Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Finally: a good list-making app

I've tried a bunch of list apps that I got from the App Store, and they all sucked. They seemed to be designed for nincompoops. But yesterday I explored the App Store one last time, hoping to find something useful. And lo and behold, I discovered List Master. It's exactly what I was looking for.

Yes, I want to make shopping lists and to-do lists. But I also want to record my ideas for books and short stories. And most importantly, I want to have a list of the upcoming scenes I need to write for my novel. List Master does all these things well.

You can make your lists simple or intricate. If you're an anal-compulsive type who wants to list the cost of every item you plan to buy, what aisle it's on in the store, and you want the list to calculate a projected total for your purchases, you've got it. As for my own preferences, I don't need the complicated stuff. I just want to make simple, sensible lists that don't look like cartoons. (Seriously, you should see some of the list apps out there.)

In addition to the scene-listing capability, I like the fact that you can pump in every item you ever bought at a supermarket, and use this as a master shopping list. Then when you need to create a shopping list, you put a check next to the items you need, and List Master turns it into a shopping list that you can bring to the store. And best of all, if I make a list on my iPad, it synchs with my iPhone. It's perfect. (Have no fear; there's an Android version too.)

Very cool -- and only $8.99. That's the really great thing about apps: they don't cost a fortune. Anyway, I love this one. If you're a list maker, I think you'll love it too.