Certainly. I find that Scrivener has too much going on to distract me from the actual writing. I tried to write in Scrivener but found myself taking breaks when stuck to work on other things. For example, if I had introduced a new character I would stop and create a character sketch for him/her and try to think up a personality for them instead of finding that out for myself through the natural process of writing, which I find to be a form of discovery. With WriteRoom I get a nice full screen with an easy on the eye font and there is nothing to distract me from writing. Also, once I finish a chapter I can keep on writing the next one. With Scrivener, once I finish a chapter I have to create a new chapter folder and often I'll instead read over what I just wrote instead and lose momentum. I realise Scrivener has a full screen function too, but I don't like it.
Scrivener also has a full screen function, with fully customisable background colour, "paper" colour, font and size of the writing area (the "paper"). You can even set the background transparency in case you want to see through to your desktop. And what is it in WriteRoom that makes it easy to begin a new chapter? (I've never used it, so I don't know how it works) In Scrivener you could always create the folders before-hand (which might be hard, if you don't know how many chapters you'll have) or continue writing in your current document and then split it in the chapter break using the Split function.
I already mentioned that I have used Scrivener's full screen mode and didn't like it. What makes it easy to begin a new chapter in WriteRoom is that you don't have to begin a new chapter, you just keep writing. In Scrivener everything is so organised and neatly laid out that I could never bring myself to write the whole thing in one scene, I'd need to break it up and use it how it was meant to be used. But doing that, organising while I write, hinders the process for me. Also, seeing as my WIP is science fiction/cyberpunk, I like the green text on black background that I get with WriteRoom. It's very Matrix-ey and puts me in the mood for writing. http://s1208.photobucket.com/user/caramelloham/media/ScreenShot2014-05-16at11459am.png.html
There is no "as it was meant to be used". The tools are there as options for those who want to use them. The way Scrivener is meant to be used is the way the user uses it. As I said, you can change all colours in Scrivener's fullscreen mode, even to Matrix-style if you so wish.
Yes, I realise that Scrivener is a pretty complete program, and I would be more than happy to write a whole novel using just it, but since I have the choice I happen to prefer WriteRoom for the writing, and Scrivener for the organising. You said it yourself, Scrivener is meant to be used the way the user wants to use it. I find Scrivener best for plotting/organising/rearranging scenes and writing notes, but don't enjoy the actual writing as much, and much prefer WriteRoom's fullscreen experience. I know you can change the colours in Scrivener, but I still prefer WriteRoom. I can't press 'esc' in WriteRoom and go back to cluster-fuck layout/procrastination zone. I also prefer the font (Scrivener doesn't have the font) and the scrolling is a lot smoother. I used to do a bulk of my writing on Scrivener but since getting WriteRoom I've found that my writing productivity has skyrocketed. Maybe I'm complicating things for myself, but it works for me...
I fully agree with you that you have the freedom to do things the way you want, I just wanted to know the reasons behind your choices (who knows, maybe I'll start using WriteRoom now ). I haven't really scrolled too much in Scrivener because none of my scenes really are that long, so I don't really know about that one. By the way, is WriteRoom just a writing application, or does it have organisational features etc. as well? Have you tried removing the Esc-key from your keyboard?
If I were to write using Scrivener I wouldn't be scrolling either, because you work in scenes, but in WriteRoom it's like a minimalistic Microsoft Word, in the sense that there's only one document. The only way to get the same effect in Scrivener is to click on the 'Manuscript' folder and write from there, but alas, the scrolling is painfully slow in full screen mode. There's no organisational features in WriteRoom whatsoever, just a full screen and the words as you type them. Another good minimalistic writing program that's worth checking out is iA Writer. Very nice font, off white screen (designed to look like a typewriter), and a cool function that allows you to fade all of the text out except for the sentence you are currently writing. I used to really dig that one as well, but changed to WriteRoom because I preferred the colour and font (writing on a black background is way easier on my eyes). The other reason why I use these programs is they both have apps on the iPhone with syncing capabilities, so I can continue my writing on the move. If Scrivener had a look at these full screen writing apps and tried to implement some of their strengths, and released an app for smart phones, I would use Scrivener for everything, without hesitation. I know you were just curious about why I used it haha, don't worry I wasn't on the defence. It must seem crazy why someone would use two writing programs when one of them is like the Swiss Army Knife of writing programs I now feel like some sort of undercover mule working to convert loyal Scrivener users to using WriteRoom, but I promise you I'm not! I'd ask you why you use Scrivener but I already know how great it is
Thanks for that @Caramello Koala. I was just curious as to why you felt WriteRoom had the edge. I think I'd need to be you to understand your reasoning but I appreciate it anyway. Ta.
