So I just started using scrivener and I'm having a problem. When I hit 'enter' to write some dialogue it indents the line as if I'm starting a new paragraph, is there a way to stop this?
Why wouldn't you want that? Although, I don't use Scrivner, so maybe I've misunderstood, but by the sounds of things, Scrivner's doing you a favour and ensuring your formatting is right. Every speaker's dialogue line should have its own paragraph, and the manuscript standard for the industry is that everything must be indented (and not as some writers like to do, like myself, which is to create a blank line between each new paragraph without indents).
Yes, there is, though follow Mckk's advice. However, so that you're in more control of your software: 1. Highlight all the text you want to change. 2. Click on "Format" and in the dropdown box, place your mouse over "Text," and then in the next window that shows up, choose "Spacing." 3. That will pop up a window that allows your to change the line spacing and also the indents. Change the "First line" indent to 0.00 inches and click OK. 4. Another window will pop up, "Do you want to apply paragraph indention?" Click "yes." You've now removed all the indents in your work. If you want to only remove specific ones, then only highlight those you want to remove.
yes, I know that each new speaker needs to be on a new line, but I have never seen this indented. The only time I see indents is when a new paragraph is started
Each new line *is* a new paragraph. Open up one of your books where there're indents (should be most books) and look through any dialogue passages. You'll notice it's all indented. Anyway, write how you like just saying.
Um, yeah. Just to save you reformatting headaches in the future, the advice you have been given is the standard, not an exception. Every time someone new speaks, it's a new paragraph, not just a new line. Even for just a short blip of dialogue. It should be indented. It's literally in every book I have ever read that contains dialogue.
Like everyone else says, it's on a new line because it is a new paragraph. You can format paragraphs with or without an indent but any line of dialogue that needs a new line should match.
A new line IS a new paragraph. And it does get indented. However, that rule is NOT set in stone. It's a good idea to follow that rule, but the software should not enforce it.
