Word processors / writing software

I was going to transfer to Scrivener but then discovered the Compile function on Windows doesn't have:
  • the ability to keep centred text centred rather than having it move to the left margin in the compiled version
  • the ability to have the first paragraph of a chapter or scene flush against the left margin (blocked) rather than having it indent itself in the compiled version
I mean that these are not preserved on compilation. In the Mac version, there are tick boxes to keep both these during compilation.

What format are you compiling to? I had no problem with either of these issues in the Windows version when test compiling to pdf. It compiled exactly as expected.
 
I do. I have a project for my UF novels, which will likely be five books (though I'm hoping for only three), and I'm currently doing the sequel to my zompoc in the same project. It makes it really easy to keep up with characters, notes, research, etc. to have it all in one place. I also had a single project for all my short stories, but it's getting a bit unwieldy and confusing, since two of my pen names write vastly different stuff (and never the twain shall meet). I've broken one name out and given it one project, and the other has taken over the first one. I do novels in their own projects,



Um, in the PC version, tick the "compile as is" box on each folder/file, and that should do it. That's what I do, and it seems to work fine. Mac is definitely better for formatting, but I've pretty much given up on getting the PC version synced. They promised for years it would happen, but I think there are other priorities. :(

I started out in Word (2007), got yWriter (which I loved, but Scrivener compiles!), and now do the Scriv thang. I love it. I love being able to organize stuff, keep my character list in a little window so I can refer to it, or have notes there. Whatever I need, I can pretty much do. No more files and files and files in Word, which have to be corralled and opened all the time!

Yes, that's what the teacher of the online course I did said. Unfortunately 'as is' scraps everything else you might want kept such as the font and size and if I remember rightly it also prevents the file being included in the table of contents. Anyway, that's my recollection from when I was trying to produce ebooks last year. I am going to use Scrivener for a particular book which switches around timezones and where I'm not sure how the structure should go yet; I'm sure it'll be useful for that.
 
What format are you compiling to? I had no problem with either of these issues in the Windows version when test compiling to pdf. It compiled exactly as expected.
It was Kindle format. The tutor of the online course confirmed you had to take the 'as is' option which scraps a lot of the automated functions that you would be able to use with compilation otherwise.
 
It was Kindle format. The tutor of the online course confirmed you had to take the 'as is' option which scraps a lot of the automated functions that you would be able to use with compilation otherwise.

OK, thanks. I had a suspicion it was Kindle. Not a huge issue for me just yet as I'm still getting my head around writing novels. Publication is still some ways off for me.

In the introduction they mention that Scrivener is meant more for organising your work than final publication, if I remember it correctly... Perhaps in the future they will fill in this hole. :)
 
So I am on the verge of buying Scrivener. It has some issues, and I think I found a bug connected to creating footnotes, but never mind that. Some things are a little confusing, but that could be because it is a bit overwhelming to use. I thought the document formatting only applied to new documents but it seems not... This could be me messing about too much though.

Overall it is a good program for organising a messy mind. Thanks for recomendations. (y)

Edit: Oh, and for those who want to run the trial version - It is not, strictly speaking, a 30 non-consecutive days trial - you can open/close it 30 times. So if you open it twice in one day, that is considered two days. Still generous and useful IMO.
 
An old version of Open Office. It's what I've used for many years. It's better than Microsoft Works which is what I used in the early '90s.
 
I have only recently converted over to Open Office 4.1.3, after many years of using Microsoft Office.

I am not a writer by any stretch, but I do prefer the functionality of OO compared to the bloatware that is so common with Office products these days (Office 365 is an improvement, but still not as good as OO)

I particularly like the Spreadsheet & Database apps too; but "Text Document" is a delight to use - and all for free too: no irritating licensing to worry about.
 
Unfortunately 'as is' scraps everything else you might want kept such as the font and size and if I remember rightly it also prevents the file being included in the table of contents.

Well, for ebooks, the font and size don't really matter, as Amazon converts all that anyway. I write in TNR, 12pt for body and 14 pt for header (chapter titles) and don't worry about it. For print, you set that up in the compile area, I believe, so you get what you want.

I will have three when I figure out how to get the page numbers on the WIP. More will follow, along with short stories.

Page numbers? In ebooks? You don't do that. For the POD/PDF, that's done according to your page size that you set in compile.
 
Does anyone write more than one book in Scriv, ie a series?

