Jaycee Woods

I had heard positive things about Scrivener but I am not ready to make a decision. I asked Copilot about how Scrivener might help me.

Me: Are there any advantage to developing the document in MS Word, then importing it into Scrivener for final polishing and publishing?

Copilot: Yes, there are several advantages to developing your document in MS Word and then importing it into Scrivener for final polishing and publishing:

Familiarity and Ease of Use:

MS Word is widely used and familiar to many writers, making it a comfortable starting point for drafting your manuscript.

Word’s robust editing and formatting tools can help you create a well-structured initial draft.

Advanced Organizational Tools:

Scrivener excels in organizing complex projects. Once your draft is in Scrivener, you can easily rearrange chapters, scenes, and sections using its drag-and-drop interface.

The corkboard and outliner views in Scrivener provide visual ways to manage your story structure and plot.

Enhanced Writing Environment:

Scrivener offers distraction-free writing modes and customizable layouts, which can help you focus during the polishing phase.

You can split your screen to view research notes, character profiles, or other reference materials alongside your manuscript.

Compilation and Export Options:

Scrivener’s powerful compilation feature allows you to export your manuscript to various formats, including EPUB, MOBI, and PDF, with precise control over formatting.

You can create different versions of your manuscript for print, e-book, and other formats with ease.

Project Management:

Scrivener helps you keep all your research, notes, and drafts in one place, making it easier to manage large projects.

You can track your progress with word count targets and project statistics.

By starting in MS Word and then moving to Scrivener, you can leverage the strengths of both tools. MS Word provides a solid foundation for writing and initial formatting, while Scrivener offers advanced features for organizing, polishing, and publishing your work.

Me: Does Scrivener have editing markup tools that are more adapted to fiction writing? Such as understanding the distinction between formality of dialogue vs narrative or maintaining consistent verb tense throughout the narrative?

Copilot: Scrivener offers several features that can be very helpful for fiction writers, though it doesn’t have built-in tools specifically for distinguishing formality in dialogue versus narrative or automatically maintaining consistent verb tense. However, it does provide a robust set of tools that can aid in the editing process:

Comments and Annotations:

You can add comments and annotations to your text, which is useful for making notes about dialogue formality or tense consistency as you review your manuscript1.

Highlighting and Formatting:

Scrivener allows you to highlight text and apply different formatting styles, which can help you visually distinguish between dialogue and narrative1.

Project Targets and Statistics:

These features help you track your progress and ensure consistency in your writing. You can set word count targets and monitor your progress2.

Split Screen and Corkboard Views:

The split screen feature allows you to view and edit two parts of your manuscript simultaneously, which can be helpful for comparing dialogue and narrative sections.

The corkboard view helps you organize and rearrange scenes, making it easier to maintain a consistent narrative flow2.

Compile Feature:

Scrivener’s compile feature allows you to export your manuscript in various formats, applying different formatting rules for each. This can help ensure that your final document is polished and consistent2.

While Scrivener doesn’t automatically check for formality or verb tense consistency, these tools can help you manage and review your manuscript more effectively. For more advanced editing, you might consider using additional software like Grammarly or ProWritingAid, which can integrate with Scrivener and provide more detailed grammar and style checks.

Me: If I like Word but am curious about Scrivener, does the 30-day free trial of Scrivener help to allow testing before a buying decision?

Copilot: Yes, Scrivener offers a 30-day free trial that is perfect for testing before making a buying decision12. The trial version is fully functional, meaning you can explore all of Scrivener’s features without any limitations. The 30-day period counts only the days you actually use the software, so if you use it every other day, the trial can last up to 60 calendar days1.

This trial period gives you ample time to see how Scrivener’s advanced organizational tools, distraction-free writing modes, and powerful compilation features can enhance your writing process. You can experiment with importing your Word documents, organizing your manuscript, and exporting to different formats to see if it meets your needs.

