Tools for Writers: The Benefits of Writing With Scrivener

For this post, and the next few posts (and whenever I learn about something new I think will be useful), I will share some of the tools I use, or that have been recommended by other writers, that make it easier to be creative. I won't give you detailed information on how to use these tools or everything they can do for you--for that you can follow the links I provide to learn more.


Disclaimer: I do not get paid for my recommendations or referrals. I do not claim to know everything there is to know about any particular tool, nor do I claim a perfect knowledge of all the tools available for use. If you have suggestions or corrections, please leave a comment or contact me.

Today I want to tell you about Scrivener for Mac (they now also have a Windows version) from Literature and Latte. (All the images in this blog entry are from Literature and Latte's Scrivener site.)


I found it had a bit of a learning curve, but then I always resort to reading the instructions last. Once I read the basic instructions and started exploring the software, I found all kinds of helpful things about it. I have yet to master all that Scrivener is capable of doing for me. I do not need, or do not need yet, to use many of its features, so I have not bothered to read more about them or to experiment with them. I would suggest you pick a time when you are not facing major deadlines to download and experiment with the software.

There are plenty of instructions and helpful information accessible from the product site (here and here and here and here and here), and even a list of links to helpful sites, and to competitors' products (here). (Something I found refreshing and evident of company confidence.) In addition, I have seen blog posts by private users (just google "Scrivener" to find information like this) that give explicit instructions for various applications and features of the product. Also, Scrivener has a Facebook page that (if you subscribe to or "like") will insert occasional helpful hints into your Facebook Wall (or Home) feed.

Here's what I love about Scrivener:

• I can use it whether I'm writing a novel, short story, screenplay (although I normally use the FREE software Celtx for this--I will write about that in a future post), creative nonfiction piece, magazine article, book of poetry, or college essay. It even formats footnotes and bibliographies in APA, MLA and other formats. There are also many non-creative writing applications (read journalism, business, science, and academia) for this program.

• The themes (or formatting) for various types/styles of writing are editable. For example, one can change the format of a normal novel theme to make it more useful for a particular writer or book project. This can then be saved as a theme for use in future. I created a theme for a trilogy of novels, so that research, character and location notes, and marketing information used in all three books is easily accessible for each novel within the program.

• It allows me to keep research notes, photos, web links, audio and video files, etc. with the work I'm doing the research for. Years later everything can still be found.

• I can write in sections: acts, chapters, scenes, paragraphs, topics. etc. and easily move these around if I decide I need to rearrange things. This also makes it easier to find things, since I can give each section a title. Or I can write in whole-work view while still seeing section breaks. I can also view two separate versions of a work together.

• I can add separate sections for character descriptions, theme ideas, jacket designs, jacket blurbs etc. - keeping my marketing material and project ideas with the piece I'm writing. Each section can be included or excluded for compilation when I want to print the work. Also, I can color code each section and designate which version it is (for example, "2nd rewrite").

• Virtual index cards are automatically generated on a virtual cork board, so I have an additional place for notes, and my storyboard is automatically generated. I find I still need to jot notes on the cards so they'll fully represent my own ideas of each beat, scene, chapter, or act. These cards can be color coded and are moveable also.

• I can compile and print a hard copy of my work in numerous formats and fonts.

• I can create an eBook form of my work.

• It's not expensive, as writing software goes (currently $45), and students, teachers, and scholars are given a small discount (15%). The Windows version is $40 and the 15% discount applies to it also. For serious writers I consider this a must have investment. Remember, it is also tax deductible as a business tool if you (or if you are trying to) make a living as a writer. A trial version is available FREE for download so there's no risk.

• It tracks the word count of the work as a whole and of each section. Also, I can set targets for writing sessions and for the entire work.

• It generates an editable outline and synopsis of my piece.

• I can write in full screen text only view (if I want to write distraction free).

Here's what I hate about Scrivener:

• I don't get paid to refer people to a product I love and find indispensable.

I have hardly begun to describe what makes Scrivener a great tool for writing and organizing. The better the tools one uses, the easier it is to focus on writing itself. Scrivener saves time by more efficiently handling some of the extraneous tasks to do with writing: idea generation, organizing, storyboarding, analyzing, outlining, visualizing one's plot lines, etc. It was designed with the serious creative writer in mind, but even non-creative writers have found it highly useful for their applications: journalists, attorneys, paralegals, translators, scientists, academics, students....

If you try it, please let me know how it works for you.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy the following:

Getting Lost With Scrivener
An eSolution for Character Creation: Character Writer
My Pick for Screenwriting Software: Celtx
Where to Timeline and Storyboard: eSolutions
eSolutions for Social Media Addictions
For a Better Quality Break Time: Creativity Enhancing Goodies