Late summer and early fall have been busy, busy, busy. Things are starting to calm down, but when I’m not learning to play pickle ball—so much fun!—I’ve basically got my head down working on my current manuscript.
I’ve found the joy in my story again, and I pretty much don’t want to do anything else but work on it these days. Which is how I just today realized that National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) already started.
I’m not participating this year since I’m in the middle of a project and don’t want to stop (see previous paragraph), but I am trying to lay down as many words as possible before the end of the year.
How about you? Are you trying your hand at NaNo?
If so, here’s one of the many posts I’ve done on how Scrivener can help you hit your 1667 words/day: Winning NaNoWriMo with Scrivener.
For the next few days I’ll be immersed in a virtual version of my favorite business conference for romance writers (Romance Author Mastermind), and I have a couple of appearances booked for the next few months.
Here’s what’s already on my schedule into the new year.
Pikes Peak Writers Conference, Colorado Springs, CO, 28 April-1 May (two half-day Scrivener workshops, a one-hour Scrivener presentation, and a one-hour discussion on writing for pantsers)
Whether you’re working toward 50K words this month or not, I hope this message finds you well as we race toward the end of 2021.
If you’re prepping for National Novel Writing Month, or just want some ideas for how to write faster with Scrivener, check out my post at WriterUnboxed.com today! I’m talking about the best features for getting the words down and answering questions. I hope you’ll stop by.
When you need a break from frantically writing toward your 1667 words for the day (or whatever your goal is if you’re not participating in National Novel Writing Month this year), check out my post over at Jami Gold’s blog: How to Use Scrivener for NaNoWriMo.
I highlight my favorite Scrivener features for helping you stay in the flow, and cover how to compile your work when you’re done. Check it out!
And, if you’re in the US and you can, please vote. Ignore the exit polls and early returns. You wouldn’t quit a basketball game at halftime, no matter the score. Your vote matters, for you and for those who don’t have the privilege. Be heard!
If you’re participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) this year, good luck!
I’m mired in revisions and Scrivener course planning, so I’m skipping this year, but here are a few posts on Scrivener’s best features to help you reach 1667 words per day.
Whether you’re stuck with a desktop computer, or don’t want to lug your laptop around, Scrivener for iOS can set you free. Since I expect many of you will be using it to lay down words for NaNoWriMo this year, here’s how to use my favorite features for NaNo (as covered in last week’s post for Mac and Windows) in Scrivener for iOS.
Before you start using the iOS version, I highly recommend you read—or at least skim—through the Tutorial. It will help you immensely, especially the parts about Working with Projects, Syncing, and The Main Interface. Okay, all of it, really. 😉
A few things to keep in mind about the iOS version.
If you return to the Projects list, you are closing the project you were working in.
Unlike the Mac and Windows versions, you can only have one project open at a time.
If you plan to work on both iOS and a Mac or PC, you need a Dropbox account (if you use this referral link, we both get an extra 500MB of storage) and must install Dropbox on all the computers/devices you plan to use with Scrivener. Then, move any laptop/desktop projects you want to work on into the correct Dropbox folder before you begin.
If necessary, sync your projects before you start writing.
Remember that when you finish working on a project on your iOS device, you must tap the sync button on the Projects page (see below) before trying to open the project on another computer. Likewise, ensure that a project on your desktop/laptop has synced to Dropbox before trying to open it on your iPad or iPhone.
If you don’t have Internet access, syncing won’t happen!
Put New Ideas in Their Place
I recommend creating an Ideas document to store thoughts you have about future scenes, and a Change Log to keep track of changes you want to make to existing scenes. Both of these can ensure you don't lose any fabulous ideas, while staying on track with your writing.
To create a new document outside of the Draft folder, do the following:
Navigate to the high-level view of your project’s Binder (the header at the top of the Binder should display your project name, not the name of a folder).
Tap the + button at the bottom of the Binder, give the file a name, and tap Add. The new document appears at the bottom of the Binder (see image below).
