What are your favorite writing and publishing tools?

I've used a vast array of writing & image editing software, free and paid, often concurrently. Choices sometimes limited by collaborators or contractual requirements (large corporates tend to the very rigid).

I'm always amazed by the number of writers who depend, almost wholly, on word processors - a class of program originally developed to save secretarial time with the easy formatting & revision of documents (and then for end users to do the same without having to go through a secretary). Documents that were originally usually dictated to them. No features aimed at creation. They have improved, but not that much. I've had to do it myself, but it has never been easy, although most will work for pantsers. I have current licences for all the leading word processors on Windows, Android and iOS; & the free ones, but try not to use them because the advantages don't outweigh the weight. I'm having a go at using Atlantis &/or Jarte for document based work because they are quicker, simpler and lighter.

There's always a tension between document/file based systems and those using databases. I've always tended to databases, but they are not so easy to mix and match and its imperative to know how to export your data again. But most document users don't have a good system for managing the totality of their information; they don't use tags, and their folder hierarchies tend to fall apart in use and they don't really work at all for lots of very small documents.

For writers looking to do everything within a single program I would recommend trying Simon Haynes' yWriter first. Cross-platform. Simple and straight-forward. Free. Does exactly what it says on the tin; and no more. Like Scrivener, it is a bit of a cross between a document and a database approach (has a database, but the text is saved in files). Works well, but not brilliantly suited to those with many projects or with complex needs.

I really, really like OneNote. I like the books on the left, the tabs on top and the pages on the right. Cross-platform. Integrates with Word & Excel. Free last time I checked. Capable of containing everything required for complex projects. Can draw or write freehand (with stylus). Not really keen on text boxes for body text, though they do have advantages. BUT. Tried it a number of times. Always hit a glitch where it can't do something. Sometimes it's just a bit complicated. The Onetastic add-ins make it easier. Nevertheless I've always ended by giving it up again. Until next time. So I like it, but definitely don't recommend it.

One program I use increasingly is DoogiePIM. It's another 'old' program (roots must go back to the last century with gemx TexNotes & Do-Organizer), but it has been rewritten and receives very regular updates (and support, if needed, is excellent and very fast) and there is a community forum. Not free ($69) but there's at least one half price sale a year (always one in April, I think). Windows only (Android maybe in the future). Determinedly local storage (though can use Dropbox folders etc) with option for encryption. In its day, the original was a much loved (by some) superPIM so there's a huge number of functions: text editor, journal, spreadsheet, calendar, email, browser, task manager, contact list &etc; I suspect that most users ignore most of them. A lot of options appear on the right-click menu, which suits me well. I have it set with a 15 minute reminder timer.

• I use the document editor and journal. Many useful statistics (eg word & sentence count, Gunning-Fogg, Flesch-Kincaid), pop-out editor for writing (though I don't use that). I particularly like the colour bar (I like using colours during editing), the ability to write very small pieces or snippets using the journal and easy access to multiple projects.
  I use like the Noteboard for brainstorming and planning. In some ways, it is similar to the Scrivener v3 corkboard, except it is huge and notes can be individually resized & links can be drawn between them. Note colouring is more flexible.
  
• I sometimes use a spreadsheet as part of a planning process (easier to manage than a large table).
• Can have multiple calendars (dates go back to year 0 Gregorian calendar) which can be useful in some planning (the year planner only goes back to 1900, but the calendar has a year view).
  

I can see it working well for a self-publishing writer with blogs and websites, prices, taxes & etc IF they like everything in one place. it's a pretty robust program. Exporting multiple selected documents in one go is possible, but the method not immediately intuitive (I'm sure this will be amended soon).
I have most things onscreen because I have it on a large monitor and like the visual complexity, but it can be used with virtually everything out of sight. It (& the originals) are much loved by a proportion of users, and it's easy for a software junkie like me to manage, but I suspect that quite a lot of people will find it too complicated.

