9 (or more) Things I Love About Scrivener
By Gwen Hernandez | September 16, 2015 |
Therese barging in for a second to introduce you to our newest regular contributor here at WU: Scrivener guru Gwen Hernandez. I am so excited to have Gwen here to help us all understand Scrivener better, and I admit to some selfishness here as I still have not wrapped my brain entirely around Scrivener, still feel confused and a little intimidated by it. With me? Then help me to welcome her into the fold. And if you’re already a Scrivener-devotee, please add your thoughts to comments: Why does Scrivener trump other options for you? Welcome, Gwen!
If writing tools were teachers, your word processor would be the one who admonishes you to color within the lines and always use green for grass. Scrivener would be the cool teacher who encourages you to draw your own picture and praises your purple sun.
~ From Scrivener For Dummies
For fifteen years, I was a word processor power user. I was certified as a specialist by the software company, I taught classes on the topic, I created indexes, I performed mail merges… I used it for business letters, term papers, memos, technical manuals, and even a graduate thesis.
But when I got serious about writing, I grew seriously frustrated with my word processor’s limitations.
And then a friend told me about this writing software called Scrivener. I checked it out and was so impressed I didn’t even wait for the free trial to expire. I paid for it on day three.
Why? Because Scrivener is designed to support the creative process from top to bottom (or side to side, if you prefer). What exactly is it? Imagine the love child of a word processor, an accordion file, a photo album, and a cork board, with a few twists. It lets you keep everything related to your manuscript in one place, right alongside your writing, for easy access.
Yes, like any new-to-you software, there’s a learning curve. It looks so different from anything you’re used to, that some people need a while to retrain their brain. Others “get it” the first time they fire it up. I think Scrivener is worth taking a few hours to get comfortable with, because it supports your writing process—whatever that is, whether plotter or pantser or something else—in a way that a typical word processor can’t.
I use it to write fiction and nonfiction, compose and organize blog posts, create and plan class lessons, and keep track of public appearances. I think it would also make a fabulous agent/editor submission tracker.
Here are some of the features I love most.
1. Scrivener remembers your spot. When you open a project in Scrivener, it takes you right to where you left off, both within the project and within a document. Maybe not such a big deal when writing the first draft—especially if you’re a linear writer—but when you’re in the midst of revisions, it’s a lifesaver.
2. Your structure is easy to see. Scrivener lets you write in chunks (e.g. scenes, sections, or chapters) called documents. The Binder—like a table of contents showing all of the files in your project—gives you an at-a-glance overview of your entire manuscript, and thus the structure of your work.
Change your mind about the order of scenes or chapters? It’s a cinch to move them around and play with a different story flow.
3. Color-coding. In Scrivener, you can color code your documents by whatever piece of data you want to track. For example, in the drafting phase I tag my fiction scenes by point-of-view (POV) character, using blue for the hero and pink for the heroine (original, right?). Instantly, I can see the POV of a scene and check my overall balance.
In the revision phase—and for nonfiction—I use the Label field to keep track of the status of each section (e.g. Not Started, WIP, To Editor, Author Review, Complete).
4. Saving epiphanies is easy. Muse gave you an idea for a future scene, but you’re not ready for it yet? Create a new document, write out your idea, then ignore it until you figure out where it goes.
5. You can leave notes for yourself. Can’t think of that perfect comeback line for you heroine? Need to research the proper term for a man’s undergarment in 1821 England? Simply insert an inline annotation (text in a colored bubble right in the manuscript) or a comment, and get back to writing. Annotations are also a handy way to mark sections that would make good excerpts, either for front matter or in your advertising.
It’s easy to find your notes again, but you don’t have to delete them before you share your work with an agent, editor, or readers. Scrivener lets you choose whether to include or exclude annotations and comments when you compile (export).
6. Auto-save protects your hard work. If you’ve ever faced the Blue Screen of Death, or lost power after writing 3,000 words without saving, you’ll appreciate that Scrivener saves your project every time there’s more than two seconds of inactivity (this can be adjusted as desired). So while you’re pondering your next sentence, Scrivener is committing your words to memory.
