Excerpted from Writers' Journal - June 2009

Computer Business
"Word Up"

by Carl Hose

Microsoft Word is, hands down, the very best writing tool on the market.  It took me a long time to realize this.  I've used every major word processor and screenwriting software on the market, and quite a few of the underdogs as well, but regardless of that, I've had to turn to Word time and again to get the job done.

Word is capable of handling any writing task, no doubt about it.  Some of those tasks, though, are not so easy to manage unless you have the patience and the knowledge to set up the appropriate templates.

That's why this article isn't really about Word.  This article is about two Word add-ons that turn an already powerful writing tool into the ultimate writing tool.

Prose Pro and Script Wizard are tools that make it easy for writers to access Word's intricate functionality, taking us away from the chore of formatting and leaving us with more time to write.

Make no mistake about it, many Word add-ons perform functions similar to Prose Pro and Script Wizard.  Some of them are free, some cost money; but none of them delivers the outstanding performance that Prose Pro and Script Wizard do.

Prose Pro is a supercharged template that allows you to easily create manuscripts of all types.  The template installs a seamless toolbar that opens only when ProsePro is open.  The tool bar puts a number of features at your fingertips.  The resulting manuscript conforms to Writers' Market guidelines; however, the template can be customized to fit your specific needs as well.

With Prose Pro, setting up a properly formatted title page and subsequent manuscript pages is a breeze.  You can also easily insert and format front matter (dedications, preface, forward, introduction, and table of contents), back matter (bibliography, references, works cits, appendix, and index), and APA-style research sections.  There's even a citation assistant to help you insert and properly format quoted sources, using whatever style guide you prefer.

Chapters can be inserted and formatted a number of ways; document sytles can be manipulated and applied; and page numbering, hyphenating, and other formatting elements can be modified.  There's also easy access to Word's proofing tools.

Sure, everything you can do with Prose Pro can be done without the use of the Prose Pro add-on, but Prose Pro makes it easier to accomplish those things, which alleviates formatting headaches and leaves you with the energy to write.

Script Wizard is a full-featured scrpt-writing add-on that makes it possible for you to craft screenplays with Word the same way you would with a dedicated screenwriting program.  There are several advantages to using Script Wizard instead of a dedicated screenwriting program:

• Versatility -- Because Word is the leading word processor on many computers, screenplays created with Word are easy to distribute.  Everyone has the ability to read a Word file or a file format in which Word can save documents.  Also, Word can handle all types of writing, whereas the dedicated screenwriting software is limited to screenplays.  Why not use one program for everything?
• Familiarity -- Word is a familiar evironment for many writers already, reducing the learning curve and freeing up time for writing.
• Extended Functionality -- Script Wizard not only gives you a full range of screenwriting tools but also takes advantage of the excellent features in Word, giving you many more writing tools at your disposal.
• Cost -- Script Wizard is more affordable that any of the major dedicated screenwriting programs.

Script Wizard allows you to create feature film scripts (both spec and shooting), sitcom, variety, daytime soaps, A/V, and more.  Customizable tool bars give you acces to an extensive set of screenwriting elements, plus you can do script notes, create revision pages, and generate reports.

For years I've jugged numerous writing software for different projects, but now -- thanks partly to the Prose Pro and Script Wizard add-ons -- Word is my one-stop writing shop.

Prose Pro and Script Wizard are available separately or bundled together.  The add-ons were created by Stephani Warren (actress, director, acting coach, and screenwriter) and are available at the Script Wizard Web site.

Prose Pro is $49, and Script Wizard is $69.  The Creative Writing Bundle, which includes Prose Pro and Script Wizard together, is only $99.