I have actually tried another only-thing-you-can-do-is-write app, called Q10. It only has a fullscreen mode, it requires like 500kb hard disk space, is fully portable (no installation required) and it's free. It doesn't even have a proper menu, instead you use keyboard shortcuts to open settings menus and other options. The only downside is that everything you write is stored in .txt-files, so there are no options to format the text. Seriously, Q10 even has the option to play typewriter sounds when you write! I personally don't own a smart phone or tablet, so apps are worthless to me ( ) and thus not a problem. However, sometimes simple programs such as Q10 or WriteRoom can be quite nice, especially since there are no steps to take between starting the program and getting into writing. Good to know, since I had a hard time judging whether or not I was too much on the offensive on this one... I find some of my comments sounding a bit like "Scrivener is the best, how can you not realise that!?", so good that my message came through without causing any unwanted trouble along the way.
Because they use a Mac. Edited to add: Dang. I could've sworn I checked that I was responding to a kinda current post. I wasn't. Oh, well.
This seems like the right place to ask this question. I am about to start writing the first of several novels that I intend to self publish as e books on Amazon and Smashwords, but I know absolutely nothing about the formatting process. I only have an old version of MS Word (2003 I think) and I've no idea if this is up to the job or what I will have to do with the finished work in order to publish it. Could any of you lovely people give me a bit of advice? I am happy to buy a more recent version of Word if it's necessary, as it is my preferred choice. I really do need to know the most basic of things, such as how to lay the page out etc. I'm guessing it's double spacing and page breaks for new pages, but that is about it. I don't even know if I can use a tab for the paragraph indentations. Any help would be much appreciated.
You might want to check this page out: http://www.shunn.net/format/novel.html If you want further references you could always go to Google and search for "novel standard manuscript format". This should give you a hint of how to format things, but please note that these are guidelines for submitting to editors or agents, and not how a book should look in the store. For the format of the actual end-product I believe it should be about the same, though not with Courier New as font nor double spacing between lines. As for Word 2003, it should definitely be up to the job. Heck, George R.R. Martin (author of Game of Thrones) writes his books on a DOS computer...
Or because they are allergic to electricity and can't use any elecronic devices without getting a headache. I thought it was clear enough what I meant: Why should one go out of their way to avoid something that can do the job (sounds hipstery to me)? Substitute 'Word' with 'Pages' or whatever Mac users have. I did a trial run with Scrivener and it seems fine. Still using Word, though, as I'm accustomed to it, but the next writing project will be tackled with Scrivener
Thanks for the advice and the link, Komposten. That's definitely given me a starting point. There doesn't seem to be much on that site about formatting for an e book as such, but there are some useful novel-writing Word templates that I can definitely use. I might just get the novel written using one of those templates and then worry about the e book formatting once it's finished. If anyone else has some good links, I'd really appreciate it.
It's always good to write in standard manuscript format, especially if you decide that you want to publish the traditional way (which I, as well as a lot of other users here would recommend) instead of self-publishing, since you've already got the formatting sorted.
If you "need" software to write I think you really have no business writing. I use Word the write and Excel to organize scenes and raw ideas.
You also walk ten miles to school through waist-deep snow, right? Nobody is saying they "need" software to write. We have other threads around here discussing the merits of using pen and paper - something I often do myself! As far as I'm concerned, any way of getting the words on the page will do. I like Scrivener because it does what I want and does it very well. That doesn't mean I need it to write. I was a writer long before Scrivener was invented. And before Word was invented. I was writing stories by hand before pocket calculators were invented. I don't need software to write. Nobody else does, either. The simple fact that we express preferences about software doesn't mean we can't write without it. And it certainly doesn't mean we have "no business writing."
Everybody needs to us what works for them. I know I mentioned Ywriter5 earlier, but I've since gone to folders full of RTFs. I just find it less distracting, and couldn't ask for more power. I don't think how a book is written matters at all, so long as it's good.
You make a good point, that's why most publishers want their manuscripts in lazy scrawl on lined paper ripped out of a notebook. Making people submit in 12 point courier was so exhausting when they all had no business writing.
Scrivener. Use on both Mac and PC. Prefer the Mac release. Notebooks app on iOS devices. Both are excellent. Word is good. Still have it and use it. Scrivener is just so much better. It's like a tool box. I have several hammers. Several types of screwdrivers. Many pliers. And a bunch f other tools. I reach for Scrivener and Notebooks daily. Also, use Drafts on iOS, mostly for ideas and notes.