7. Scrivener is like Mary Poppins’ bottomless bag. You can import research documents, web pages/links, and photos right into your project, so even when you take your laptop on the road, you have everything you need. You can also import any writing you already started in another program.
Plus, you can keep outlines, notes on ideas for changes and future scenes, and character and setting information all within the project. No more scouring your hard drive or that pile of sticky notes on your desk for a crucial piece of info.
8. Working without distractions. Scrivener’s full screen composition mode blocks out all distractions, making it easier to focus on your writing. Change the background color or image to suit your mood. My last book was set on a Caribbean island, so I used a photo I took in St. Lucia to set the scene.
9. Exporting to e-books is a snap. Scrivener is your one-stop publishing program. When your masterpiece is done, you can compile (export) it to an EPUB or MOBI (Amazon) file for easy self-publishing, or for perusing on your e-reader. You can also export to DOC/DOCX, RTF, TXT, PDF, HTML, direct-to-printer, and other formats, including Final Draft (screenplay software).
The beauty is that you can write in any format/font/color you want and then compile it into something completely different without affecting your original work. Produce a Word document, then turn around and create an EPUB. Totally different formats with a few clicks. Print chapter or scene titles in one version, leave them out in another. It can even auto-number your chapters or sections.
Getting the output right the first time can take a bit of trial and error as you learn how it works, but once you have it set up the way you want, you can save the settings for future use.
And there’s so much more. I could go on about my favorite writing software all day. The ability to set word count goals and track your progress. The Corkboard where you can view each document as an index card (perfect for storyboarders). Advanced searches that help you find anything, anywhere in your project. Snapshots for saving old versions of scenes…
That’s just a small list of what makes Scrivener—available for Mac and Windows—too hot to resist. So, if you’re tired of your stodgy, inflexible word processor, why not give Scrivener’s free trial a whirl?
What do you want to know? Hit me with your questions. Got a favorite Scrivener feature I didn’t mention? Please share.
I’m excited to be joining Writer Unboxed to talk about—what else?—Scrivener. Thanks to Therese Walsh and the rest of the crew for welcoming me to the WU community!
[coffee]
Gwen Hernandez (she/her) is the author of Scrivener For Dummies, Productivity Tools for Writers, and romantic suspense. She teaches Scrivener to writers all over the world through online classes and an extensive library of blog posts. Learn more about Gwen at gwenhernandez.com.
I love Scrivener. I used it for a while and then felt like I should know more, but I didn’t want to read the manual or take a multiweek class. I had also bought Gwen’s book, Scrivener for Dummies, but even that seemed overwhelming. Finally I just hired Gwen for an hour of her time and said “tell me things about Scrivener that I probably don’t know how to do,” and I had some question of my own. It was a wonderful use of my money and I now feel much more comfortable with it. Glad she is on the blog now!
Hi, Elle! I’m glad to hear our session helped. Thanks for stopping by. :-)
I never knew you could color-code documents in Binder!! I’ve been using Scrivener for years and I love it. Even though I only watched the tutorial and figured out the basics, it still changed my life. It is easy enough to use that you don’t have to be an expert. But now you’ve got me wondering how much more it could do for me!!
hejafred: That’s the beauty. Even if you just use the basics, it can be so helpful. I think a lot of people stress out about learning it because they feel like they have to know everything right away.
I use color coding in every single project for a variety of things. It’s an important part of my process now. Really helped keep me on track when I was writing Scrivener For Dummies since every chapter was in a different stage of writing, editing, or proofreading at any given time.
Hopefully some of my future posts will introduce you to more new-to-you features. :-)
I started using Scrivener last year but really knew nothing until I took one of your classes, Gwen. YOU opened my eyes and mind to the possibilities to use the software for more than just my writing projects. Thank you! #2 is my favorite part of Scrivener cause I’m a “one scene at a time” writer and it’s never chronological! I shift the chapters around and fill in the holes.
