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Tutorial: Learning how to use a sophisticated piece of software like Scrivener takes time and energy and, if you are like me, both can be in short supply!

It’s not just knowing what every item on every menu does, it’s also appreciating how this magnificent software, with all its buttons and bells, might help a writer – like you and me – to achieve what we need to do: write that novel.

So, where do I go, for an overview of any new software I install? Nowadays, software providers go some way to helping new users via the Help option, and Literature & Latte certainly tick that box for me.

The first item on offer is the Scrivener Manual and it’s 542 pages long! The four pages of contents – with each topic hyperlinked to the relevant section – make it easy to track down what you want. When you have nothing else to do, this is a must-read?

Let’s be honest! Most of us will only resort to a manual when we get stuck. To get started, you need a demonstration!

Through the Scrivener Help option, you can access both Interactive tutorials and Video tutorials.

The Interactive tutorial is a Scrivener project file so it provides an instant example of how your project will (should!) look. The process is presented step by step, and Step 15 explains how to import your Word document into Scrivener …

Does it involve a lot of reading though?

The Video tutorials come to the rescue! Each one focuses on a single topic and takes you by the hand through a particular process.

If you’re brand new to Scrivener, like I was only a few weeks ago, I recommend you spend 9 minutes and 57 seconds watching this one: Intro to Scrivener. Then, when you have time, explore the other 20+ videos accessible via the Help menu.

The Literature & Latte video tutorials are also available on YouTube, along with many produced by Scrivener ‘experts’ who want you to share their joy in using Scrivener.  Check out this selection of free YouTube videos!

In my next post, on Wednesday, I’ll share with you the video sources of instruction that I found most useful. 

The ScrivenerVirgin blog is a journey of discovery:
a step-by-step exploration of how Scrivener can change how a writer writes.
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