Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2018!

Looking back, 2017 had its ups and downs, but it was a pretty good year for me. I published Blindsided, and finished writing and revisions for Running Blind, created two new online courses for Scrivener 3, and gave my first international workshop in Canada.

I got into journaling for keeping track of my personal and professional goals, and to help reduce stress by thinking things through on paper. Another change came when I switched up my schedule to increase productivity. Both helped tremendously.

The new year should be busy and fun. In addition to Running Blind (out January 16th), I plan to release book 5 in the Men of Steele series toward the end of the year, as well as create additional Scrivener 3 courses and books, including those for the Windows version when it releases in 2018 (yay!).

My husband took a job in the Los Angeles area, so I'm starting off the year by moving into a new house (our stuff arrives Saturday!) in a new city (Redondo Beach), and looking forward to a slightly different lifestyle with more walks on the beach, more walking (and less driving in general), more exploration/travel, and less stuff.

How was your 2017? What's on your plate for 2018?

Thank you for being part of my online community. I hope the new year has fabulous things in store for you!

9 Comments

Sarah McElwee

1 / Jan / 2018

Best wishes for another happy and fulfilling year, Gwen!
When, oh when, will there be an on line course for Scrivener for Windows. I did your on line course but found it very apple biased and I am about to give Mr Scrivener up if you, my lifeline, cannot help!
PS I hope to get to the Getty Villa this year. Do you know any hotels/accommodation within walking distance of same. It is very hard to conceptualize these things as the complexity of LA overwhelms this Western Australian.
And I know you are (a) new to the town (b) NOT a travel agent – pretty cheeky of me to ask, eh? Sincerely,
Sarah McElwee … erstwhile student
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  2 / Jan / 2018
  
  Hi, Sarah! Thank you. I split my classes into separate Windows and Mac versions a few years ago, and I do have an online Scrivener for Windows course at ScrivenerClasses.com. If you want to wait until Scrivener 3 releases for Windows later this year, I’ll have a more streamlined and less expensive version for you.
  
  I don’t think I can help you with the walkable accommodations. I’m not very familiar with the area around the Getty Villa–just driven through a few times over the years–but I don’t believe that’s a very walkable part of town. Good luck!
John Rogers

2 / Jan / 2018

My 2018 will be good if I achieve the things on your list: walking the beach, less stuff, more writing. Speaking of writing, Scrivener has done you an enormous favor by creating Scrivener 3, which rips the guts out of the Compile function that your ardent students spent several hours learning in your fine course on Scrivener 2. So, we’re waiting with ‘bated breath for you to give us for Scriv 3 what Lit and Latte was unable to accomplish: clarity.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  2 / Jan / 2018
  
  John: Always worthy goals, right? 😉 I hear you on Compile. I know Keith was trying to make it easier, but for those of us who had mastered the old way, it’s a bit confusing. And still not terribly clear for newbies either. So, yes, good for me, I guess. My next course (likely February since the move and my kids’ winter break has messed with my schedule in a good way) will be on Compile. Good luck with your goals!
Bob Cochran

6 / Jan / 2018

Hi Gwen! I’d like to wish you a wonderful 2018 in all the ways important to you. When you posted about Scrivener 3, I decided I need to update to it also, so I recently bought the upgrade. I’ve been playing with it. I wrote about 9 pages of content as a short article using the “Default” template. Then I played with the Compile feature. I wanted to create a “front matter” page with my name and contact information for this on it and while I succeeded — it was a challenge to compose. I can’t seem to find a list of metadata keywords such as in the new version or information about how to customize the project title keyword. I shall have to take another of your classes because there are so many differences. So I agree with John, above: yes indeed, the Compile feature is quite different. I will look forward to taking one of your classes.
Bob Cochran

6 / Jan / 2018

I was trying to say “I cant seem to find a list of metadata keywords such as $wc…” above, but I enclosed the example in angle brackets and I think that caused your content filtering software to get rid of the entire reference to $wc (the word count of a Scrivener document.) Sorry for being seemingly incomprehensible…
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  6 / Jan / 2018
  
  No problem, Bob. I’ve had that problem with the angle brackets when composing blog posts too. Did you see that I have a free mini-course that covers most of the changes, new features, and differences in Scrivener 3? You can access it (no registration required) at https://scrivenerclasses.com/course/jump-into-scrivener-3-your-transition-guide-for-mac/.
  
  You should be able to find a list of the placeholder tags under Help>List of All Placeholders (they changed the menu name, and it doesn’t stand out so much now). It’s also in the user manual.
  
  Thanks for you kind wishes. Have a great 2018!
  - Bob Cochran
    
    7 / Jan / 2018
    
    Thank you for pointing me to your free class. I just completed it. I’ll take your paid class next month. I wish I had saved my Scrivener 2 application when I purchased the upgrade to Scrivener 3. I had imagined, at that time, that Scrivener 3 would automatically transfer my preferences settings from Scrivener 2. I was most annoyed when this didn’t happen. The dark composition mode interface in Scrivener 3 really threw me, too. I had it set up exactly the way I wanted in my Scrivener 2 projects and suddenly things are all dark when I use composition mode in Scrivener 3. I love composition mode. The way I write is to bring up the document and keep writing all in one go as I transfer the scenes that are in my mind to the document. Composition mode helps me do that with the endless blank page and the hiding of structure. I want to pour my heart and soul into that blank page and worry about rewriting and restructuring later on. Anyhow, I will continue with the short story that I’m presently on and return to taking your paid course next month.
    - Gwen Hernandez
      
      7 / Jan / 2018
      
      I’m glad you liked the class, Bob. L&L definitely riled feathers with some of their changes in the new version, though overall I like it. Good luck with your story!