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With over 30 years of writing experience, I have found a work tool that has been invaluable throughout my career: LibreOffice. While my journey with word processors began with StarOffice, which evolved into OpenOffice, I transitioned to LibreOffice when it was first launched in January 2011. Although I use Google Docs for much of my nonfiction writing, I rely on LibreOffice for my serious projects, particularly my novels, which often exceed 60,000 words and can span over 300 pages.
Here are the key features of LibreOffice that make it an essential tool for me:
1. Customizability: One of the standout features of LibreOffice is its ability to be customized. As a writer, I prefer to manage my workflow according to my preferences. LibreOffice enables me to change styles and settings, ensuring that I can work efficiently without interruptions, which is crucial when my ideas flow faster than I can type.
2. Local document storage: Unlike many modern tools that focus on cloud storage, LibreOffice allows me to save documents locally. This is particularly appealing for sensitive files like my manuscripts. I save them on a shared drive, enabling access from multiple devices while keeping my work secure from third-party access.
3. Continuity: Having LibreOffice installed on both my Linux desktop and MacBook Pro allows me to maintain document formatting across different machines. This is vital when preparing manuscripts for submission to publishers, as consistency in formatting is important.
4. Built-in tools: LibreOffice comes equipped with a variety of built-in tools, including spell check, a thesaurus, and text redaction, among others. It also provides advanced features such as macros and templates, allowing me to complete tasks without needing additional software.
5. Free and open source: LibreOffice not only has no cost associated with it but is also open-source. This means the software is maintained by a community of developers who take feature requests seriously. This level of community engagement is important for anyone who depends on this tool for their work.
6. Enhanced security: LibreOffice offers superior security features compared to cloud-based options like Google Docs. Users can password-protect files and choose to strip metadata from documents, ensuring that sensitive information remains private.
In summary, these six features underscore why LibreOffice has been my preferred office suite for years. It is an indispensable tool for my writing, and I highly recommend downloading and installing LibreOffice from the Document Foundation. You won’t regret the choice.