Tap the Edit button at the top of the Binder (see above).
Drag (tap and hold, then drag) the file to the desired location within the Binder, as shown below.
When done moving files, tap Done.
Make a Note and Move On
Don’t let yourself get stuck or distracted when you can’t think of the perfect analogy, or know you need to do more research. The iOS version allows you to use annotations or comments to make notes for yourself so you can get back to writing. Here’s how.
Tap the comment bubble button in the predictive text row (shown below) to get a submenu of options and choose Add Comment or Inline Annotation. NOTE: For comments, your cursor must be next to text for the option to be available. Also, you can tap the comment bubble button in the extended keyboard (the row of buttons above the predictive text row) for quicker access to comments, but you may have to swipe left or right to see it.
Type your annotation or comment.
For annotations, repeat step 1 to turn off and return to standard text.
To view a comment, double tap the highlighted word.
Block Out Distractions
The iOS version doesn’t have the same full screen/composition mode that the Mac and Windows versions have, but you can hide the Binder and work only with your text.
Tap the Full Screen button at the top of the Editor.
To view the Binder again, tap the name of your project in the upper left corner.
Headphones are optional.
Pre-Plot, or Don’t
Plotters: Create your scene documents beforehand either in the Binder or the Corkboard. If you like to plot using index cards, then do the following.
Select the Draft (aka Manuscript) folder.
Tap the + in the upper right corner to create a new card. Title it, add a brief synopsis of the scene, if desired.
Tap Add.
Repeat as needed.
Once you have all of your scene documents created it’s merely a matter of filling them with words starting November 1.
Pantsers: Show up on day one, select the Draft folder, create a blank document and start writing. Repeat.
Grouping Documents into Chapter Folders
Here’s how to group documents into chapter folders.
In the Binder, tap the Edit button at the top. The button changes to Done.
Tap the circles to the left of the desired documents to select them.
Tap the Move button at the bottom of the Binder (see above) and choose Move into New Folder.
Tap Done at the top of the Binder to exit Edit mode.
Tap and hold the New Folder to get the Inspector so you can rename it, then tap Done.
Keep Research Handy
Though importing is generally best done while on your Mac or PC, you can import files in the iOS version. This works for both research and text with the same rules as Scrivener for Mac and Windows (no images, PDFs, or other non text-type files in the Draft folder).
Select the desired folder (outside of the Draft/Manuscript folder) and tap the Import button at the bottom of the Binder.
Choose the source for your imported file—yes, you can even choose Camera and take a picture of something!—and select the desired file.
Track Your Progress
Your goal is 50,000 words. Scrivener makes it easy to track your progress, even in iOS. Maybe even easier. As with the original, you can set a target for the entire manuscript, as well as one for each writing session.
Choose a text document.
Tap the word count at the bottom of the screen. NOTE: If you’ve tapped inside the document and entered edit mode, the word count will be at the top of the screen.
Tap the word Draft to set a manuscript target and use the spinner to select your goal.
Tap Targets to return to the main Project Targets window.
Tap Session to set a session target.
Tap Start New Session to reset the Session word count (your progress) to zero.
Have Fun!
Whether you’re using Scrivener for iOS for NaNoWriMo, or just to be untethered from your computer, have fun with it and enjoy your newfound freedom!
It takes a lot of mint green tea and dark chocolate to fuel these posts. If you found something helpful, please consider a small donation to my pantry (via PayPal, cc accepted). Thank you!
Are you ready to NaNo? If you’re not familiar with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), it’s a writing challenge where people from all over the world try to write at least 50,000 words toward a novel in one month. Specifically, the 30-day, family-commitment-laden (in the U.S. anyway) month of November.
NaNoWriMo is about quantity over quality. If you’ve ever wanted to kick the internal editor off your shoulder and try your hand at one of those “shitty first drafts” Anne Lamott is so fond of, now’s your chance.
If you're up for the challenge, you only have a couple of weeks to prepare. So if you’re planning to write in Scrivener, now’s the time to make sure you have the tools and strategies that will help you make the most of your writing time.
