Snowflake Challenge Day 5

[hikorichan]

Recommend a fannish or creative resource

My first thought upon reading this was to recommend information resources, but I honestly don't have any primary places I go to for information on fandoms, writing, or art—and I'm not going to take the easy way out and say Google :P So, instead i'm going to focus on writerly/creative software that helps me out.

If you've read my journal for a while, then you know I started using Scrivener last year and have grown to love it. I am using it for all of my writing projects these days. At the end of 2017 they had a major release of Scrivener 3, which I just updated to yesterday. I still have to dig into more of its new features, but I am liking the more modern look and I wrote some 2.3k words in it yesterday after updating with little fuss. Compose Mode will forever be my holy grail, and I used the Corkboard feature extensively in plotting my multi-POV novel. And gosh, it is SO EASY to move scenes around if you decide they belong in a different order (as I did yesterday as well!). Other things I love:

• storing all my research materials and notes in the same program for easy reference
  
• keywords
  
• custom styles (I love you, Solarized Dark)
  
• built in front matter and templates for different types of projects
  
• Did I mention Compose mode?
  

What I use is probably 10% of what the software is capable of. Given how powerful it is, it's pretty inexpensive ($45 USD). Highly recommended for all writerly types, especially if you have longer or more complicated projects.

Second recommendation is for an app called Pocket. If you're like me, then you constantly find things online you want to read but don't have time to when you see them. Pocket lets you save all those links in one spot for easy viewing later. I use it on my iPhone, but according to the website it works on other devices as well. I have creative advice and informational articles and pages, short stories, essays, news articles, and fanfics all stored in there so that when I do get a few spare minutes to read or need to reference something, I can easily access them rather than having to go back and search or have 10,000 tabs open on my web browser. Plus, once they're saved, you don't need internet to view them. It also displays in reading mode when available, which is nice for reading stories.

Comments

[shuufleur93]

+10000 for both Scrivener and Pocket! I kinda stopped using Pocket, but Scrivener is my go-to software when I'm writing big projects. I discovered it with NaNoWriMo (since L&L are a sponsor) and got it with a sale, so it was even cheaper.

[hikorichan]

I just got Twitter (where I follow mostly writers/agents/editors/lit magazines/etc.), and I feel like Pocket is a necessity to deal with the sheer number of amazing stories and resources that get shared, lol.

I'm writing my first novel at the moment, which is a multi-POV fantasy, and have used Scrivener through the whole process of worldbuilding, plotting, etc, and now to writing. It's made me appreciate it even more. Totally content to have paid full price!

[shuufleur93]

I guess I lost the habit (and the need) to use pocket.

Scrivener is deinitely the software I don't regret buying. At first, it's a little overwhelming (there are so many things) but it's such a life-saver for novella/novel type of work, just like you said.

I also bought Aeon Timeline, which you can synchronize with Scrivener, for the chronology. Like, you can create your novel's timeline, tag characters, places and probably other stuff. I haven't used it yet, but it will help so much to spot inconsistencies in the timeline (and see if my timeline fits ^^).

[hikorichan]

I had stopped using Pocket for a while, but since picking up Twitter to connect with the writing/publishing world, the number of articles, short stories, and sites I see makes it a neccesity!

I too found Scrivener overwhelming at first. But as you said, it’s proved invaluable for my longer projects. I’m also using it now for short stories just for the ease of exporting in a query-friendly format and being able to keep any research close at hand.

Thank you for mentoning Aeon Timeline! Hadn’t heard of it before, but I could definitely use something better than excel for this. I am definitely going to look into it!

[shuufleur93]

Yep!

For Aeon Timeline, they have a 20-day free trial if you want to check it out before buying.

[wynnebat]

I'm so impatient for Scrivener 3 to come out for Windows! Its new features sound great :)

[hikorichan]

I am lucky to use a Mac! So far, so good. I haven't tried out most of the new features yet, but the new look and feel is nice :)

How is scrivener easy?

[kaixo]

Granted I haven't updated to the new one, but I came back to it after a couple of years away and I'm stumped, tbh.

Re: How is scrivener easy?

[hikorichan]

I never said Scrivener is easy! I said it's easy to move scenes around, which is true if you have your project set up so that a folder = chapter, and a text file = scene (If you select the Novel template when you create a new file, it's set up this way). Then moving your scenes/chapters around is as easy as dragging and dropping them into the new spot.

I too was completely overwhelmed the first time I used Scrivener and for a good three weeks into the trial period I wasn't sure what all the hype was about. It was really only when I started using it for a novel-length fanfic that I decided I preferred it to Pages/Word. Now that I'm working on an original novel I love it even more (I'm even using it for short stories, these days). But I understand completely the big learning curve at the beginning; I was there!

You might find the built-in tutorial helpful. I did about half of it when I started for the basics and tools I thought sounded potentially useful. The new version is pretty similar to the old one except for a few features and the look and feel, so I don't think upgrading is the answer to being stumped, sadly.

Re: How is scrivener easy?

[osidiano]

I also found it difficult to navigate at first, but there are a bunch of tutorials on YouTube. That was easier for me to follow and understand than clicking through the program or using their built-in tutorial. I can’t imagine using Scrivener for anything less complicated or shorter than a novella; it feels like too much program for one-shot fics.

[silveradept]

Pocket, I believe, is integrated into Firefox Quantum, so if people are using the new Firefox, they probably have it already at their fingertips.

[hikorichan]

Good to know! I'm not a Firefox user, so had no idea. I use it exclusively on my iphone.

[dreamy_dragon73]

I've been on the fence about getting Scrivener for both professional and private things for a while now - and your post just made a point in its favour!

[hikorichan]

If you have longer or more complex writing projects, it's totally worth it.
That said, I've started using it for short stories now too... because you know, Compose Mode. :P

[teigh_corvus]

Aaaand you've convinced me to get back to the Scrivener tutorial.

[hikorichan]

Haha! It took me a while to figure out. I did about half of the tutorials, but using it with a project is what ended up selling it to me. Good luck!