Novel in 30 helps writers become novelists

I took a short break from working on My Writing Spot and created an iPad app that will challenge and motivate you to write a novel.

Novel in 30 is an iPad app for novelists. Writers can set a deadline and target word count, and Novel in 30 will help them stay on track, offering encouragement and motivation along the way. Novel in 30 helps writers become novelists.

For more details about Novel in 30, please visit http://www.novelin30.com

To purchase the app, click this link.

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My Writing Spot for iPad in Incredible iPad Apps book

My dreary Tuesday morning was brightened considerably by an email I received from someone at Wiley publishing. They informed me that My Writing Nook for iPad (now My Writing Spot for iPad) is featured in the recently-published Incredible iPad Apps for Dummies.

It was selected as one of the top 10 iPad apps in the Miscellaneous category. The book is now in stores. I can't wait to go grab a copy.

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My Writing Nook is now My Writing Spot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Peter de Tagyos

Email: mywritingspot@gmail.com

NOOK PROVES TOO UNCOMFORTABLE FOR WRITING APP. ESCHEWS CRANNY AND HITS THE SPOT.

Independent developer changes app's name following bookseller's sabre-rattling.

Independent software developer PT Software Solutions is announcing a name change for their popular writing app My Writing Nook. Henceforth, the app will be named My Writing Spot. This renaming is in response to pressure from an ignoble bookseller pushing a device whose name is a common English word. The updated web app goes live today at http://www.mywritingspot.com, and free updated releases of the mobile apps are available for iPhone/iPod/iPad and Android today in their respective app stores.

"We've chosen to look at this as an opportunity," said developer Peter de Tagyos. "With all the features that we've added to the app in the latest release and over the past year, we've outgrown our little nook. Our current apps really do hit the sweet spot for writers, providing a fast, distraction-free writing environment that is easy to use anywhere. We'll leave the nooks to the little guys."

My Writing Spot also has a shiny new logo (as seen above) to go along with the new name.

For more details about the My Writing Spot name change and a bit of snark, visit http://www.mywritingspot.com/whats-in-a-name

My Writing Spot (formerly known as My Writing Nook) is a popular web and mobile app dedicated to helping writers "write simply anywhere." The free web app can be found at http://www.mywritingspot.com, and there are mobile versions available for iOS and Android devices.

If you'd like more information about this, or to schedule an interview with Peter de Tagyos, please email Peter at mywritingspot@gmail.com

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My Writing Nook Anniversary - plus an iPad update

Today is the one year anniversary of the My Writing Nook iPhone app. The past year has been very satisfying - it's great to see that so many of you are enjoying the app. Thanks for your support and encouragement throughout the last year - you've helped to make My Writing Nook the best novel writing app on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

I'd also like to announce that the 1.0.7 release of My Writing Nook for iPad is now available in the App Store. This release includes the same delete synchronization and document conflict resolution features that I described in my previous post about the latest release for the iPhone/iPod touch. Enjoy the silky smoothness of the latest release.

Happy writing!

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Summer Update

First off, sorry for the lapse in time since my last posting. Such opening sentences are often death knells for blogs, but I want to assure you that isn't the case here. I haven't been resting on my laurels. I've been busy planning and implementing new features for My Writing Nook, and unfortunately this blog has suffered as a result. I plan to get back to a more regular updating schedule once I get this current batch of enhancements out the door. There have been lots of exciting developments in the publishing landscape, and I am looking forward to discussing them in future posts.

So what have I been so busy at work on lately? Well, I've been listening to your helpful feedback and comments, and have been working on improving the rougher edges of the apps, while at the same time building in some of the most-requested features. The future is bright for My Writing Nook, and it will continue to be the best app for writing on the web or on the go with your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

For both the iPhone and the iPad apps, there are vast improvements in the detection and resolution of document conflicts. You'll soon be able to resolve such conflicts right from within the app. I'm also adding delete synchronization, so previously deleted documents won't keep coming back from the dead. No more zombie docs!

For the iPad app, I'm working on full-screen landscape mode, which should be cause for much rejoicing, since it is one of the top requested features. It's a fairly large change, due to how the frameworks work, but is well worth it.

The Android app will be brought up to similar levels of functionality as its iOS brethren. As a solo developer, it can be tough to keep several apps aligned with respect to feature sets, and the Android app will be getting some necessary TLC.

Don't worry - I haven't forgotten about the web app. You'll soon be able to download all your documents in one fell swoop, instead of one at a time. Easy backups!

I'm also rethinking the organizational features of the app - trying to maintain the ease of use while enhancing the flexibility and functionality. It's a tricky balancing act, and I want to make sure that I get it right.