Getting down 1667 words a day requires some serious focus. You won’t have time to stop writing for anything, especially not to edit or do research.
Here’s how to stay on track.
Download the NaNoWriMo Template or Trial Version
Current Scrivener users can download a special NaNoWriMo template that comes loaded with predefined project statistics and compile settings, including an obfuscated format that turns your words to gibberish without changing the final word count.
For those who are new to Scrivener, the awesome folks at Literature & Latte have put out their annual NaNoWriMo version of the Scrivener free trial that gives you extra time to play with the program and includes the template I mentioned above. Take the next two weeks to go through the tutorial and get comfortable. At the very least, you need to know how to create a document and start typing.
If you decide you love Scrivener, wait for the NaNoWriMo discount (for participants) at the end of November before you buy.
Put New Ideas in Their Place
Ideas are wonderful and necessary, but they can also be a distraction. What you need is a place to put them so you can get back to the scene you’re currently working on.
Consider creating two documents outside of the Draft/Manuscript folder (so they won't count toward your 50K) before you start:
A place to jot down concepts that come to you for future scenes. When an idea hits, you can make a note of it and get back to work. Mine is cleverly named Ideas.
A log to keep track of changes you want to make to scenes you’ve already written. Don’t stop forward progress to make the revisions—that’s what December is for—just make a note of your proposed changes in the log and keep writing as if you already did. In another dazzling display of brilliance, mine is named Change Log.
Make a Note and Move On
Next time you get stuck trying to figure out your heroine’s witty comeback, the ideal name for the landlord’s vicious dog, or the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow, create an annotation (Format—>Inline Annotation) or a comment (Format—> Comment) to make a note of it and keep writing.
Later you can use Edit—>Find—>Find By Formatting to search for annotations and comments when you’re ready to work on them. You know, in December.
Block Out Distractions
Free yourself from distractions with Full Screen/Composition mode. Called Full Screen in Windows and Composition mode on the Mac (to avoid confusion with Mac’s full screen option), this feature blocks out everything but your blank page so you can just write.
Consider adding a custom background color or image to keep you in the right frame of mind.
Add a pair of headphones or earbuds—with or without music—and you’re ready to rock.
Pre-Plot, or Don’t
If you’re a plotter, consider creating your scene documents beforehand either in the Binder or the Corkboard. If you like to plot using index cards, then select the Draft (aka Manuscript) folder, make sure you’re in Corkboard view (View—>Corkboard if you’re not), then click the green Add button on the toolbar to create a new card. Title it, add a brief synopsis of the scene and repeat.
Once you have all of your scene documents created it’s merely a matter of filling them with words starting November 1.
Pantsers can just show up on day one, create a blank document and write a scene. Repeat.
If you want to group documents into folders, select the desired documents and choose Documents—>Group.
Keep Research Handy
Don’t spend your precious writing time searching for a key piece of information. Before November rolls around, import any research documents, images, or references that you must have in order to write. Select the desired folder (outside of the Draft/Manuscript folder) and go to File—>Import. For web pages, you might want to use References instead.
Track Your Progress
Your goal is 50,000 words, and Scrivener makes it easy to track your progress with project targets. Go to Project—>Show Project Targets (Mac) or Project–>Project Targets (Windows).
You can set a target for the entire manuscript, as well as one for each writing session. The session target is nice because it lets you track your word count either over the course of a whole day, or in smaller writing “sprints”.
NOTE: The NaNoWriMo site calculates word count slightly differently than Scrivener. For example, Scrivener counts a hyphenated word as two, while the NaNo counter looks for spaces to identify each new word and only counts hyphenated words as one. So, you might want to shoot a little beyond the 50K finish line just to be on the safe side.
Or don’t hyphenate. Hyperventilating is optional.
What Were You Thinking??
Don’t forget that NaNoWriMo is intended to be fun. It’s supposed to be a challenge that forces you to re-evaluate what you’re capable of. 4000-word writing days? You betcha. Writing for three, four, or eight hours in one day? I know you can do it.