Aw, that’s great to hear, Gail! I agree that being able to see the discrete pieces of your manuscript helps a lot, and makes it so easy to reorder things as needed. I was always fuzzy on my story’s flow until I started using Scrivener and could see it play out.
I’d love to know what other types of projects you’re using Scrivener for, if you want to share. :-)
I was well into my historical novel when I started using Scrivener. The changeover took a while, but it was actually tons of fun. I loved choosing colors for the folders in the binder (love the binder!) and little things like that, but mostly it was wonderful to get everything organized in a way that wasn’t possible before. Especially since I have so much research material. It is easy now to find what I need in a matter of seconds. My favorite part, when writing, is to split the screen so that I have a visual on one side, and the manuscript on the other. Second best, for me, are the search tools. I can search the document I’m working in (have I used that word too many times?) or search the whole project (how many scenes is Ben in?). On the right hand side of the screen, I have imported drawings (from FlashFace) into the Project Notes so that I have my characters’ faces in front of me, reminding me of who they are. It’s amazing that, on my little 13″ Mac, I can have so much info on the screen at one time. Finally, and it’s hard to explain if you don’t use it, but Scrivener actually inspires me to write. You can’t ask for more than that.
Wonderful, Carmel! Those are fabulous features. I’m glad it’s working for you. :-)
My favorite too, on my favorite site, by my favorite expert. The holidays have come early this year :) Fantastic post!
LOL, thanks, Ara!!
Love Scrivener! In fact, for years I’d just type random thoughts and passages in Word but found it hard to compile my ideas using Word. And then Scrivener. Scrivener allowed me to easily write scenes as they came to me, and not necessarily in the order they’d eventually end up in. I could glance at pictures of my characters and settings in the sidebar as I wrote and that helped improved my descriptions.
Three years in and I realize that while I love composing and creating in Scrivener, I do my best draft editing in Word. So now I use both, and right now that’s what works best for me. By the way, I’ve also taken Gwen’s course and found it very helpful in getting my feet wet when I was first starting out with Scrivener.
gracedenise: I’m glad you’ve found a system that supports your process. At it’s heart, Scrivener is drafting software. All the other stuff is just bonus. (Though I do love using it for revisions too, because I can color code and take snapshots before making changes…) ;-) Thanks for letting me know the class helped. Hope the writing is going well!
Three members of my writer’s group bought Scrivener so we could learn it together. I still don’t think I know half of what it can do, but I like it more than Word.
I like it because all of my chapters are right there on the side and I can check quickly how I ended one chapter or started another. I don’t have to minimize or close windows, chapters just open right on the screen. When I get an idea or thought to work on later, I ‘jot’ it on a notecard.
I think Scrivener is one of those things that you learn as you go though. The book was still a little over my head, but I am so untechnical. If I went through the book now, it would probably make a lot more sense.
Michelle: Sometimes it’s the simple things, right? For me it was the fact that Scrivener saved my spot. That had been driving me nuts in Word.
What a great idea to learn with friends. I originally started blogging about Scrivener to share some of the cool features I’d found with my writer friends. I didn’t expect anyone else to read those blog posts. Kind of spiraled a bit, though. ;-)
Like any software–or just about anything in life, really–It’s less intimidating to add to your knowledge over time. Good luck!
I love Scrivener. Another great thing about it is being able to have your research document alongside your text document as you write. I also love being able to keep track of which draft I’m on with each scene. And it’s so easy to export to Kindle to read in a different format. I also like being able to choose how much of the document to export, or print without having to make another document. The keywords too are so useful for keeping track of scenes and the metadata too. I could go on all day! I made a big effort to learn it – going through Gwen’s and another book as well as the videos provided by L and L – well worth the effort as now it’s really intuitive, and useful for so many different things.
Ooh, Tricia, you’re a power user. Yes to everything you said. Love it!