My current plan is to have new releases out in plenty of time for NaNoWriMo preparation. I'm excited about the coming enhancements, and I hope you will be too.

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New version of My Writing Nook for iPad now available

I'm happy to announce that a new update of My Writing Nook for iPad is now available in the App Store. I'm really excited about this update, since I've added some helpful and fun new features. My Writing Nook continues to be the best app for writing on the iPad.

Always-visible word count - previously the word count was not visible when the on-screen keyboard was showing. Now you can see how prolific you are at any time.

TextExpander touch integration - boost your productivity with TextExpander touch snippets. You'll need to have the TextExpander touch app to take advantage of this feature, but it's well worth your while if your writing lends itself to using repeatable blocks (for example - this would be great for screenplays).

Finally a bit of fun. I've added something called Dark and Stormy Night mode. This changes the color scheme for the app to be black with white text. Get your stealth on and become a plot ninja!

I hope that you enjoy the new features. As always, this is a free upgrade for those that already own My Writing Nook for iPad.

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Attention Indie Authors - Apple wants your books

Apple is now allowing Indie Authors to submit their books (in EPUB format) to the iBooks store. They're offering the same deal to authors as they do to app developers - Apple takes a 30% cut and the author gets the rest. That's a pretty sweet deal.

There are some criteria that need to be met before a book will be accepted (needs to be valid EPUB, you need to have an ISBN, etc), but I think that this is great news for Indie Authors.

Here's a link to start the application process:

http://itunes.com/sellyourbooks

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Writing on the iPad with My Writing Nook

For the past few years, I've been on a quest. A quest to find the perfect set of writing tools. I've been down many paths during this quest, had several close calls, had my hopes raised up only to have them come crashing down to Earth. At times I've thought that perhaps finding the Holy Grail would be easier.

OK, I'm being a bit melodramatic here, but my point is, I've been looking for the perfect set of writing tools for a long time now. I'm happy to say that I have finally discovered them.

I think that the iPad is the ideal writing device. Especially when paired with an app like My Writing Nook for iPad. I'm not just tooting my own horn here - I am honestly excited about how well the app and the iPad fit into my writing life. I feel like I've finally discovered the perfect set of tools for writing a novel or working on a writing project.

Here's my current novel writing set up:

- an iPad with WiFi and 16GB of memory.

- My Writing Nook for iPad.

- Apple bluetooth keyboard.

- Apple iPad case.

Right now, I'm writing this post on my iPad. I've got My Writing Nook open, and I'm happily typing away on my bluetooth keyboard. For short notes, the on-screen keyboard is fine, but for serious writing sessions the bluetooth keyboard is invaluable. I've got Apple's iPad case, which allows you to prop up the pad at a slight angle, or stand it up like a picture frame.

So why does the iPad succeed where so many other devices have failed?

It's portable. I can put it in my small messenger bag with plenty of room to spare. The bluetooth keyboard is equally slim and portable.

It's fast. The iPad is instantly on with the press of a button. There's no waiting around for the computer to wake or boot up. The interface is responsive and snappy.

The battery life rocks. This was one of my biggest problems with netbooks. While some of the newer netbooks have much better batteries, the average netbook battery only lasts 3 hours or so. The iPad battery will last the entire day.

It's quiet. There's no fan noise, and the device never gets warm. No lap burns here.

The bluetooth keyboard is awesome. It's full-size, and yet still very light and portable. I have yet to find a netbook keyboard that I liked. I love my Apple bluetooth keyboard.

The software is great. Obviously I'm a little biased, but My Writing Nook for iPad has exceeded even my expectations. Every time I launch the app it makes me smile. The iPad is the device that this software was meant for.

In summary, I'm totally thrilled with my new novel writing toolset - the iPad, a bluetooth keyboard, and My Writing Nook for iPad. It's a writer's (well, at least it's *this* writer's) dream come true. And with that said, I'm going back to writing my novel.

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New Feature for iPad - password-protect your writing!

I'd like to announce an update to the My Writing Nook for iPad app. You now have the ability to password-protect the app. With the tight deadlines in the days before the launch I didn't have time to include this feature, and I'm happy that I've since had the time to build it in. Kudos also go to Apple for a lightning-fast approval process.

This feature is optional - you don't have to enable it. However, if you want that extra layer of protection for your writing, My Writing Nook has you covered.

For you iPhone writers out there - the next task on my plate is to add a password-protection feature to the iPhone version of My Writing Nook. Look for that in the next week or two.

