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10 reasons to use a code editor to write books

I have used code editors almost every day for over 20 years so I am very comfortable working with them. It is not that hard to learn the basics and as of this writing you can use the popular VS Code for free: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/

10 reasons to use a code editor to write books
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    1. Write text without worrying about formatting and fonts

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    That comes later: you should use a word processor to format your book and get it ready for Kindle or print.

    2. Organize you project on the fly

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    Create folders and files in any order and move them much quicker than using the file system:

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    3. Search and replace text in every file at once with a single command

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    4. Easily create macros for certain tasks

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    5. Rename folders and files directly in the IDE as your project evolves

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    In most word processors you are going back and forth to the file system. In an IDE access to the file system is integrated

    6. Multi tab and multi pane editing

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    You can collect your research/prompts into one pane and copy into another pane to write your chapters:

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    7. You can reconfigure the IDE depending on the tasks and set up different tabs,etc.

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    In many IDEs you can save this as a preset or macro.

    8. Character and line counts are frequently integrated

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    9. With a subscription to GitHub CoPilot you will get AI recommendations as you type

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    At this point the results can be mixed but it can be a great antidote to writers block:

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    10. You can write macros to handle common tasks and use templates for repetitive formatting

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Comments (4)
mventre @mventre
You mentioned GitHub but didn’t mention version control! Total game changer.
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chris407x @chris407x
Yep. That’s another list!
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eyegor @eyegor
Hate to admit it but I've never experimented with these. Probably time I do. Thanks for the nudge.
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chris407x @chris407x
If you write things and mess around with chatGPT it a a great way to tame the firehose of information
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