I really like reading my manuscript on my iPad, marking it up with notes, then setting it on a stand and running through each note to make changes in Scrivener. There’s something about seeing it in a different format that makes all kinds of problems and typos jump out at me. And I like to save paper. ;-)
I’ve been using Scrivener for about 3 years now. I bought the book, but me being me, I glanced at it but then just started clicking menus. I’m a total pantser when I write, so I kept repeating myself. Scrivener, with the corkboard and inspector has made me a better writer and made my stories better. This year, I finally got brave and created a mobi file to upload to Amazon and it seems to have transferred beautifully, from what I’ve seen.
Though I am still having difficulty importing websites and such into the research folders. Which, the answer is probably in the book. ;) Thanks, Gwen for always answering our questions and being accessible.
That’s how I originally learned too, Melanie. I like to explore. ;-) That’s great that it’s helping you visualize your stories better. Plotters can set it all out in advance, pantsers like us can see our structure as it grows. It keeps us both on track.
Congrats on getting your book up on Amazon! I’ve had great luck creating both EPUBs and MOBIs with Scrivener.
Importing websites is something that’s become more difficult as websites incorporate more fancy stuff like flash and javascript and frames… I have a couple of posts on my Scrivener Tips page (under the Scrivener Corner tab on my website) that might help. One talks about using Evernote as an intermediary for importing web pages. The other–and my preferred method these days–is about using References to save the links to web pages rather than importing them. Thanks!
I’ll take a look on the site and see if they help. Thanks!
Love scrivener. I’m impatient, so mid-manuscript I discover crap by pushing buttons and swearing. I learned to number pages when compiling to .doc, but could not see them, until I emailed the project and opened from the sent box. (Mac – no word) Grrr.
Just starting a new project, so excited to try everything. Thanks so much!
LOL, what an image, kellylouiseallen. ;-) Good luck with the new project!
I thinking of changing over since I found a nice online course. Can I import from Storyist?
Thanks
Hi, Michael. The best thing to do is export your manuscript from Storyist to RTF format, then import the RTF into a new Scrivener project. You can then use Documents–>Split–>At Selection to break up the single document into scenes or chapters. Hope that helps!
I was gifted with Scrivener software, and it remains mostly unopened on my computer. I’ve played with it a bit, but found it a little overwhelming. I intend to go back, and learn how to work it, but keep putting it off. Your post is nudging me in that direction. I was especially seduced by your opening description of the teacher who encourages the purple sun. Thanks for the encouraging info.
I hope you give it a try, Bernadette! Think about what you really need to do and focus there without worrying about everything else. For example, create a project (I recommend starting with the Blank template), add a text document (actually, there is one already there for you) and start writing. When you’re ready for a new section/scene/chapter, create another text document and write some more.
The rest can come as you’re ready for it. :-)
Forgot to add this about Scrivener: You don’t have to understand all the bells and whistles for it to be useful. I still have a lot to learn, but even with just knowing the basics, it’s helped so much.
Exactly, gracedenise! Thanks. :-)
Great article. If people are curious, I’ve written a fairly detailed tutorial on how to compile for Kindle using Scrivener. You can find it here: https://jeremyleejames.com/scrivener-how-to-compile-with-style-tutorial/
Thanks, Jeremy!
Thanks, Jeremy. Some great info at your link that I’ll be making use of.
I’ve been using Scrivener for almost three years now I think. I honestly don’t know how I’d be able to function without it anymore. I am so sloppy with notes, online references, images, and story structure. Scrivener just naturally helps me keep my slop in buckets that create organization for me.
Two things I love about Scrivener the most:
1. My Story Idea binder. All my initial ideas for projects are now in one single file, and it’s always open on my computer. One or two clicks and the sentence or scene or even just a title that came to me out of nowhere gets popped into the world and becomes part of a broader system I can see right there in front of me. It’s all there in an organized, easy to review set of folders by year. I even went back through my notebooks beginning in 1988 before I was writing full-time and created folders for each year’s worth of notes. I’ve got a list of 36 project ideas for 2014 and 2015 alone just waiting for me.
