If you use multiple computers, Evernote is great because it helps you sync notes between computers. I’ve used it at work to take notes on my netbook during meetings and then access them back at my desk from my desktop. And I can do this without needing to install Evernote on the work PC.

Now, I don’t recommend writing a novel in Evernote, though you could jot down a scene or notes for a scene in an odd spare moment. But Evernote is great for research and planning because you can grab screenshots from the Web. Snip bits of research from websites. Grab picture for character and location inspiration. Then tag it and file it for easy access from any PC. All for free.

November, it’s closer than you think.

I’ve been working on editing novels for a publisher and working on my own stories. Who out there is still keeping up with their writing?

I have one short piece nearly ready to submit then back to the novel.

Drollerie Press is seeking short stories for an anthology retelling Greek myth re-set as urban/contemporary fantasy. They may be set in any location in the world, and do not have to specifically reference Greece. The stories should be between 5 and 20k in length, and should be YA friendly, that is, appropriate to a sophisticated YA reader and to adults as well. The protagonist(s), therefore, should be wrestling with issues of young adulthood, and should be between the ages of 17 and 25. Some profanity is acceptable. Sexual activity and violence may be referenced, but should not be described in loving detail.

This is a general anthology, so stories may contain cross-genre elements, such as romance, science, or horror as long as they’re set in the present. In particular, however, the stories should be creative and intelligent, and show knowledge of the source material and skill at reweaving it for a new audience. How veiled the original story remains up to the author, but it should specifically reframe the original story, not be written as a prequel or sequel. Each author may submit up to 3 stories, but only one will be accepted per author. In this anthology, as in all Drollerie Press works, inclusive representation is important to us. Authors may be from, and stories may be set, anywhere in the world. Characters of any race, creed, or sexual orientation are encouraged.

Compensation is an equitable distribution of royalties based on word count. Publication will be in ebook, with trade paperback to follow if warranted by sales.
Submissions for this anthology may be submitted by email to submissions @ drolleriepress.com or by upload on the contact page and should contain “GREEK” in the subject line. Review and response will occur after submissions are closed.
Submissions for this anthology close on February 28, 2010. (Extended deadline!)

Submissions dealing with gender, sexism and other areas important to feminine speculative literature are particularly welcome.

Submissions should be postmarked no later than November 15th, 2010. Stories accepted will be illustrated by female artists.

For more information, check out. http://www.rofmag.com/

The magazine is interested in stories that explore all aspects of science fiction from near future to far future. However, they are not interested in stories based on popular TV shows or established franchises, such as Star Trek, or in fan fiction. This is a market for original worlds and new visions. They also are not accepting fantasy stories or poetry.

If you’re interested in submitting to them, please read the guidelines for full information on the process. You can also follow the editor, John Joseph Adams, on twitter.