If you are a student, blogger, or you are writing a book, it may be very difficult to figure out what writing platform you should use. No worries, we are here! We are going to take an in-depth look at the advantages and disadvantages of each major writing platform.
We are going to cover Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and more! We will take a look at what features they have, what advantages they have over competitors, and the reasons to use and not to use them so you do not have to ponder the hard query that is what to write with. After all, they are just a vessel to hold your writing creativity.
Many people are discouraged from writing because of the complicated menus, the learning curve, and the burden of figuring out which platform is best. We are here to help find which software is the best for you depending on your needs. You could write about anything, like online casino games, using Microsoft Word for example; you have the whole Office suite. That way you can make a presentation on whatever you want. That’s what we are doing, telling you what each platform helps with to make choosing easier.
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Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is many people’s first writing software they have used. It comes with most Windows computers. Microsoft Word is a very simple platform, and it is easy to use. Microsoft Word won’t do any of the hard work for you, it is a very basic vessel for writing, unless you buy the whole Microsoft Office which comes with many features. But if you don’t, and you just use Word it’s alright, because in reality that is all you actually need. Microsoft Word was released in 1983.
So why would some say Microsoft Word is better than competitors? Well, as many people grew up using Microsoft Word, it makes it feel very native to plenty of people. Microsoft Word is also very well integrated into Windows and uses OneDrive, so if you are a person that uses OneDrive for everything this is a big factor to consider. Microsoft Word also supports many different file types, so that is not an issue to worry about. And Microsoft Word works well with the rest of Microsoft Office, including Powerpoint, Excel, Teams which altogether are really powerful tools.
But what are the problems of using Microsoft Word? Well, you can not access the full version for free. Microsoft Word has a free version but doesn’t give you all the free features. Also if you are looking for a specific type of writing, Microsoft Word might not be best for that. Microsoft Word also often makes large files. And one of the most important things to consider is that you can not use it on the go, so if you are a student that does not always have access to a computer this should be a concern of yours.
Google Docs
Google Docs is many people’s go-to; Google Docs is an easy-to-use platform. You can use the tool in a web browser or download it on iPhone or Android. Based on these things it is able to be utilized on pretty much any device unlike Word, where you can only use it on PC and Mac. Google Docs is also connected to your Gmail account allowing everything to be accessed anywhere, on any device. Google Docs was released in 2006.
One of the biggest advantages Google Docs has is Google Drive. Many people use Google Drive on a day-to-day basis. Google Drive offers 15 Gigabytes of free storage, which is more than plenty, if you just store Google documents on it. Google Docs also has a clean interface with an easy-to-navigate UI. Google Docs also supports many file types and it all works seamlessly with your Google account which makes it a much better experience than competitors if you are a hardcore Google fan.
And now for the problems of using Google Docs. Google Docs is not even close to Microsoft Word and Powerpoint in terms of presentations. Google Docs (and their equivalent to PowerPoint) is missing many features like different styles, themes, charts, and more. Google Docs is also a web app, which for some people is an advantage of Google Docs, it makes it very portable. For others, it means they can not write and save things without an internet connection. There are also a bunch of other small nuances that come down to personal preference. So it is recommended you try Google Docs, to see if they annoy you.
Scrivener
Scrivener is our top pick if you are writing a book, unlike the last two that were mainly targeted at essay writing, and business writing Scrivener is targeted specifically at book writing. It has excellent management between chapters. With the past two that we covered, the more you wrote with those, the harder it was to manage what you wrote. Not with Scrivener. With Scrivener, you can view chapters, sections, or individual scenes. Scrivener is pretty pricey for $49. However it is a one-time purchase, and if you are not sure whether to buy it or not, you can try the 30-day free trial. Scrivener is available on iPhone, Mac, and Windows.
Scrivener should not be compared to the other platforms we mentioned, as they have different goals. Scrivener is way better than Docs and Word for book writing or managing large documents. Scrivener gives you a high-level view of your book/documents structure, using cork boards and outliner views. Scrivener gives you the options to manage the project, like setting deadlines, goals, project ideas, and more. These are things that the other platforms can not do or help you with in the same way.