Five minutes of daily meditation might help.
And in the end, even if you don’t reach 50K, you’re still a lot further ahead than you were on November 1st. That makes you a winner in my book.
Are you signing up for the challenge? If so, good luck!
Check back next week—or sign up to receive my blog posts in your Inbox at the bottom right—for tips on using Scrivener for iOS for NaNo.
It takes a lot of mint green tea and dark chocolate to fuel these posts. If you found something helpful, please consider a small donation to my pantry (via PayPal, cc accepted). Thank you!
Are you planning to tackle 50,000 words for National Novel Writing Month in November? Here are some of my favorite Scrivener features for staying on track.
Annotations/Comments
When you get stuck in your manuscript—can’t think of the perfect dialogue, realize you don’t know the right word, feel like you need to do more research on the topic—make a note using an annotation or a comment and get back to rockin' the words. You can use Find by Formatting in December to revisit the spots that need more work.
– Annotations: Format—>Inline Annotation
– Comments: Format—>Comment
– Find by Formatting: Edit—>Find—>Find by Formatting
Project Targets
Get a nice visual cue for how you’re doing with project targets. Set the Draft (Manuscript) Target to 50,000 and the Session Target to 1667, and let Scrivener keep track of your progress. You can leave the Project Targets window open or closed while writing.
– Mac: Project—>Show Project Targets (NOTE: Mac users can go into the Options pane, set a deadline, and let Scrivener calculate/adjust the daily target automatically.)
– Windows: Project—>Project Targets
Full Screen/Composition Mode
Block out distractions with Full Screen (Windows) or Compositon (Mac) mode. You can keep the black background, change the color, or even add an image. I like images that are conducive to calm and creativity, but lately I’ve been using pictures that remind me of the setting of my story and keep me in that mood.
– Change the background color (Mac): Scrivener—>Preferences—>Compose, under Customizable Colors, choose Background and click the color box
– Change the background color (Windows): Tools—>Options—>Appearance, under Colors, choose Full Screen—>Background, and click the color box
– Use an image (Mac): View—>Composition Backdrop, choose an image from the Binder or your computer
– Use an image (Windows): View—>Full Screen Backdrop, choose an image from the Binder or your compute
NaNoWriMo Edition and Template
Current Scrivener users can download a special NaNoWriMo template that comes loaded with predefined project statistics and compile settings.
If you’re new to Scrivener, there’s a NaNo version of the free trial that gives you extra time to play with the program and includes the template I mentioned above. If you decide you love Scrivener, wait for the NaNoWriMo discount at the end of November before you buy!
Extras
You can import your supporting materials—research, notes, and images—in advance. Simply drag them from your computer’s file system into the Binder, or go to File—>Import. Are you a plotter? Pre-plot your manuscript using the Corkboard, or just write out your ideas on a blank document stored outside the Draft folder. And you might want to add another document for storing ideas for changes or new scenes that come to you while writing.
Have fun!
Don’t forget that NaNoWriMo is supposed to be fun and empowering. Enjoy the process, write fast and loose, and don’t censor yourself. Even if you don’t “win,” you’ll probably still surprise yourself with how much you can write in a day or a week. No matter what the final word count, any progress toward your novel still makes you a winner.
After a year off, I’ve decided to rejoin the NaNo craziness, and I’ll be taking advantage of Scrivener to keep me on pace.
Are you taking up the NaNo challenge this year? Is it your first year? Your tenth? I’d love to know. And good luck! (I’m gmhernandez at nanowrimo.org if you want to add me as a buddy.)
It takes a lot of mint green tea and dark chocolate to fuel these posts. If you found something helpful, please consider a small donation to my pantry (via PayPal, cc accepted). Thank you!
It takes a lot of mint green tea and dark chocolate to fuel these posts. If you found something helpful, please consider a small donation to my pantry (via PayPal, cc accepted). Thank you!
