Scrivener – Page 7 – Gwen Hernandez

Scrivener posts for NaNoWriMo

November 1, 2017Gwen HernandezWriting Life

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.

Scrivener and NaNoWriMo for the win

Get unleashed for NaNoWriMo with Scrivener for iOS

If you need more Scrivener help, I have over 60 blog posts on the subject.

You also might try dictating your words, and see what happens.

Happy November!

Working with index cards on Scrivener’s Corkboard at WU today

July 30, 2017Gwen HernandezTech Stuff

Do you love to plot or revise with index cards? Ever wished you could take them with you, reorder them, search them, add or change their color, or revise their content easily? You can if you work with virtual index cards on Scrivener's Corkboard. I'm at Writer Unboxed today to give you the whole scoop. And if you have any questions, hit me up. 🙂

Scrivener project setup best practices, and SIWC

May 1, 2017Gwen HernandezTech Stuff8 Comments

One of the Scrivener questions I get asked frequently is, “What’s the correct way to set up my project?” Check out my answer over at Writer Unboxed.

By the way, if you’ve missed any of my old Scrivener posts—or just want to go through the archives—they’re all available on my website under the Scrivener Help tab. Or you can click here.

Anyone going to the Surrey International Writers Conference in British Columbia, Canada in October? I’ll be there! I’m excited. Not only have I heard good things about SIWC, but it’ll be my first international speaking engagement.

Happy May Day!

Working with projects in Scrivener for iOS (w/videos)

March 15, 2017Gwen HernandezTech Stuff4 Comments

Here's a little primer (complete with videos) I created to get you started with Scrivener for iOS. If you're looking for a full class on the app, check out Steve Shipley's Udemy course.

Creating a New Project

Scrivener for iOS can be used as a standalone program without the Mac or Windows version. As such, you can create a new project within the iOS app. This also means that if you’re on the road and want to start something new, there's no need to set it up on your computer first. In a minute, I'll tell you how to move the project to Dropbox, if desired. Here’s how to get started.

Tap the + Create Project button on the right side of the screen. Alternatively, you can tap the “Tap to create a project” button under On My iPad at the left.
In the New Project dialog box that appears, tap in the text box and type the name of your project.
Click Create.
Choose whether to save the project on your iPad or Dropbox. If you’re not working with the Mac or Windows version and don’t need to sync with Dropbox, choose “On my iPad.” If you’ve already set up Dropbox for syncing, and would like this project to be available on your other devices, select Dropbox. NOTE: Remember, you can always move an iPad project to Dropbox later. I discuss this in the next section. The project is created using Scrivener’s basic Blank template, and the project is opened.

Video review – 50 secs

Closing a Project

When you’re ready to close a project, simply tap the left arrow button in the upper left corner until you reach the Projects screen.

Sometimes, if you’re in a document in a folder in a project, you may have to tap it several times to back up through the layers.

NOTE: If you tap your iPad’s home button to exit Scrivener, the project doesn’t close. If you plan to work on that project on another computer/device, be sure to return to the Projects screen and sync before exiting.

Moving a Project

On the main Projects screen, projects are organized in two ways. Under the Projects column on the left, they are grouped by location and sorted alphabetically. The project tiles on the right side of the Projects screen display the projects by “last viewed” date/time.

You cannot adjust the order of display in either list, but you can move them between your iPad and Dropbox to change their location. Here’s how.

In the Projects column, tap Edit.
The Projects column enters Edit mode.
Press and hold the three lines icon to the right of the project you’d like to move until the project box turns gray.
Drag the project to the desired location. The project is now shown in its new location. NOTE: If you moved a project from your iPad to Dropbox, a blue triangle appears to alert you that the project has not been synced to Dropbox.
Tap Done to exit Edit mode.

Duplicating a Project

To duplicate a project (same as File—>Save As on the Mac or Windows version), do the following.

In the Projects column, tap Edit.
Tap the circle to the left of the project to duplicate.
Tap the Duplicate button (squares with + inside) at the bottom of the Projects screen. Scrivener creates a complete copy of the project in the same location as the selected project and adds a number to the end of the new project’s name.
Tap Done to exit Edit mode.

Deleting a Project

Here’s how to delete a project.

In the Projects column, tap Edit.
Tap the circle to the left of the project to delete.
Tap Delete at the bottom of the screen. When the confirmation message appears, tap Delete. The project is removed from your list. NOTE: If the project is stored in Dropbox, it won’t disappear from Dropbox until you sync Scrivener, even though the file no longer appears in your list.
Tap Done to exit Edit mode.

