Scriv It.

Hey-o! It's NaNoWriMo!

Technically, I'm in it. I started a new book two days before November, and I'm counting it as my NaNo novel... Even though I'll only be working on it part time, since I'm also still working on Anialych: The People of the Sand.

I'm assuming many of the rest of you are NaNoWriMo-ing as well, since this is a blog that primarily focuses on writing.

That being the case, for the entire month of November my blogs are going to be focused upon the wonder that is NaNoWriMo, and things that I think might be able to help you along--starting with the one thing I endorse the most.

Scrivener

I've talked to you about it many times before, and I've tried I don't know how many times to explain how the software works. But this time I'm going to show you some of it.

But really there are too many things for me to show you, so we're going to focus on the three things I like most about it.

        1. Organization

This is an image of the basic interface. On the left you have folders (chapters) and files (scenes) organized chronologically. There is also a place to store research, character biographies, places, etc. all in the lefthand bar.

But this is only image one of the organization of it all. Every chapter also has a corkboard that looks like this:

The corkboard allows you to briefly describe each scene, so if you need to find something you'll easily be able to locate it. You can also corkboard your entire manuscript, so every chapter will have its own index card. 

Handy? I think so. 

There's also a list function, but I hardly use it so I'm not going to mention it. *wink*

        2. Manuscript Formatting

I'll just say this: Scrivener knows how to format, and it tells you exactly what you need to do within the system to make the formatting come out properly. It's the first thing that will open each time you start a new project within the program, and it's breathtaking. 

        3. Compiling and Importing

Scrivener can import from most word processors, and it's a simple feat to get everything to line up in Scrivener like you had it in your prior format (and there are plenty of tutorials online if you do manage to get stuck). 

It also compiles into any of those formats, so when you're finished with your book you'll be able to format it directly from Scrivener into another program in order to send it off to publishers or magazines. 

Bonus: it also knows how to format a lot of college work, for you students out there. 

Essentially, Scrivener is something that you want to buy, if you haven't already. I recommend it to anyone who wants to write anything, be it proposals, novels, short stories, manuals, school papers, etc. It's built for people who write, and it thinks like we do. 

Only downside I've found: Microsoft Word has a better spellcheck, and sometimes Scrivener prefers British spellings over American. 

But I can live with that.

Major upside: there's a thirty non-consecutive day free trial floating around on the internet. So if you're not sure and want to try it first, you have options. 

Interested in buying right away? I downloaded mine off Amazon.

[love]

{RD}