Yes! My current series, which will be at least six (shorter) books, are all in one project file in Scrivener. I have top-level folders for each book, and then nested folders under each book for chapters. As others have mentioned, it allows me the have all my references/research in one place, and I can go check earlier scenes in earlier books about consistency on the fly if I need to. It was particularly helpful when I decided the current book's structure was not working so I "ripped" it and put half of the scenes into the next book just by moving sections. I adore Scrivener as a writing tool!

Mind, I do not use Scrivener for compiling into final form; I "compile" into a Word doc, do final edits, and then import that into Vellum for tweaking. I just found the compiled epub files to be clunky -- I'm not much of a coder but I do like things to be clean.
 
My current series, which will be at least six (shorter) books, are all in one project file in Scrivener.
If you don't mind me asking, what is the word count on those projects?

I am writing something that looks like it may turn into a series but I doubt it will reach more than, say 500k words.

I am still finding my way round Scrivener, but I like it too. The rolling typewriter mode is worth the price alone!
 
Yes! My current series, which will be at least six (shorter) books, are all in one project file in Scrivener. I have top-level folders for each book, and then nested folders under each book for chapters. As others have mentioned, it allows me the have all my references/research in one place, and I can go check earlier scenes in earlier books about consistency on the fly if I need to. It was particularly helpful when I decided the current book's structure was not working so I "ripped" it and put half of the scenes into the next book just by moving sections. I adore Scrivener as a writing tool!

Mind, I do not use Scrivener for compiling into final form; I "compile" into a Word doc, do final edits, and then import that into Vellum for tweaking. I just found the compiled epub files to be clunky -- I'm not much of a coder but I do like things to be clean.

This is what I'm doing too with my current series. Did the same thing as you, @KC York. I had an outline that was turning out to be way too much for one book, so I split it off into other books, all within the same file. I'll very likely keep writing it from that same file too.

The other program I use in addition to Scrivener is Aeon Timeline. It's one of those programs that really goes a long way to getting the story set in my head. Basically, it is what it sounds like, a program where you create a timeline for your story. But the big thing for me is that it connects with your Scrivener file, so whatever you do in Aeon Timeline is updated in your Scrivener file.
 
If you don't mind me asking, what is the word count on those projects?

I am writing something that looks like it may turn into a series but I doubt it will reach more than, say 500k words.

I am still finding my way round Scrivener, but I like it too. The rolling typewriter mode is worth the price alone!

I am planning it to be a series of 12 books, each tightly held to right near 30k words -- so, altogether it will only be about 360k words. I'm avoiding hard cliffhangers -- that is, the protags are not "cliff hanging" in danger at the end of every book, but rather, finishing out an adventure while still plugging along the main story arc.

HELL TO THE YES for the rolling typewriter mode! I love that feature, when I found it I nearly cried! :D

I also echo @Flannery on Aeon Timeline. I set it up to mirror my fantasy calendar and plugged in character ages and important milestones, but it dials in to tracking by day which I needed desperately ("how long did it take them to travel over that mountain? What season is it? Wait, is he 19 or 20 yet?????"). A+++ program!
 
I write in MS word, set out in submission format of double spaced etc...
Save in folders within folders i.e. At the moment folder Work 2017 contains all the stuff I want to work on this year, this includes WIPs, short stories I am trying to sell, old finished novels I want to edit, articles I am writing and so forth.
I have folders for all finished work, if sold, folder includes sub-folders for everything relating to said sale. If not sold and novel is trunked, folder is so marked.
Everything triple saved. Hard drive desktop and laptop, dropbox, know-how-cloud (PC world).
Each completed novel has at least one lever-arch file of printed out information, pages on which ref books used, general notes, character lists, plot lines, etc. Same goes for the major WIP novels.
Tried fancy computer programs of all types, but each time went back to MS word. One document for first draft, then each draft/edit after separate document.
 
The other program I use in addition to Scrivener is Aeon Timeline. It's one of those programs that really goes a long way to getting the story set in my head. Basically, it is what it sounds like, a program where you create a timeline for your story.

I'd never heard of this, @Flannery and @KC York, but thanks for mentioning Aeon Timeline. I'd looked for something similar 2 or 3 years ago and couldn't find one, so I was going to build my own (already started planning it!) but this might well have been what I was looking for. And linking with Scrivener's a massive bonus. Thanks!(y)
 

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