These programs are great for sitting down and writing with no distractions, but if you have a setup with directories full of word docs, text files, various graphics, even excel sheets all related to what you are working on that you need to refer to and cross-reference, they are less useful than an older version of Word or OpenOffice/LibreOffice. And they are difficult to export, share... there's a reason we don't use typewriters anymore, or DOS programs whose output is confined within a single program.

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onemoresoop 6 hours ago | parent | next [-]

That looks like a different type of writing, perhaps research or business writing. Wordstar like editors that bring simplicity and a distraction free environment are best suited for creative writing.

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jamiejquinn 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I've found trying to find a distraction-free editor a distraction in itself. I'd bet money that most authors using an old word processor had some external reason to use it (cost, availability, editor compatability) and just stuck with what they know.

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wodenokoto 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

A large fantasy adventure could easily have supporting documents with cities stats, characters, races, maps etc.

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taffydavid 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

It could have, but George R R Martin famously uses Word Star and he surely has all that.

Then again he's also about a decade late with the next book

	▲	otherme123 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		GRRM could use clay tablet and it wouldn't make any difference on his output. If you want output, Stephen King has used many processors, he doesn't care aparently as long as he can focus. Brandon Sanderson uses Word. The tool doesn't seem to matter.

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paradoxyl 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

My point exactly; sci-fi you even more need to refer to accurate statistics whatever they may be.

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bigfatkitten 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Back then we were far less shy about printing things.

	▲	somat 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		After reviewing a few options I think "Just print it out" is still the best choice for long term archival. The density is not high however the hardware requirements being just one mark 1 eyeball(hardware that self replicates and has been stable for millions of years) makes it the clear winner in almost every case.