Renaming a Project

To rename a project, do the following.

Press and hold the project name (in either list) until the Project Title dialog box appears.
Type the new name and tap OK.

Video review – 3:39 mins

Need more help? Sign up for an online class, read more Scrivener articles, or schedule a private training session. If you don't already have it, you can download Scrivener here.

Choosing a Scrivener Project Template

November 16, 2016Gwen HernandezTech Stuff

Windows Project Template screen

Which Scrivener template should you choose? That depends on what you’re trying to do and how you plan to set up your project. Here are some hints on picking a template for your next project.

(If you’re not sure how to create a new project, check out this post.)

What is a Project Template, Anyway?

A template is a framework on which something is based. A copy is made and then you can add your own elements. Most software works with templates. Even the blank document in Word or Pages is a template with properties like margins, font, font size, and spacing already set up.

All Scrivener project templates are based on the Blank template—which is nothing but the basics—and have additional files and folders, and different settings baked in.

The Blank Template

The Blank template is the most basic option for your project. Contrary to my examples in Scrivener For Dummies, I now think Blank is the best place to start for new users because there aren’t so many distractions and confusing files to figure out.

Blank comes loaded with the three core folders that can’t be deleted: Draft, Research, and Trash.

To get you started, there’s an empty Document in the Draft folder. That’s it. Just click in the blank document and start typing.

The Compile format is initially set to “Original,” meaning that it will print everything as you have it formatted in the Editor.

I love starting here because it’s uncluttered, and I can add only what I need. (I’ve found that when people—especially less experienced users—choose other templates, they’re afraid to delete extraneous files which leads to a confusing mess.)

Other Templates

So, every other template is a Blank template with extra stuff in it. Like what? Things the developers thought might be handy for the type of work you’re doing.

For example, a renamed Draft folder (e.g. Manuscript, Screenplay, Short Story), additional folders like Characters and Front Matter and Notes and Template Sheets, each with their own special icon.

A project based on the Novel template

Each template also comes with a format note, explaining how the project is set up, which compile preset is chosen by default, and how to make some key changes. There’s good stuff in here—worth the read—but when you’re done with it, you can delete it. Or move it somewhere else.

You can also delete the Sample Output documents in Research, if desired. They’re there to show you what you can create using the instructions in the format note.

A project based on the Nonfiction template

Basically, you can move or rename anything you want, and you can delete anything except the three core folders.

The templates geared toward long-form writing are set up with the assumption that you’ll organize your work into chapter folders that contain scene/section subdocuments.

With or Without Parts

I see a lot of confusion around the templates that include “(with Parts)” in their name. Writers think, “My book has parts, I’ll choose this one.”

The only time I recommend choosing a template with parts is if you plan to organize your chapter folders into part folders (as shown below). It comes pre-loaded with that layout, and this often has writers thinking that they must work this way in Scrivener or they’re doing it wrong.

Project binder based on Novel with Parts

If you have Part folders, but every chapter is a single document (see below), don’t pick this template. Instead, choose the Novel or Nonfiction format and rename the Chapter folder to Part n, or use the Blank template.

What If You Pick the Wrong One?

There’s no way to change the template of a project once you’ve created it, so if you start writing and realize you’re unhappy, you can simply create a new project based on the template you want, and import your working project into it (File—>Import—>Scrivener Project).

Ultimately, It Doesn’t Matter

Once you get comfortable adding, moving, and deleting documents and folders, it doesn’t much matter which template you select. If you like the document templates in the Novel template but don’t use folders, simply delete the Chapter folder and start with a new document in Manuscript.

Or make your own document templates and Template Sheets folder.

If you want the project settings to be different, change them.

And when you have a better idea of what you like in a project template, you can create your own.

So, what’s your burning template question?

Need more help? Sign up for an online class, read more Scrivener articles, or schedule a private training session. If you don't already have it, you can download Scrivener here.

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Get unleashed for NaNoWriMo with Scrivener for iOS

October 20, 2016Gwen HernandezTech Stuff7 Comments

Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month

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!

Want more help with Scrivener? Sign up for an online class, read more Scrivener articles, or schedule a private training session. If you don't already have it, you can download Scrivener here.

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Scrivener and NaNoWriMo for the win

October 12, 2016Gwen HernandezTech Stuff11 Comments

Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month

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.

Want more information on the features mentioned in this post? Sign up for an online class, read more Scrivener articles, or schedule a private training session. If you don't already have it, you can download Scrivener here.

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