[Writer Post] Scrivener – The Initial Assessment
You know your schedule’s a little bit full when you sit down at your keyboard to put together a writer blog post and look at the clock and wonder what you have the most time for before the next thing on your list – writing the post or getting on the treadmill so your whole exercise momentum doesn’t go completely out the window… I’m going to try to get both in in the next hour…
Last week I bought and downloaded Scrivener for Windows (because unless a money truck dumps on me -which I wouldn’t object too there’s no going Mac anytime in the near future – so don’t even say it). I’ve lived pretty much on the idea that Word Processors (WORD, WordPerfect, etc) are fine for writing. And they can be, so I’ve held off getting a dedicated writing program. Scrivener for Windows is about a generation back from the Mac Version, but I’ve heard good things about it, and it’s remarkably affordable.
I have used dedicate scriptwriting software – and if you write scripts this is important. Scriptwriting has SERIOUS format demands that you just can’t accomplish well with tab settings. It’s just a WHOLE LOT EASIER with a dedicated program. Then I listened to a podcast of a panel I couldn’t make at ConJOUR – Technology for Writers from Paul Cooley’s Shadow Publications. It should be on Dead Robots’ Society soon as well. And decided to give Scrivener a try… I’d downloaded the Beta a while back, but never delved into it.
Why Scrivener and not some other program? Recommendations. Lou Anders LOVES this program (and I almost never argue with major editors). I know other authors beyond the ones talking in the podcast above who LOVE this program. And I’m in some early stages of some projects, so I can use them as guniea pigs.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:
I should’ve done this before. Right now I’m working on a novel rewrite that’s in a couple of different notebooks. I’ve put off the daunting task of actually TYPING stuff because in WORD – with a full file document, I really tend to work linearly. I’ve tried doing a file per chapter, but the merges into a single document and page numbers and stuff just get in the way.
Scrivener allows for full file access but also to work “piecemeal”. I can type in Chapter 2 or Chapter 6 which ever notebook is more convenient without worrying about leaving space and stuff.
I also have a short story I need to work on that has a beginning and a couple of scenes vying for my attention. I have those in a file all piecemeal to be moved around and made pretty later. The story is due in April I have some wiggle room both in time and space.
I can see the advantages at the moment. So I’m going to keep working on it. I can see where the ability to move and fix things easily will come in handing in another novel I was working on where I knew in writing it that I was rambling off into a corner – so I sent in the proverbial virtual ninjas to kill everyone and then start the next plot point. That novel actually has a treatment/outline, so I could work the project that way.
We’ll see how it goes. I did actually go through the interactive tutorial to see how it works before just trying to muddle through it – and I do recommend that. A LOT. They also have other tutorials on the Scrivener website.
It really is – so far to me – worth the $40 investment for this test. There are features that I may test out later when I have a clearer head and schedule that might help me corral the plot bunnies and set up some better ways of dealing with them, but that’s a couple of months down the road. Right now I’m trying get closer to finishing what I’ve started.
If you’re looking for a way to help with formatting or organization or just aren’t a linear thinker. This is a tool that could help you organize thoughts, scenes, research, and characters. Check it out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
3 Comments
I’ve so wanted to get into Scrivner or LiquidBinder (esp. since I’m not a linear writer, ever) but I’m so wary of the learning curve. I used one of the first Scrivner versions for Windows a while ago and gave up on it because it seemed clunky. Sounds like it’s improved a lot, but how would you describe the learning curve for it? Steep, mild, ???
If you take advantage of the tutorial (which I TOTALLY recommend), the learning curve is at the top end of mild. The tutorial takes a couple of hours, but you see how the basic features work, and how to use them with some of the things you already have. For my slightly begun projects, I’ve imported those then started breaking out the newer elements. And let’s put it this way… I STARTED the program and the tutorial while in a hospital waiting room waiting on my MIL’s knee replacement surgery outcomes and recovery – I’m learning and using the program with those kinds of distractions going on. That’s gotta tell you something.
Scrivener’s learning curve is something we are always trying to make easier; it’s definitely a top level priority this year as we take Scrivener to the mobile platforms. We have some ideas on how to distil and communicate the fundamental concepts and power of Scrivener but it is difficult; especially when most people are stuck in the ‘Word’ paradigm and sometimes forget they once had to learn to use it too. All worthwhile things, in my opinion, take time and effort to master. I believe Einstein once said that things should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler – something like that. Truth is, if you used 30-40% of Scrivener’s functionality, most folks could do pretty much all they needed to, and forget about the rest. But, yes we need to work on this and make it as simple as possible.
As far as Windows improvements, it’s come a long way since beta, and even since it was released in Nov 2011. We constantly adding new features and improvements.
Anyway, I enjoyed reading the posts – thank you.
Lee