Beyond Basic Word Processing: Choosing the Right Tools for Biography Writing
Journey through the essential tools needed for biography writing beyond Microsoft Word. Experience how specialized writing software like Scrivener helped organize, track, and publish Nadene's stories while maintaining focus on the heart of the narrative.
NADENE'S JOURNEY AI WRITING
Galen Manning
1/26/20252 min read
Beyond Basic Word Processing
Choosing the Right Tools for Biography Writing: Lessons from Writing Nadene's Journey
When I began organizing the stories from my interviews with Nadene, I quickly realized Microsoft Word wouldn't be enough. Like many biographers, I needed to constantly reorganize content as new stories emerged and connections between different life events became clear. Traditional word processing tools, designed for linear writing, weren't built for the dynamic nature of biography writing.
I discovered that specialized writing software could transform this process. Using Scrivener, I developed a workflow that made organizing and restructuring Nadene's stories as natural as arranging photographs in an album. The process, I learned, revolves around three key capabilities that set it apart from traditional word processors.
Stage One: Organization and Structure
Just as photo albums have sections and pages that can be easily rearranged, Scrivener's binder feature allowed me to organize chapters and sections with simple drag-and-drop movements. Each story became a movable piece that I could shift as needed without the cumbersome cut-and-paste operations required in traditional word processors. The split-screen mode proved invaluable, letting me view different sections side by side – like comparing photographs to decide their proper sequence.
Stage Two: Progress Tracking
Like a photographer tracking their portfolio development, Scrivener's progress-tracking features helped maintain momentum. I could monitor both the frequency of my writing sessions and the daily word count changes. This accountability helped ensure steady progress through the lengthy biography writing process, motivating during challenging periods.
Stage Three: Professional Publishing
The final stage focused on preparing the manuscript for publication. Scrivener's export capabilities allowed me to share drafts with Nadene for review and export raw text versions for AI tools. Most importantly, Scrivener's flexible export options ensured an appropriately formatted manuscript for my editor, which served as the final 6x9 format of the book that I exported from Word as a PDF for upload to Kindle Publishing Direct.
A Practical Approach to Software Selection
While Scrivener worked well for Nadene's Journey, several other options exist for biography writers:
Atticus offers similar features with a more modern interface.
Reedsy Book Editor provides a free, web-based alternative
LivingWriter and Novlr focus on simplified, distraction-free writing experiences.
Getting Started with Specialized Writing Software
If you're considering moving beyond Microsoft Word for your biography project, here's how to begin:
Start with a free trial to test the features that matter most to your writing style.
Focus initially on organization tools – they're often the most significant improvement over traditional word processors.
Export test documents early to ensure compatibility with your editing and publishing workflow
Remember that while advanced features are helpful, they should support, not complicate, your writing process.
Just to remind you: While specialized writing software can streamline your biography writing process, it's just a tool. The real value comes from how it helps you organize and share your subject's stories more effectively.