2. This is the one that just makes me happy as a peach in July. I have four unpublished books all probably 90% complete (going back to 1988) and all written using MS Word. This summer I began the process of transferring the first of these one chapter at a time into Scrivener. As I did so, I read through each chapter. So as I went, I was re-visiting the structure and content of my book, slotting in notes and new thoughts every step of the way using Scrivener’s handy annotation, comments and notes functions. Truly a marvelous experience (and eye-opening) for a sloppy writer like me.
David, I loved this: “Scrivener just naturally helps me keep my slop in buckets that create organization for me.” ;-) Your Story Idea project is a great idea. I have a similar one that I call Playground, where I can jot down ideas and try out things that aren’t part of a working project.
It’s cool that you’re getting your older manuscripts into projects. I hope the process helps you complete them!
oooooh! Background pictures?!
I love Scrivener more and more every tip.
Thanks for a GREAT (and timely, for me) post.
GailAnsel: I know, right? :-D
I love the comparison to Mary Poppins’ bag! I’ve got your book, and am eager to try out Scrivener. Thanks for the tips.
Thanks, Carey! I know you’re super busy, but I hope you get a chance to check it out. :-)
Welcome, Gwen. I love Scrivener! When I was getting started, I watched the video tutorial all the way thru for an overview, then went back and watched only the (basic) parts that applied to me. It was time well spent, and less overwhelming than trying to learn it all at once. As someone mentioned above, you don’t need to know all the bells and whistles to get started.
I’m looking forward to your future posts.
Thanks, Cindy! That’s a great way to approach it, and pretty much what I recommend to everyone who’s getting started. It’s good to know what Scrivener offers so you can find it later when you’re ready, but the beginner just needs the basics. :-)
Finally “get it” Gwen. Love the teacher & puple sun analogy. You give me confidence!
Ha, thanks, Diana!
As an alumna of your online classes, I can attest to the benefits of using Scrivener over any other word processing system. I especially like the way it syncs from desktop to laptop (I use Dropbox for my cloud). This saves printing documents to carry from home office to coffee shop.
I am also a self-appointed disciple of Scrivener and have “converted” several of my friends to its user friendly operation once you get past a wee bit of a learning curve.
Jeannie Leighton
Good reminder, Jeannie. And for those who don’t know, one Scrivener license is good for multiple computers in the same household (I think it’s five), as long as they’re both on the same operating system.
Thanks for spreading the word. :-)
Entering here as that’s what I would like to point out. I have difficulty working on my project from another computer even though I use Dropbox to save my projects. I get “conflict” messages that scare me and sometimes I get a blank project that’s even more scarier.
As for my favorite feature, that’s the snapshot. Capturing a version of a scene before hacking it to pieces, is awesome. If you change your mind, with one click you get your previous version.
Great post! Thanks, Gwen!
Hi, MM. I understand your concern about working with a syncing service. I definitely recommend having your automated backup set up.
A couple of things to keep in mind. You need to make sure the file is closed on the first computer before you try to open it on another. Also, be sure it’s fully synced before you turn off your computer or internet.
If you got a blank project, that means you copied over the project.scrivx (the structure only) without all of the other files. Are you on Windows? If so, always make sure you’re copying the .scriv file (looks like a folder in Windows).
Here’s a good guide to working with Scrivener using a cloud service: https://scrivener.tenderapp.com/help/kb/cloud-syncing/using-scrivener-with-cloud-sync-services.
Yes, snapshots are awesome, and a key part of my revisions process. Thanks!
Gwen, welcome to WU! You know I’m a power user and fiddle often with workarounds in Scrivener. My current favorite feature: stacked corkboards–where you can see the entire structure of your story on the corkboard. What can I say about it, but WOW!
Look forward to your posts and to continue learning from the guru herself!
Hey, Rebeca! You ARE a power user. Stacked corkboards are very cool. It’ll be good when they come to the Windows version. Thanks!
Best part of Scrivener so far (and I consider myself a power user, thanks to your courses, Gwen, book, and many suggestions)?
That whenever I need something NEW – it’s already there, and all I have to do is dig it out and figure out how to use it.
I just found Tables, and I’m using them like a spreadsheet to track final edits.