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My Writing Nook for iPad

I'm very excited to announce that My Writing Nook for iPad is now available for sale in the iTunes App Store. I've said before that I feel that the iPad will be the perfect device for writing your novel on, and I also believe that My Writing Nook for iPad is the perfect app for writing simply anywhere on your iPad.

Now that the iPad's arrival is imminent, and Apple has removed the veil of secrecy, I can present you with some screenshots from the app. Or you can check out My Writing Nook for iPad in the iTunes App Store.

As you can see, My Writing Nook for iPad is a complete rewrite of the iPhone app - taking advantage of the iPad's form-factor and greater processing power. It's lightning-fast, and even easier to use than before. All the common actions are just a tap away, allowing you to maintain your flow while writing. No distractions here.

You can now customize the writing font and font-size, and you'll love the built-in spell-checker.

As always, synching with the My Writing Nook web app is a breeze - just tap the synch button and you'll always have the latest version of your novel.

Coming Soon

Due to the tight deadlines around the iPad release, we weren't able to squeeze in all the features that we wanted, but there will be a new release coming very soon (in the next week or so). This release will contain one of the most-requested features - a way to password-protect the app. So be sure to look for that in the next few days.

Until then, enjoy My Writing Nook for iPad.

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T-minus 11 days until the iPad

I apologize for the recent radio silence. I've been very busy lately working on My Writing Nook for iPad. I can't share any details yet, other than that I think that the iPad is the perfect device for an app like My Writing Nook.

I have completely reworked the design and workflow for MWN to take advantage of what the iPad offers. At the same time, I've kept the writing environment distraction-free and easy to use. My Writing Nook for iPad is excellent for writing drafts of your novel, jotting down quick notes or ideas, and keeping everything in synch across your various computers and mobile devices.

All the existing features from the iPhone app will be included, and I've also managed to add a few new features that will only be available on the iPad.

April 3rd is almost here! I can't wait.

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What's next for My Writing Nook?

I've been quite busy here at the My Writing Nook labs. OK, there aren't actually any labs, but saying that sounds kinda cool, so please indulge me. With this week's 1.6 release of the MWN iPhone/iPod touch app, the roll out of the shiny new document groups feature is complete. I hope that everyone is enjoying that feature.

I've got a lot of things planned for MWN, so I thought I'd take a few moments and share some of them with you.

Very near term happenings

I'm excited to announce that very soon there will be a My Writing Nook application available to devices that run Android. That means that your shiny new Droid or Nexus One phone will be yet another place that you can Write Simply Anywhere.

I'm putting the final touches on the app now, so I'd expect to get it into the Android Marketplace within the next two weeks or so. It's been an interesting experience - doing Android development. Once the dust settles, I plan to write a post comparing iPhone development to Android development.

Near term happenings

Once the Android app is out the door, I will turn my focus to working on the iPad version of My Writing Nook. I think that MWN is an application that will be very well-suited to the iPad, and I plan to be in the App Store from day one.

But what about the iPhone/iPod app?

Don't worry, I won't be neglecting the iPhone app. For the 1.7 release, I'm planning to integrate support for TextExpander touch into the app, which will allow you to really boost your word count. There will also be a few other minor features.

And the web app?

The web app continues to be fast and stable. It's the foundation of the entire MWN empire. I've got some interesting things planned for the future, but don't want to share them just yet.

It will be an interesting next few months here at MWN. I hope you'll come along for the ride.

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Implications of the iPad

Wow. Apple debuted the iPad today, and it looks beautiful. Here are my initial thoughts on the device, and its implications:

My Writing Nook - iPad edition

First of all, let me say: there will most definitely be an iPad-specific version of My Writing Nook. I've already read through the developer documents and will be exploring the SDK in the coming weeks.

Rather than simply port the iPhone/iPod app to the iPad, I am completely rethinking the interface to take advantage of the iPad's screen real estate and new interface paradigms. I am really excited about what the device offers - and I think the iPad version of MWN is going to knock your socks off.

iBooks

The iPad also represents a tremendous opportunity for writers. There aren't too many details about the iBook store yet, but I have to believe that Apple will allow independent third-parties to submit their eBooks for sale. Apple has chosen the ePub format, which is a free and open format.

If they use a model similar to the App Store, with 70% of the take going to the author, then the iPad could really be a boon for self-published authors. This is likely the reason why Amazon announced their new royalty plans last week, and others will be forced to follow suit.

Web Fiction

The iPad will also provide a boost for web fiction. With it's form-factor and excellent browsing capabilities, it will make reading web fiction a breeze. No more clunky laptops or netbooks - you can sit in bed and read web fiction like you would a regular book.

I can't wait until this thing ships in March. What do you think? Is the iPad a game-changer?

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