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TUAW TV Live: Tools for writing the Great American Novel on your Mac
If you saw the teaser post earlier today, you probably know that today's topic on TUAW TV Live is writing tools. The Mac is a wonderful machine for writers, and there are many applications available to help you slide through a bad case of writer's block and get that novel written. Since this is National Novel Writing Month and I'm hard at work on my third trashy novel, I thought it would be a perfect time to spotlight some of the writing tools for Mac.
How can you join in on the fun? From your Mac or PC, go to the next page by clicking the read more link at the bottom of this post, and you'll find a livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments.
If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application.
We haven't neglected our iPad users, since you can tune in to TUAW TV Live on your iPad! That link will send you to a non-Flash page, although you won't have access to our chat tool. And one final note -- if the show has started and you're seeing a previously recorded show instead of the livestream, you can always pop on over to ustream.tv/tuaw to join the show in progress.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gazoobee said 5:15PM on 11-03-2010
considering the impetus for this is nanowrimo and that nanowrimo is a decidedly international affair, why bother with the "American" dig in the headline? It's offensive to me, and even if you aren't among those that would be offended, there is no "upside" to using the term. All it does is exclude part of your audience, offend a few (me), and divide the audience in general.
Reply
Rock said 5:33PM on 11-03-2010
I agree. Without wanting to start a culture war, I think it's unnecessary and at the very least, meaningless.
Doc Rock said 5:40PM on 11-03-2010
I understand you beef but really it's just a title for a blog post not the political agenda for global domination.
It started in the us and later became international but the name is still "National Novel Writers Month" not "International Novel Writers Month" so it is easy to just let terms like "Great American Novel" roll off the top of the mind because the phrase is common in our cultural vernacular.
Hey the first time my old roommate Terry asked me for a "Fag" I nearly punched him in the face. I soon learned it was a nickname for cigarette. We say things that make since to us based on our surroundings. Get over It.
Now, admittedly us Americans need to learn to be more globally cultural, no excuses, it is a work in progress for most of us.
redcard said 5:52PM on 11-03-2010
It's about time we stuck a fence round the US and let the rest of the world progress without them.
Jason said 6:42PM on 11-03-2010
@ redcard: sounds good to me. Progress all you want, and leave the rest of us alone. :-)
Jason said 7:03PM on 11-03-2010
@ Gazoobee : Perhaps you have a good reason to be offended at the term American. Perhaps not. Who knows? However, the context in which "American" was used (i.e. "…the Great American Novel"), is not irrelevant or gratuitous. To me, it speaks to the fact that America—in its short history—has a reputation for providing its inhabitants with the freedom and opportunity to explore interests and pursue dreams to a much greater degree than any other society in history. If you're familiar with the phrase, "the land of opportunity," then you're familiar with this concept. Writing a novel—for whatever reason—is one of the most common references to this tradition. "The Great American Novel" refers to the idea of someone who isn't a professional author trying to write a novel at some point in his/her life.
Cheers.