Best of all, Scrivener doesn’t fight you. And comes with a FULL manual which you can consult when you get to the places you need more (mine is so highlighted and color coded – half the text in places).
It’s like getting one of those presents where they keep mailing you citrus fruit every month. Amazing piece of software – and unbelievably inexpensive compared to the time you save.
I have MS Office, and use the pieces as necessary – but for writing fiction (and many other things now – I also use it for projects: new project, open new file), the is simply no comparison.
Hi, Gwen!
That’s great, Alicia. I’m happy to have been a part of your learning process. Had to laugh at: “It’s like getting one of those presents where they keep mailing you citrus fruit every month.” So true! And I could really use that basket. We put away a ton of fruit in our house. ;-)
I don’t use Scrivener, but I do think it’s a fabulous invention. Just stopped by to say hi. ;)
LOL, Sarah. Thanks! :)
Gwen, I think Scrivener is a great tool, and I’ve used it for a couple of projects. However, I had a fairly complicated project that involved importing a couple of hundred files of differing formats (some blog posts, other docs in HTML, some Word docs) and making a book out of them.
The organizational flexibility of Scrivener worked great for that, because lots of things had to be shifted around, but I couldn’t get some things to work (problems with inconsistent leading, variant head/subhead styles) for the varying ebook outputs, no matter how many compile tweaks I tried, and going through the manuals and online tips as best I could. Maybe I just didn’t try hard enough.
I wanted to be able to look at the doc in native HTML or XML or whatever it compiles in, but I couldn’t figure out how to do that. Not that I’m an expert there, but I can blunder my way through the corrections I needed. I think.
I had to return to Word for the final polish of the book and work with other HTML programs and Calibre to get it to where I wanted it. Scrivener probably had all the capability I needed, but I couldn’t figure it out.
Tom: Compile is definitely the trickiest part of Scrivener. You can fix almost any style issue there, but it’s hard to know where to look. My Compile class is 9 days long, and could probably run a month!
The key to Compile is the Formatting tab. If you can master that one, you’ll be able to fix 80% of your issues there.
Also, if you copy and paste into Scrivener, you might find it helpful to use Edit–>Paste and Match Style to keep everything looking the same. I’d recommend setting your default style in Scrivener–>Preferences (Mac) or Tools–>Options (Win) first.
Good luck!
I’ve had Scrivener for a while now. I knew it would be a worthy purchase for me, creatively, the moment I learned about it. However, I am one of the people you mentioned who didn’t immediately pick up on its use basics, and reading all the manual seemed so overwhelming when all I wanted to do was write, as another commenter said. This post has inspired me to begin my next project on Scrivener though and give it a fair chance. I will be revisiting the basics you’ve outlined here. *bookmarking post* Thank you, Gwen!
That’s a great approach, Ashley. Good luck with your next project!
Which “big name” writers are using Scrivener? Anybody know?
David: I don’t have a list in my head, but here’s a testimonial page from the L&L website: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/testimonials.php. There are also several screenwriters, like the guy who wrote Luther. But I’d love to hear others’ responses. :-)
How can I insert page numbers? I like to have a specific amount of pages per chapter and it was easy to see that in MS Word, but I don’t know how to apply them in Scrivener.
evoletyvaine: So, here’s one of the areas where Scrivener is very different. It’s not a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) interface like Word. There are very powerful reasons for that–like being able to change the format on the fly when compiling–but it can be hard for some people to get used to.
The reason they don’t do page numbers is because the layout will be different depending on the settings and output type you choose when you compile. I’ve switched to thinking in terms of word count instead of pages when determining where my chapters fall.
If you’re on a Mac–and coming eventually to Windows–there is a way to approximate Word’s Page Layout View. Go to View–>Page View–>Show Page View.
Beyond that, you might have to compile your manuscript to get a sense of where things fall. Great question!
I love Scrivener, and I’ve gotten several other people to buy it. It took some time to learn, but I played with it and took Gwen’s online classes. The classes really helped! I can’t write without it.