But what are the disadvantages of Scrivener? Well, for one it costs money and a lot more than the other free competitors. With Scrivener, you don’t have many of the other features that you will need for pretty much anything other than book writing. Scrivener also has issues with formatting. It is more complicated than necessary, and doing collaborations between devices is harder than on, say, Google Docs (where you can have multiple people working on the same thing at once).
WPS Office
If you are someone who is looking for a cheaper version of Microsoft Word and the rest of Microsoft Office, then this is a great place to start. WPS office is an alternative to Microsoft Office which can be much cheaper than its rivals. WPS Office has a free version that uses ads that pop up every now and then. But even if you pay for WPS Office, it is still a fraction of Microsoft Office’s price, costing only $29.99 a year. This service is available on Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.
WPS Office is a very competitive platform challenging Microsoft Office except WPS you can get for free. WPS Office also has many features that its competitors do not have. They have a whole suite, with spreadsheets, presentations, and the ability to convert PDFs. Overall this is important software that you should consider using.
WPS does have its disadvantages; for example, WPS Office is missing a way to visualize what you are doing. It needs something like Excel, and the lack of it is an annoyance for some. WPS Office also does not have the best UI, I know many people that prefer Google Docs’s UI. WPS does not have features, like managing your project in the way Scrivener does. WPS Office is not a service made for book writing specifically. So evaluate what you need from a program, then decide if this is a good suit for you.
Grammarly
What are the reasons to use Grammarly? Well, Grammarly gives the user many different options to choose from, like the writing style, the tone, and the goal of the paper. These things can really help your article or essay pop! You can be the worst writer, and the finished piece will still come out great. Grammarly has an easy-to-use design. And its keyboard means you can have Grammarly help with anything you write. And Grammarly has extensions that allow you to use the amazing platform in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
And now for the downsides of Grammarly. Grammarly does have a free version, with the extensions and everything, but it doesn’t offer anything that the normal spell checker doesn’t do. Grammarly also lacks many of the paper managing features because it’s not made for that. Grammarly is made to help your grammar, but if you don’t pay it barely does that for you at all. We do recommend paying for Grammarly, as it does give you your money’s worth and means you can skip the boring parts, and get straight to the creative parts.
Wattpad
Wattpad is a platform for reading and writing. But we are here to talk about writing. Wattpad is another platform for writing books. Many people write books on Wattpad. Because Wattpad is an online service where other people can read and give feedback on what you write, as you work on it. Then you can publish your book with Wattpad. Then the over 70 million Wattpad users can read what you wrote. Wattpad is a free service that is available on the web, iOS, and Android.
Wattpad is a great service for getting feedback on your stories whether you are a beginner to writing or an experienced writing expert. You can get the exposure you want with Wattpad. It is very easy to write on Wattpad; you can do it all on the go! Using your phone, you can work on your stories and tales, when you are most inspired, wherever that may be.
And now it’s time to talk about the cons of using Wattpad, which could be many people’s reasons not to use Wattpad. Wattpad is made for book writers, so if you are a student, or a blogger you aren’t going to find much use out of Wattpad. This platform is missing some very key writing features. Really all you get are the basics; you get to bold things, make them italics, and underline them. There is not a whole Office with presentation features, and spreadsheets, or any of that. Wattpad is made for basic writing, reading, and getting feedback on what you are writing.
Conclusion
Hopefully, after hearing what we like and dislike about different writing platforms you have been able to find one that you like. After all, most of the ones we mentioned are free, so you get to try them first. And this time you won’t go in blind-eyed. You will know what to, and not to expect because we told you everything important that you will need to know.
And now that you know everything you need to know you can get to the creative part. Now it’s your time to shine. You can now write whatever you want. If you have a project to get done, you can use Microsoft Office for a presentation. But maybe you don’t want to spend money, that’s why we told you about WPS Office with their free Office equivalent. You now know everything you need to know about every platform that you may be considering using.