If you decide to purchase Scrivener after the trial, you can simply enter a license key to unlock the full version without losing any of your work.

Would you like some tips on getting started with Scrivener during your trial period?

Me: Scrivener vs  World Anvil? What is the comparison?

Copilot: Scrivener and World Anvil serve different purposes and cater to different aspects of the writing process. Here’s a comparison to help you understand their strengths and how they might fit into your workflow:

Scrivener

Purpose: Primarily a writing and project management tool for authors.

Writing and Organization: Scrivener excels at helping writers draft, organize, and compile their manuscripts. It offers features like a corkboard, outliner, and split-screen view to manage complex projects.

Formatting and Exporting: It provides robust formatting options and can export to various formats, including EPUB, MOBI, and PDF.

Distraction-Free Writing: Scrivener offers modes to help you focus on writing without distractions.

One-Time Purchase: Scrivener is available for a one-time fee, making it a cost-effective choice for many writers1.

World Anvil

Purpose: A world-building and content management tool, often used by writers, game designers, and role-players.

World-Building: World Anvil is designed to help you create and manage detailed worlds, including maps, timelines, and character profiles.

Cross-Referencing: It allows you to link different elements of your world, making it easy to keep track of complex relationships and histories.

Collaboration: World Anvil supports collaborative projects, which can be useful if you’re working with a team.

Subscription Model: World Anvil operates on a subscription basis, with different tiers offering various features2.

Key Differences

Focus: Scrivener is focused on writing and organizing manuscripts, while World Anvil is geared towards world-building and managing extensive lore.

Usage: Scrivener is ideal for drafting and compiling your book, whereas World Anvil is better for developing and maintaining the background and setting of your story.

Access: Scrivener is a desktop application, while World Anvil is web-based, allowing access from any device with an internet connection12.

Which to Choose?

For Writing and Manuscript Management: Scrivener is the better choice if your primary need is drafting, organizing, and compiling your manuscript.

For World-Building and Lore Management: World Anvil is more suitable if you need to create and manage a detailed world with interconnected elements.

You might find that using both tools together can be very effective: Scrivener for writing and organizing your manuscript, and World Anvil for developing and managing the world in which your story takes place.

Me: Meanwhile if I have 50 short stories that will be organized into a streamlined novel and two companion anthologies so Scrivener would be the better tool to help me manage a project like that?

Copilot: Yes, Scrivener would be an excellent tool for managing a project like that. Here’s why:

Organization:

Scrivener allows you to organize your 50 short stories into different folders or sections. You can easily rearrange them to fit the structure of your novel and anthologies.

The corkboard and outliner views help you visualize the overall structure and make adjustments as needed.

Drafting and Editing:

You can work on individual stories or chapters within the same project, making it easy to switch between different parts of your manuscript.

Scrivener’s split-screen feature allows you to view and edit multiple sections simultaneously, which is useful for maintaining consistency across your novel and anthologies.

Research and Notes:

Keep all your research, notes, and character profiles in one place. This helps you maintain continuity and ensures that all relevant information is easily accessible.

You can attach notes to specific sections or scenes, making it easier to track revisions and ideas.

Compilation and Export:

Scrivener’s powerful compile feature allows you to export your manuscript in various formats, including EPUB, MOBI, and PDF. You can customize the formatting for each version, ensuring a polished final product.

You can create different versions of your manuscript for the novel and the anthologies, each with its own formatting and structure.

Project Management:

Set word count targets and track your progress for each story or chapter. This helps you stay on schedule and meet your writing goals.

Use Scrivener’s project statistics to get an overview of your manuscript’s length and structure.

By using Scrivener, you can efficiently manage the complex task of organizing and editing your short stories into a cohesive novel and companion anthologies. It provides the tools you need to keep everything organized and streamlined, making the writing and editing process much smoother. If you need any tips on getting started with Scrivener or specific features that might be helpful for your project, feel free to ask!