Glad the class helped, Laurie. Hope your writing is going well. :-)
I use Dragon voice recognition software and found it doesn’t work properly with Scrivener. Words wind up without spaces in between them. I’m guessing it’s a Dragon problem rather than a Scrivener problem, but it made the program useless for me.
Hi, Kris. I’ve heard varying reviews on using Dragon with Scrivener. I think those on Windows using Dragon Naturally Speaking have better luck than those using Dragon Dictate on the Mac.
And, the guys at Literature & Latte (Scrivener company) are aware and always trying to work on compatibility, so maybe check back when Scrivener 3.0 comes out.
If you still want to use the organizational functionality and other capabilities of Scrivener, you could dictate into something else and then copy/paste into Scrivener documents. But I totally understand not wanting to spend the time on multiple programs. Thanks!
I use Dragon with Word (2010), and it has trouble with that program too — not formatting problems, but rather the issue that when your document gets over a certain not-too-large size, it takes a very long time to insert each new bit of text you’re dictating, which totally breaks any flow you might get going.
My first solution was to work with a Wordpad document alongside the Word file and dictate into that, then copy-paste from there to the Word doc. It would work with Scrivener, too. (More recently I wrote some macros that let me dictate into a short Word doc and transfer from there to the actual novel with a hotkey.)
Great idea, James. Thanks!
I recently read your piece on Scrivener in Writer Unboxed. How does the software work on a piece finished and ready for rewrite/editing?
tjholt2014: Personally, I think Scrivener shines just as much–if not more–in the revision phase. You can take snapshots of each document before making changes so you can keep the earlier version (and even roll back to it if you want). You can use the color coding (Label) or Status to track where each document is in the revision process. You can pick up exactly where you left off in each document…
Here’s an article I wrote about how I use Scrivener for revisions: https://gwenhernandez.com/2014/02/19/revisions-in-scrivener/. Maybe that will help you visualize it.
Before you can start, of course, you’d have to create a new Scrivener project, import your existing manuscript, and then divide it up into whatever size sections you prefer to work with. If you have scene dividers already in your manuscript–like hashtags–using Import and Split will even break it up for you. Hope that helps!
Super post. I have used Scrivener for two and a half years, go back to the tutorial sometimes to learn more, but I still only use the most basic tools. You have definitely given me some ideas as to how to get much more out of it., and have inspired me to delve in deeper. Oh, and appreciated the screen shot of a project. Will check out your training Gwen.
jeanne229: Thanks for sharing. I think it’s good for people to realize that you can do a lot with just the basics. But, it’s also good to slowly look for new-to-you features as your comfort level grows so you don’t miss out of helpful capabilities. Thanks!
Hi Gwen! I took your class six years ago and I recommend it to this day to others just getting started with Scrivener.
What I love is the ability to customize it to work for you. I have my own project templates and saved custom compile settings.
I’ve recently set up separate projects as story bibles for my two mystery series. I keep characters, locations, and research in those projects so it’s all available in one place when I work on a new novel. The project for each novel just contains the manuscript, front, and back matter. No more hunting through where I had Character X to find out what color his eyes were.
Wow, that’s great, Elise! You’ve become a true power user. Thanks for sharing. :-D
I’ve been using Scrivener for three years now and could never go back to Word! I’ve taken all of Gwen’s classes and read the book. Even took the compile class twice. That helped.
I’m in revision mode now and really appreciating snapshots! Can’t wait for the stacked corkboards to come to the Windows version. I’ll be storyboarding a new book after the first of the year.
I am writing a series that will be at least six books. And I’m keeping the entire series in one project. Makes things so much easier! There are still features I’m not yet using. But occasionally I learn something new and fall in love with Scrivener all over again.
Hey, Barbara! Another power user in the house. ;-) So glad Scrivener is working out for you.
Stacked corkboards are definitely cool. One way I work around this is to wait until I’m done with the first draft to organize my book into chapter folders. I use four Part folders, but you could choose to have none, and maybe mark possible chapter beginnings or ends with an asterisk (or other character) in the scene name (e.g. *On the run). That way you could select the Draft/Manuscript folder and view the entire storyline.
