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McAnally's (The Community Pub) => Author Craft => Topic started by: meg_evonne on August 24, 2009, 04:47:58 PM
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Yeah, someone gave me a heads up on this and I'm looking for additional input as to its useful value.
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html
I've got to say that it looks pretty impressive. Too good to be true, I'm wondering?
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Does look interesting, I'd be intrigued to try it just for the novelty.
But in the scheme of things, this looks highly ambitious. I'm old school, I prefer my notes, which I can carry around with me and tinker with while I'm away from my PC. Still, the price ain't bad.
(edit, nevermind ... it's for Mac only, not Windows compatible)
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Yeah, someone gave me a heads up on this and I'm looking for additional input as to its useful value.
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html
I've got to say that it looks pretty impressive. Too good to be true, I'm wondering?
I know two published authors that swear by it.
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(edit, nevermind ... it's for Mac only, not Windows compatible)
DANG IT! so now I'm back to my laptop that is running extremely HOT and is sure to blow up soon. That means that I'm back to Mac vs Windows headaches.
Please keep posting your thoughts--the only reason I'd have to switch to Mac was if this program was what it's hyped up to be.... *grumble, grumble* Hey can I pay Iago to zap my computer and make it well? Then I won't have to face the M vs W smackdown....
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Meg, have you watched the tutorial videos (http://www.literatureandlatte.com/videos/index.html)?
I tried the 30 day trial, and bought it after about two weeks. It just does a lot of things the way I want to do them, and keeps the clutter of most word processors out of the way so I'm not tempted to play with the fonts for 20 minutes.
I like to write in blocks -- an action scene here, a slower dialogue scene there, something way far-out further in the work that I'm going to need to start foreshadowing, or something further back in the manuscript that I want to flesh out.
For some of the stuff I'm working on, I have a lot of pictures and diagrams that I keep referring to: Scrivener lets me drop them all in one place so I don't have to keep hunting for them all over my HD, or keep switching to different applications to check my notes.
And not knowing how long the writing projects I'm working on will be, I like the flexibility that Scrivener offers for keeping the monsters organized-and-self-contained.
I'd be interested to see from people who don't like the program -- what didn't work?
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What I want to know is if there is a similar program for Windows or if the designer is ever going to make a Windows compatible version.
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After my disappointment that it wasn't going to work on my pc, I did some searching. nothing seems to come close--even paying a premium price. *Checking my pockets* Nope not enough to buy a new laptop that's a mac. I don't know though, it's so hard to give up what I've always had--and all my stuff I already did with my old systems. wanna cry...
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I've used yWriter as my word processor of choice for Windows. Mostly because in addition to being pretty awesome, it's free to boot.
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I use Scrivener all the time for my novel in progress. I used it during my second Nanowrimo, keeping track of my word count, while turning it into a powerhouse of notes. Id say it is the most flexible word processor/research tool/college buddy i've ever used.
The only thing I wish it would change is to have the same grammar checks as Word, a progress bar on the toolbar, more customization on the binder (I.e. colored folders that color the entire file instead of the icon). Get it if your getting a Mac, I guarantee it.
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I've seen some reviews that suggest that Writer's Cafe has most of the same features as Scrivener. I haven't tried it myself, but here is the link and they have a free download. The only complaint I have read about Writer's Cafe is that it doesn't format the screenplay correctly.
Runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux and can run from a USB key. sounds interesting.
http://www.writerscafe.co.uk/
I'll let you know my thoughts after the free trial
-paul
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I've looked at the program a time or two, but I use a shareware program that seems to do most of the same stuff. And for PC, I know a lot of people like yWriter. On the Mac vs PC debate, I have a Macbook that I use for all my productivity stuff, like writing, photos, and my website. Big reason is that I don't get tempted to play games. Plus I've had the thing for over 2 years, and I've had next to no problems with it, aside from a tiny piece of the edge breaking. There's a bit of a learning curve with Macs, but the Apple website seems to have tutorial videos for practically everything, and they are more expensive than PCs, but they're definitely worth it.
And here's the link to look around the website about yWriter to see if it's any kind of helpful. http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter.html (http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter.html)
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Write It Now! from Raven's Software isn't pretty, but it's powerful and inexpensive.
And it works on a PC, for '95 to Vista.
I'd love to use Scrivner, but I'm not buying a Mac just to use it, unless the recession reverses and I can afford a mac mini to toss it on. Macs are great machines...but have some severe limitations on compatibility with many things I do.