Scrivener: My Progress So Far...

Last month I downloaded Scrivener.

I was warned it is a steep learning curve but taking the time to watch the videos and work through the tutorial is definitely worth doing. The basics start to stick- well some of them!

So far I've written chapter 10 on it. Admittedly it's a short chapter and was originally in chapter 9...

The issues so far have been remembering where certain things are, but that's probably more to do with having used Word for so many years.

Then there's how to delete something in the side bar that's wrong- it must be in the settings somewhere.

The Manual which you just click on- good- has a well set out index- also good- but sometimes it's hard to find the simple things, almost as if it makes the assumption that it's so obvious it doesn't need more detailed explanation (of course it may just be me).

Writing in a different font has definitely helped and my short chapter 10 didn't seem to take as long to type out (considering I can't touch type) but I was keeping the format simple.

I liked being able to switch to the cork board easily and back to the text without having to worry about losing anything meanwhile. Though I do think I'm going to need to watch the video on the cork board section again as I think I'm missing a stage somewhere.

Undecided...

I've still got trial days left and I'm now 50/50 about whether I will go on to purchase Scrivener or not.

Suspect how well I get on with the next two chapters will be the deciding factor...







image from pixabay.com

Scrivener, Word or Open Office?

I decided I'd try out Scrivener to see if it would help me get my manuscript done.

There's a 30 day free trial and the days only count down every day you use it, so if you only open it a couple of days a week the free trial will last longer than a month.

When the trial is up you either purchase it or remove it.

Friends do say it is a learning curve but there's lots of helpful info available: YouTube videos, a user manual within the programme and instructional videos. Then there's Anne Rainbow's ScrivenerVirgin site.

At the moment it's all making my head spin...

Which programme?

I can import a Word document, but apparently Tabs are not good and muck up the formatting later.

Since Word 2007 no longer has technical support- no updates- I've found it creating glitches in my formatting of documents and I've had to use the tab key more.

I'd considered Office 365, but apart from having to pay monthly or annually, the version of Word would not read my much earlier documents; as I understood the info it would remove my 2007 version during the download.

I bought the Office 2007 disc when I purchased my previous computer and then had to reinstall Office 2007 when a Microsoft update created major issues with my current desktop (resulting in it having to be wiped) I am now on my third and final use of 2007.

I've downloaded Open Office and found it useful for a number of things, but I wasn't comfortable with it for the novel. So I've persevered with Word.

Now I'm trialing Scrivener.

As I'm mid-rewrite of Chapter 9 in Word 2007 I've decided to start Chapter 10 in Scrivener and see how it goes. If it works for me and I buy it, I can sort out the earlier chapters in Word and then import them in.

I like the ability to make your own templates so you can use them with every novel or use the pre-existing templates.

Like any new programme it's as much about learning where things are and how to use it.

The biggest advantage is being able to prepare the finished novel for being an e-book, in ePub for example. (Of course you still need an editor.)

Today I set up the title and the chapters, then tomorrow I'll try the cork-board bit...

I must admit that the last time I looked at Scrivener (about four years ago) I didn't like it, it confused me, but now I'm at a stage with my writing where it makes sense and I can see how helpful it could be.

Are you a Scrivener convert or a Word or Open Office user?

The Writer's Seesaw...

It's been a bit of a seesaw week so far.

I've made progress on the novel; rewritten another chapter today (as the noisier family members were out enjoying an event some distance away) and reviewing the changes on the next chapter for this week coming...

Sadly I had the bad news on my existing published writing a couple of days ago.

My short story, 'The Wishful Spirit', currently on the Alfie Dog Fiction download site will no longer be available after July 20th.

Leaving port
soon...

So if you want to read it you'll need to buy a copy before then...

It's also likely that the One Word Anthology that both I and Serena have stories in will also go, but I'm waiting for definite confirmation of that.

Of course it does mean those stories are available for re-use at some time in the future. But for the moment I'm concentrating on the work in progress and not allowing these downs to distract me.

Trying to do a little tidying up I had a shredding session yesterday, and of course the container quickly filled up and needed emptying.

No problem, there's a bin bag half full of shredded paperwork, I'll use that and it will be full ready for going to the recycling centre.

Sadly the paper had other ideas and stopped half way out of the container on the way into the bag, so of course when I checked, the non-bagged contents made a break for it and spread far and wide...

A few
escapees...

Next time I'll call someone to hold the bag for me, or better yet I'll hold the bag and they can tip!

The Pirate Ghost Meets Readers...

Do you recall me mentioning I'd won one of the annual competitions at the writers' club late last year? Yes the ghost story one with my entry 'The Wishful Spirit'.

Well today it joins the short stories available on Alfie Dog Fiction and it's now live...

(Honestly, my profile was harder to write than the story! :D )



Photographer Jack Sawyer doesn't believe in ghosts, but when he escapes to the little seaside village of a pirate ancestor, he meets archaeologist Lizzie Gibson, and discovers he's arrived at the perfect moment to help save their museum- with a little help from a mischievous ghost.


You can download it for a an inexpensive 39p, and in a choice of formats to suit your chosen reading device, just follow this link... You pay using PayPal, and there's information on the website if you're not sure which version you need...



I have a soft spot for this feel-good ghost story, which was why I persisted with revising it-despite earlier rejections elsewhere. The fact it was accepted this time proves I finally got it right.

Although the little coastal town in the story is fictional, I had images of places and buildings from holidays, more recent and long ago, in my mind, along with memories of my many visits to the Kent coast as a child.

If you have ever visited Lyme Regis in Dorset, you'll be familiar with the Marine Parade that runs along the beach. Just before that there was a small car park. The bus stop where the park and ride bus stopped (overlooked this car park) just as the road begins to climb uphill to the shops.

In the rigging...

I've no idea if that small car park is still there, as the last time I visited Lyme Regis was 2010. But a little car park just like that was where I imagined Jack listening to the tour guide and being accosted by the ghost of 'Bold Jack'...

Looking in my submissions book I realised that the story was a little older than I thought. The first version- a 1,000 word short story- was written in 2008.

I'm glad I persevered in finding a home for it...

I hope you enjoy reading it.


(Alfie Dog Fiction is celebrating its 5th birthday and they have lots of celebratory offers, so do pop over to the site and find out more.)