Author Alison Stuart, runs Scrivener workshops for beginners.
Scrivener is NOT a word processing program, it is a type of project management software to organise your writing and notes.
How to create a new document:
Select:
- New project
- Type of project eg fiction
- Type of fiction eg Novel / short story
When document is opened, it comes with a prepopulated template
The ‘engine room’ of Scrivener is the left hand side panel called the Binder
Think of it as like a binder folder – with dividers etc already in place
Toolbar is customisable, set up favourites
Templates
- Character
- Places
Can add these directly to appropriate folder by right click – Add – New from template
Copies template into folder that is highlighted
Can drag and drop photos into the inspector (top right) in characters and places
Version control:
- Is done via snapshots
- All saved versions are listed by date
- Compare different versions
- Split screen
- Drag the snapshot with markups into one of the split screen panels
– Coloured tags for each Act in structure
– Coloured scenes for each protagonist POV
Alison: does final edits in Word
Compile, select folders, then export
Suggestion: Scrivener for Dummies