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F is for … Front Matter

Looking at all the topics listed in the Index of Scrivener Posts, I was spoilt for choice as to what to highlight for today. Clearly, the Formatting feature has resulted in many more blog posts than any other topic, so if you were to be tempted to delve into that, since things changed when Scrivener 3 was released, the best place to start might be with ‘Formatting with S3: All projects, this project, this document‘.

However, I chose the Front Matter feature. Why? Because understanding book formatting is a follow on from manuscript formatting and, as ever, requires some of our essential executive functions.

1. The ability to anticipate what’s coming up and make plans accordingly – see also number 8, flexibility!
2. The ability to organise – thoughts, ideas, the scenes/chapters of my novels, …
3. Reliability – doing what we agreed when we said it would be done (or earlier!)
4. Getting up and getting on with the work – ie self motivation
5. Managing our time to achieve the best results
6. Paying attention to detail (quality …)
7. Remembering stuff that’s important
8. Flexibility – willingness to make changes in our plans or our approach
9. Determination – ability to keep going
10. Willingness to reflect on our own contribution to the team (and learn from it)

Scrivener gem

You can set up different versions of your Front Matter (and End Matter) to suit different audiences: you the writer, you the editor, your editor, your beta readers, your audience who like to read using their iPad/Kindle, your readers who like to hold a book in their hands … 

If you have time today, read this blog post. If not, make a note to come back to this post another day.

Note especially my four versions of Front Matter.

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