Still Struggling With Scrivener?

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I’ve decided to give myself a little break. I’ve bought a new diary type thing (any excuse to buy a new notebook) and the writing schedule starts “proppa” on Monday 2nd September…and in the meantime…..

If, like me, you’ve downloaded Scrivener but haven’t touched it (it just looks so overwhelming!) then this course could be just what you need.

Gwen Hernandez (author of Scrivener for Dummies ) is running the online course that starts in September, and it really is a reasonable amount of dosh to join 🙂

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I’m very tempted to sign up (I really need to get to grips with it before Nano).

Do you use Scrivener? Have you downloaded it but not had a fiddle yet?

41 thoughts on “Still Struggling With Scrivener?”

  1. Yes. Yes I am (still struggling) but out of frustration. I’m on Windows Scrivener and have just found that the Windows version doesn’t allow for compiling of all those internal Scrivener links – which is the whole point of ebook compiles, surely?! This forces me out of Scrivener and into all sorts of dreadful processes to try to format a book with links to pages.

    On the non-ranting side, rumours are that there may be an iPAD version in time for NaNo.

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  2. Vikki, that sounds awesome! I want to genuinely thank you for your continued support as it’s just been tough for me to get online, write and read. I began graduate school last week in addition my job and being a mom. Thank you so much!

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  3. I should download it I know it would make my life easier but with all that’s going on another techie thing just freaks me out. You can teach me when I’m ready 😀

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  5. Vikki, I downloaded Scrivener a few weeks ago, having been introduced to it by Michael Jecks who reckons it gains him around 4 months per year in extra writing time. I love it; it appeals to the structure -loving person that you know me to be. I went through the interactive tutorial in a couple of hours then threw myself straight into it. I suspect I’m only using a small part of its functionality, so will go back and redo the tutorial when I have a moment (!). I find the cork-board and the target-setting to be especially useful. Also, I used it to divide my novel manuscript for reworking – and it only took around fifteen minutes to split out 34 chapters. As you can tell – I’m a convert!

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    • Glad to hear that Kate 🙂

      I’ve had it on my laptop since last December, AND I’ve had a tutorial from a fellow convert and I’m STILL scared of it lol

      Hoping this course will have ME saving those 4 months too 😉

      Xx

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  6. I’ve looked at Scrivener, but would have to have the Windows version, which is apparently useless. Think I need to build the habit of writing regularly before I worry too much about how to keep it organised though!

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  7. I do use Scrivener and I bought another book to help me with it. I’ve read it through once, but think now I’ve had a play with the software I need to go and read it again so I actually get what it’s on about. It’s Writing a Novel with Scrivener by David Hewson.

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    • Thanks Rebecca, yeah, I have that one on my Kindle, plus the one above written by Gwen. But, I think the course is going to be invaluable as you can ask Gwen questions. I’m really looking forward to it 🙂

      Xx

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  9. Like Amber Dane & others I was having a problem with Scrivener, getting totally mad at the Tutorial. So after buying it just before NaNoWriMo 2011 I simply gave up and returned to my WriteItNow program which had served me so well with other WIPs. But then I bought David Hewson’s Writing A Novel with Scrivener. It helped me make sense of Scrivener and I have now outlined the plot, written the characters and sorted out a sort of timeline in Scrivener for my November NaNo attempt. Will have to make it work now!!

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    • Hi Ronald. I’m torn between WriteItNow4 and Scrivener. I’m on a 30 day trial for both, and wish I could make up my mind which one to buy. As you’ve used both, which do you think is the best. x PS I write novels and articles / x

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    • You’re welcome Linda 🙂

      Ha ha ha, I know EXACTLY what you mean, but I love the cork board idea on there and from what I’ve seen it really could help (like having all my character profiles on a side bar and easily accessible while I’m typing) me with editing.

      Xx

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  12. Okay, I’ve given in, gone and downloaded the free trial of windows scrivener – if I sat down to design a program to do exactly what I wanted to help organise writing I’d end up with this program (well, probably a small part of what it can actually do, anyway!). Guess I’m convinced now that it’s useful. And any end playing I would do in Word anyway. Thanks for the reminder 🙂

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  13. I know a very good novelist who uses WriteItNow4, but I find it a bit complicated. No good for my current WIP as it’s almost written but definitely use WriteItNow or Scrivener for the third novel. Thank you Vikki. A brilliant and very helpful blog post – as usual. x

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  14. I’ve had Scrivener for months and never attempted to use it. I keep reading posts, it’s in my Google alerts, but I just can’t seem to get myself to start learning the ropes. I believe it’s a great program and I’m determined to start learning one of these days.

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  15. Hello Vicki. Thanks so much for using related links feature because that is how I connected with you yesterday after writing my post about my new software, Scrivener. I am now signed up for the class that starts this morning at 9am (It is now after MN). I had been all over the internet and glad to see so much praise for Scrivener, but at the same time that there seemed to be so much geek speak about it. I am not the most tech savvy person in the word (I like to think I am, but I confess, I am not). I have completed the tutorial, and start class tomorrow (today) along with you. I am on a PC with so I have the microsoft version. I followed you, so we shall see how we progress on this thing together. Good luck and have a beautiful day. Again, many thanks!

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    • Hi honey! 🙂

      You are very welcome!

      Ive just received my first lesson *gulp* so will start on it tomorrow.

      I must admit, i only got half way through the tutorial that came with the software.

      Good luck honey and thanks for stopping by 🙂

      xx

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      • I am actually still in the tutorial and have not yet looked at my first lesson, but plan to shortly after the tultorial. Truly hope I haven’t bitten off more than i can chew. i am going slowly through this thing, but seem to be directed well enough. Again. I thank you so much for pointing me the right way.

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  18. Crikey! No need at all to be apprehensive about using Scrivener. It’s just a file folder with your notes in it. You can put those plastic thingies with labels on them to divide up your pages – you could call then Fred and Maggie if you wanted to – but writers usually call then chapters. When you get into one of these segments you have called a chapter, you do exactly the same thing again one, two, three. four maybe five times – writers call these sections, scenes.
    That’s it – that’s Scrivener. anyone who has ever field anything in paper intoa folder can use Scrivener.

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