Scrivener ramblings, mostly to myself, really

[paragraphs]

My love-hate relationship with Scrivener is long and ridiculous. When I started this current ms (well, technically this one), I started it in Scrivener. Single POV, straightforward YA fantasy, I thought. I entered it in the Hodderscape thing and barreled onward, mostly writing it by hand then typing it up into Scrivener.

Then I got annoyed that I could only use Scrivener at home - so I took it out, put it in Word, and used the Outline feature to create a Scrivener-like outline on the side. We were happy.

Got a wild hair and decided you know what, why not just keep it in Scrivener - and change the POV! From first person to third! BACK TO SCRIVENER. Wait, I realized dammit, it is MUCH easier to change things overall in Word. Back to word.

In Word it stayed, and grew, for a long time. But as I got closer to the end of Aneli's story, I realized just how incomplete it was. I love the story, the world, and realized her POV was not enough to tell the story I wanted to tell. Since it just so happened I had another fantasy sitting around 15 years or more that was in this world, I considered - could the two be combined into a whole? Turns out they absolutely could. So I combined them, kinda willy-nilly - Aneli, the YA story, was set apart from the original fantasy - she is of the people who are my other peoples' enemy, though she grew up a refugee far away from the rest of her real people. So that was pretty easy, honestly.

After that, I printed the whole dang 220,000 thing out and went through it, part by part, and took a full Moleskin notebook to outline all the various characters and their threads. And that is when I realized I needed to see the overall picture at a glance because I knew I needed to shift things around. But how to do that? Notecards? Spreadsheet?

Scrivener.

SO BACK IT GOES INTO SCRIVENER...

And I am glad of it. I LOVE the notecard feature! The Outliner, which takes from the notecards, is fabulous too. I'm now working my way through each chapter, moving parts around easily in the notecard section and adding blank ones for a few characters who need more. It seems like an awful lot of work for a book not finished, but being able to tell at a quick glance what is going on. I make the notecards different colors for the different characters, and use the status feature to point out which ones still need drafting. I added Scrivener for Ipad so I can haul it around with me and leave the computer behind.

I keep setting goals for this story, finished by X date, but I think now that I can say another five months and I will have the draft done. Finally. For real.

This story is consuming my life, and I love that, though I know I am starting to hermit a bit over it. But that is what I have missed so much--wanting to be totally immersed in a world. My last 2 books didn't really do that for me. They were a chore to write. Not this, not now. Getting ready to go to Seattle for a week too (Tuesday through the next Tuesday) and I'll have lots of time to work on it then.

And that is it for today's ramblings.

Comments

[blackbird_song]

So I'll never, ever write something with that many words (I think), but I'm fascinated by what you say about Scrivener. I've heard of it before, but haven't really delved into it. Word has always been about as decent to me as Word can be, but I've got some complicated stories to write and/or rewrite. If you get a moment, could you tell me what you think its strengths and weaknesses are and how expensive it is? Does it work on Mac? Curious, soon-to-sleep minds want to make others tell them what to think! ;D

[paragraphs]

I need to do a Scrivener post! The advantages: the main interface has several features that make it superior to word. The Binder, on the lefthand side as you look at it, is the control panel basically for the chapters - I use a chapter format, and label each one with whichever character is the main POV. When I had just one POV, I labeled each with labels designed to signal where I was in the story (inciting incident, ally smack-down, mirror moment, etc.). When one clicks on each chapter's headline on the left, that chapter's scrivenings (what they call it lol) is the main part of the page, and on the right hand side is a notecard up at the top left, below that is a space for making notes. Up at the top of scrivener you can choose either the scrivenings area, the notecard area, or the outline which automatically generates from the notecards, if that makes sense. I'll post a screenshot in another post.

[used_songs]

I really want to read this story!

I can't imagine keeping track of something that long and complex. Scrivener honestly sounds like a great tool for the job.

[queenoftheskies]

I had a version of Scrivner on an old computer, but have no idea whether I could resurrect it on this computer or not. I don't know if they'll deactivate it on one and let me download it over.

I didn't really have a chance to get friendly with it, but I love what you've said about the notecard feature and would love to give it a try.

Happy writing!

And hope you have a great time in Seattle!

[paragraphs]

Once you pay for it, it is yours and yes you can download it on any computer. I tried to make a video of how I have mine set up but I suck at talking! :)

[theemdash]

I'm so glad you're feeling consumed by this world. That's always the best feeling. ♥

Yeah, I synch up Scrivener and take my novel places on my iPad. The iPad app isn't quite as robust (mostly because of the screen size), but it's great for being able to draft and edit.

Do you use Revision Mode in Scrivener on the desktop?

[paragraphs]

What is this revision mode of which you speak? :) Yeah I don't see actually writing on the ipad - maybe, I do have a tiny keyboard for it - but being able to tote it around with me and to work so I can check out the notecards and handwrite DOES make me very happy.

I tried to look up Revision Mode - I'm on a PC so maybe my version doesn't have it?

[theemdash]

Maybe the PC doesn't have it. I haven't been able to find it on the iPad version.

Basically it changes the color of everything you type in new to a different color. It's not quite as robust as Track Changes, but it's a pretty good alternative for tracking what you added during what pass (or during what writing session for GYWO purposes).

[paragraphs]

Oh cool, no that doesn't seem to exist for the PC version. Bummer! Though at work I have to use track changes and it drives me bonkers. :)

And yeah (going back to previous comment) I am very happy these days with this story. This is finally what I needed it to be. What a journey!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Sigh. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get chapters of a big project into Scrivener and use those features. I keep working through the tutorial, and thinking I understand it, but every time, the ms part does not work.

The only thing I am using Scrivener for is the corkboard for story notes. Which I realize is like driving a Porsche to the end of the block to put a letter in the postbox.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

When you use the corkboard, and make the notecards, it should create along the lefthand side folders in the main binder. Does it not do that for you? Then you click on a folder in the binder, and that takes you to the writing page where your text goes. I definitely benefited from having a local friend teach me how to use it. I have had to play with it A LOT to get it be how I want it to be.

Now my fingers itch to do a tutorial... :)

When you have it set up with your writing in the binder, then you can have the split screen so the notecard and a notes area is on the right. I like putting odds and ends in the note area that I need to remember.

I know Scrivener does a ton more than what i use it for, but I could spend weeks making it pretty and not accomplish the writing.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I've tried several times, and can't seem to get it. I am very tech stupid, and get frustrated wasting an entire day and getting nowhere, but every six months or so I bash my head against it again. Sigh. I have an enormous project coming up and would love something like that, but I'm afraid I'll have to stick to my gazillion bits of paper, plus some of my online resources.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

:) I hear you.

Do you use Word? I found the outline/headers feature super helpful as far as navigating the whole shebang.

AHHh just to sit down with you for thirty minutes! ARGH!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Any chance you are attending Bubonicon in Albuquerque in August? I'm going to be a GOH there.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

NO.... I have not heard of this particular one! That is awesome though that you will be GOH. I'll be madly saving for Sirens by then too. I need more vacation time. :)

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Darn!

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

There's got to be someone out there who can help you, hands-on. :(

I shall jump on a plane and be there midafternoon. LOL!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

The only other writer I know lives 35 miles away (a couple of hours in LA traffic) and has no idea about Scrivener. Ah, well.

[aseas_words]

I'm so glad for you that you're immersed in this story and enjoying writing!

I'm stuck writing a book of research for at least the next year... but at least it's on a topic I care a lot about!