Its actually easier to do PDF in OpenOffice than to save it to MS Word - for word you need to go down the drop down list in file - PDF has its own entry in the file menu. What I like about OpenOffice is it doesn't matter what format someone sends me it opens most things. We used it with our business for that reason initially.
On a related note, this is how Adobe Acrobat Pro works as well. It installs itself as an additional printer, and lets you print to PDF from any application, plus it gives you "conversion to PDF" options as well. If you want to spend money on it, this is certainly the best tool there is. But, like Elgaisma, I value OpenOffice's simple and quick processing as well.
I found a new programme the other day called BookSmart which allows you to create a book, literally. I believe that it is free (having not downloaded it) but it's a pretty nifty looking thing, I'd check this out. http://www.blurb.com/
The software to design your book is free, but it seems you then send the design to Blurb.com and pay for printing and delivery.
No, you are not the only one. I use Scrivener for Mac. I do so because it allows me to have my work environment and my writing environment within one platform without having to flip between windows. No writing program will make anyone a better writer. The invention of writing has been around for between seven and ten thousand years (depending on your school of thought) so word processing has been in use for like a nanosecond, all things being relative.
