Ever felt like kicking yourself?
For years, I’ve had the Scrivener software on my computer, but not found time to use it until now.
Why not? On first sight, this sophisticated package looked so complicated, even IT-savvy me was put off. Writer friends were raving about how brilliant Scrivener was, how it transformed their writing, but I wasn’t listening.
Why now? Fate intervened. A friend sent me a link to a video demo. Tempted to watch, I was amazed by Scrivener’s power and potential.
Boy, did I feel like kicking myself!
All those draft NaNoWriMo novels, in Word, and my research notes in a state of total disarray!
This November, I’ll be writing my sixth NaNoWriMO novel and I will most definitely be using Scrivener software. I might even change from being a pantser to a plotter. Who knows!
So, as the ScrivenerVirgin, in the next few weeks, I’ll be reporting on my incredibly steep but enjoyable learning curve, mastering all that Scrivener software has to offer to us writers.
Tomorrow, I’ll be listing some things I’ve discovered so far and like most about Scrivener.
Want to join me? If you’ve had Scrivener software on your computer but never got to grips with it, this is your chance to hitch a ride. You’re planning to take part in NaNoWriMo 2015, you too could be writing your next novel in Scrivener software. If the existence of Scrivener is news to you, I beg you to check it out – it could change your life!
If you are on a Mac like me, click on this link for more details. Scrivener is also available for a Windows platform.
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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Also … check out the Scrivener Tips
on my ScrivenerVirgin Facebook page.
Amanda
28 January 2016 at 13:45I have the PC version of Scrivener and while it is really great in many ways, the fact that is has a LOT of features missing compared to the Mac version, drives me insane. Today, I did an export of a file to Kindle version and despite the fact that in the original the letters after numbers in dates (like th in 5th etc) were NOT superscripted, Scrivener insisted on superscripting them and using the same size font, making them look dreadful! I can’t find how to stop this and the Help and Scrivener for Dummies book are based on the Mac version and not much help at all…
Anyone else finding the PC version frustrating?
anne.rainbow@btinternet.com
28 January 2016 at 14:12Hi Amanda
Commiserations. I was a died-in-the-wool PC user for half a century and only converted to a Mac relatively recently, but will never go back. Somewhere there must be an auto-correct setting which searches on 1st, 2nd etc and sets the superscripts for you. The fact that the superscripts are same size must be down to choices on formatting; and again this should be controllable. I’ve not explored this side of Scrivener yet, but I’m hoping someone else reading this post can point you (and me) in the right direction for a solution. Good luck! (PS: As an editor, in dates, I’d have deleted all occurrences of st/th/rd – to give a cleaner look. If you want 1st in running text, I would avoid the abbreviation and use full-form: first.)
Amanda
28 January 2016 at 15:00I genuinely cannot find the settings and find the whole PC version infuriating in the export. Writing is great – but the export function is so clunky and I’ve been through every menu to try and find these superscripts and the settings, to no avail!
I’ve got the nd, th etc in (at least for some of it) because they are above diary entries relating to 1920s and although it would look cleaner without them, I’m not sure it would be authentic.
Thanks for trying to help!
R.D. Shipley
9 March 2021 at 00:04Indeed. I do use the windows version. It is powerful, compared to word or anything of that nature. That said, it is like parachuting into the Congo in one’s boxers; you are at the mercy of a force which you have no control over. I suppose I will have to purchase a Mac at some point. I have admired them since I saw the Lisa, but felt the price prohibitive for the software I ran. Now it seems quite different. My publishing software is the key program I wish to run now. Perhaps when version 3 comes out for Windows things will improve. I certainly hope so. If not then the soon to update Mac may require consideration. I have one novel completed and another I am starting. I need to epub, but it is like creating a Rube Goldberg.
I begin to see why no one has written much on how to make things work on the PC…
Stuart Lennon
28 September 2015 at 09:50Well – I have taken the plunge and bought Scrivener. Took on part of the tutorial today – and my head hurts! I will persevere though.
anne.rainbow@btinternet.com
28 September 2015 at 17:08You won’t regret it, promise!
You can plan to your hearts content – or just write – but not until 1 november if you are doing NaNoWriMo.
Patsy
13 September 2015 at 12:23We never know whether these things will help or not until we try them, do we?
rainbowmaker
13 September 2015 at 18:36Very true, Patsy.
Sometimes, the effort in ‘trying’ is too much, so we don’t. With Scrivener, like many other modern software, the level of sophistication is so high, it’s a challenge and a half.
For me to write this blog, I’ve also had to come to grips with WordPress and other software … all great fun though.
And I’m hoping others will take the plunge with Scrivener, if I lead the way.