The 10-Page Torture Test

For me it's:

• FREEMIND (http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page)
  For brainstorming and collecting/organizing my thoughts and research. Anything goes.  When it feels like there's a complete story, I move on to...

• XMIND (http://www.xmind.net/)
  Because as good as Freemind is, it doesn't let you do top-down layouts (orgchart view).  For me, building a pyramid is an important part of the process: start with a logline, below that break it down into four acts (or three if you're old school), then continue adding more complex sub-layers, figuring out the details, until you hit bottom -- the foundation of your story -- which is what I'll use when writing the script.

• SUPERNOTECARD FOR SCREENWRITING (http://www.mindola.com/supernotecard-for-scriptwriting/)
  Because carding remains one of the best methods to build and rework your story.

I'm equally in love with all three programs in this list, and they complement each other superbly.  Only SUPERNOTECARD is not free, but I bought it because it's affordable, brilliantly engineered and, coincidentally, used by one of my favorite TV comedy writers (Graham Linehan).

You know, pen and paper has always worked well for me. Get physical with it, cross out, scratch out. In all this technology we're forgetting the sheer visceral and visual joy of seeing our words grow and develop on a page. First draft for me is always hard copy.

Same here.

My typing just can't keep up with my mental diarrhea.