Another program I like very much is WriteMonkey v3 (still in beta); another program with very old roots. Free, but use of some advanced features requires a donation (any amount). Windows only. Set up for keyboard control, but a lot of options are accessed through the right-click menu. Very small, fast program & portable. Works rather like a single-pane, Workflowy-like outliner. I especially like the very rarely seen text-folding feature which makes it easy to hide huge sections of a document to make it easier to focus on others or to check continuity between early and late sections. It's an essential feature of text-editors (paradoxically a programmers' tool and not a writers' one) but rarely seen elsewhere.

I use MS Word and Office in general, because that's the standard in my day job. Additional information, worldbuilding notes, ideas, etc... get either saved as separate Word document or as a OneNote notebook, since OneNote comes with Office anyway. I use Excel for sales tracking.

It works well for me and while I could afford Scrivener, I don't really see the need.

For short stories, I don't need anything but a word processor. I also like google docs a lot, too. But I do need something else for my epic worldbuilding because it's all a ginormous cataclysmic mess. At one point, several years ago, I'd managed to copy/paste all of my notes and my written stories divided up by character and place and concept into one large encyclopedia word doc. But it was thousands of pages long and too unwieldy to use, by the end. So the goal now is to do the same thing, just use text files for each entry and stick them all in a folder. The only issue is that it will take weeks to complete this and sticking to one plan for several weeks is hard for me. But I do prefer word processors because they are free form and easier to use.

My system as a Word user: I have a separate document for links to sources, and basic info I need for each book. Any photos are stored in the book folder on my computer. My story bible is done the old fashioned way - by hand and in a binder. I will print things to add to it, but I like having something in my hand that I can grab. It's organized by tabs, so it's very easy to search.

I do use the Notes app on my iPad, and copy the information over to my main Word doc or create a new doc and print it for the bible. I use Notes for to do lists more than anything, or ideas that pop into my head as I'm falling asleep.

I tried OneNote, but I never could organize it the way my anal self would want it.

Because I started world building back in the pre-Internet age, writing out my story bible became a habit long before other tools were available. I do test out the ones I come across: yWriter and Scrivener were two I spent much time on. For both, I walked away frustrated, and went back to Word. I've been using it for longer than I want to admit. It does everything I need it to do, quickly and well.

Graphics is where I invest learning time, since I make my own covers for certain series. I use Canva for basic things, and Photoshop for my covers. I have played with Book Brush, and like all the features they're adding. That may be another investment this year.

I do use Dragon dictation, which has been a game changer. It allows me to wander around my office instead of sitting for hours, and my word count has shot through the roof. It lets me spend less time writing, and more time on the business side, as well as more time just enjoying life.

My big purchase this year will be Vellum, because I want to step up my formatting, and start creating paperbacks again.

I like to keep things simple, and as streamlined as possible. As long as it works for me, and I get the results I'm after, I'm not going to change because of a new, shiny toy. Been there, done that, wasted oh so much time.

And summarising, the usage so far seems to be:

• word processor/onenote/spreadsheet
  
• word processor/spreadsheet/notepad/paint
  
• word processors
• word processor/notes/paper folder/dragon

Regarding worldbuilding and series bibles, here is an interetsing article by fantasy author Jenn Lyons about using a personal Wiki for worldbuilding.

In V's name, this could literally save TUOK. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Before my recent hiatus, I had a system, but was aware that it creaked a little and that the organisation was fairly rigid and required me to remember it. And anything new that didn’t automatically fit in somewhere required me to make a decision about where to put it. Requirements make life harder. And anything in the way of a gap makes remembering the system harder (it is simple enough now, but I know that it’s only going to become more complicated. Much more complicated).

So I have decided to give a zettelkasten system a go. Should help someone like me who has a lot of different projects and commitments. Basic idea is that things are done one thing at a time and that links and connections can be made at the time or later. Allows complexity to grow organically without having a rigid structure imposed from the beginning. Haven’t decided what software to use. Lots of recommendations on the internet, and the original system was pen and paper (cards I think). The major demand appears to be to always stick to using it. And then it gives the freedom to do what you want, when you want.