Good luck with that six-book series!!
Love Scrivener, but wish it had a timeline feature. Does anyone have a work around for that? What do users do to keep track of their timeline? Apologies if this has been covered, but there are 70 comments! And on my phone there is no easy way to search.
Hi, Monica. I guess it depends on what kind of timeline you need. I’ve used a spreadsheet to create a timeline and then imported the result into Scrivener for easy viewing. Whatever you use when working with a word processor would still work, but can be imported into your project.
You could use a mind-mapping software like Scapple (made by the Scrivener developers and syncs with Scrivener) or MindNode. Or something more hardcore like Aeon Timeline (developed by a fan of Scrivener, syncs with Scrivener).
Any of these could be imported as an image or native file, or you could use a reference to link to the original timeline if you need to make changes to it periodically and always want the current version.
To keep track of where in the timeline each scene/chapter falls, you could use either the Label or Status tag. Sometimes, I just add it to the scene document name so I can see it at the top of the editor (e.g. To the funeral – Mon 1/5 10am).
Hope that helps. Would love to see other responses.
Thanks for the reply, Gwen! I actually recently bought the Aeon Timeline software. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but i’m getting better. BUT I didn’t know it synced with Scrivener! Awesome! Thanks for the tip!
Your article makes me more excited and interested in Scrivener than I’ve been before, Gwen. But I have expenses to pay off. Doesn’t Scrivener come with a hefty price tag? What if I try the week trial, love it, but then can’t buy it? This is my worry.
I love the sound of the backgrounds; I’m a very visual person. Being able to have all my sticky notes, notebook notes, and story-related images accessible without leaving my writing document sounds great. And! Full screen with no lurking tempting Firefox icon sounds amazing!!
Maybe someone will gift it to me for Christmas…I shall put it on my wish list.
Ok! Did some research, found out it’s only $40. But here’s a question: if I import images, etc. from My Docs to Scrivener, do they disappear from their location in My docs, or are they still there? I’d like to keep them on both. I’m going to try out the free trial first; seems like it will be great for revision work! :)
cskinnaird: Remarkably affordable for everything it does, right? If you import images, they’re just copied into Scrivener and your original will still be on your hard drive (just like with Word). Hope you enjoy it!
I haven’t done much writing for the past (nearly) years, but I have seven years of published articles I have been dying to collate into an eBook. Would you believe I had never heard of Scrivener until yesterday?
It came up in a comment on something else I was reading and I liked the idea of being able to colour code your work.
(I remember. Pro-Blogger mentioned it)
Synchronicity? When the time is right, the man appears. Or somerhinf like that!
I am sold.
I’ll get your Dummies book, too.
Thanks for this article and thanks David, for including me in your collated newspaper. Otherwise I may have missed Joanna Penn’s RT on Twitter.
Lesley: I think Scrivener would work fabulously for that. I love those moments when exactly what you need appears exactly when you need it. Good luck with the collection!
New to Scrivener but love it so far. Thanks for posting.
Glad to hear it, Brenda. Thanks for taking a minute to comment. :-)
I love Scrivener! I am one of those people who when in Starbucks and I see someone is writing (it doesn’t matter what they are writing)…I approach them and tell them of the benefits of Scrivener. I have made so much money for Literature and Latte…lol
darowley: Wow, now that’s commitment. ;-)
Great writing as always, Gwen. I like this useful article and seeing your insights here in yet another place (writerunboxed)
Thanks, Alan! :-D
Nice to see you here Gwen. Your book and web site hints made transitioning into Scrivener a breeze. It’s been a few years and I can honestly say it’s the best software I’ve every used -I could have used it in my other careers: lab notebook or web site copy.
Thanks, Cristine! I’m glad you’re still using it. I totally agree on other uses. Scrivener may have been designed for creative writing, but I would have loved to have it for my thesis in grad school. In fact, I just gave a workshop on the software to a group of librarians at Yale because they’re getting questions about it. Some of my students are genealogists or lawyers too. :-) I appreciate you stopping by!