Scan & Fix 50 registry issues FREECNET Editors' review
Scrivener is an excellent, idiosyncratic app for creating and managing complex writing projects, whether you're trying to write a novel, play, TV show, or magazine feature. No simple word processor, Scrivener is a full authoring tool, using a metaphorical "three-ring binder" interface that helps you organize draft text and research documents into a simple system for writing, revising, and rearranging text.
While the basics of Scrivener's interface are intuitive--the system of folders, documents, and index cards on a virtual corkboard--you'll need to invest some time and effort to fully understand all of its features, including flexible output options, "snapshots" for handling revisions, a potent outlining tool, full-screen editing mode, and an exhaustive system for keywords, labels, and the like. Thankfully, Scrivener has a feature-summary video, a built-in tutorial, a responsive developer, and an active and enthusiastic user community. Scrivener also now supports a couple of new formats--Final Draft's FDX and Write Room's WS--so you can easily move files from those applications. The price tag might seem steep given the ubiquity of free and cheap text editors, but Scrivener is an exceptional tool built for a particular task.
Publisher's Description
From Literature & Latte:
Scrivener is a project management and writing tool for writers of all kinds that stays with you from that first, unformed idea all the way through to the first - or even final - draft. Outline and structure your ideas; take notes; storyboard your masterpiece using a powerful virtual corkboard; view research while you write; track themes using keywords; dynamically combine multiple scenes into a single text. Scrivener has already been enthusiastically adopted by best-selling novelists and novices alike. Outline. Edit. Storyboard. Write.
What's new in this version:
- Fixed bug whereby file references with spaces in the file path could not be opened from Scrivener's references pane.
- Fixed bug whereby there could be a typing lag in scaled footnotes in the inspector.
- Improved buffer area around editor split-divider when double-clicking to make editors same width or height.
- Fixed bug whereby clicking the “Move...” toolbar items repeatedly and quickly could cause an exception to be thrown.
- F... See all new features
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All versions:
5.0 starsout of 43 votes
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Current version:
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"From a graduate student in history: "Life Changing!!""
Version: Scrivener 2.4
Pros
As an academic historian, I am constantly wrangling evidence, pdfs, photos, interviews, you name it. Scrivener is amazing at keeping me organized throughout the writing process--from researching, to writing, to editing, to printing. I love the ability to look at my evidence on one panel while typing in the other. I love being able to rearrange my chapters and sub-points at will. Basically, no words could explain how much I love Scrivener!!
Cons
There are a few formatting quirks, but they are easily fixable once compiled into word. It would also be wonderful if Scrivener and Zotero could work better together. But these small complaints are FAR outweighed by the benefits of Scrivener.
Summary
Love it! Get the 30-day trial, do the tutorial, and fall in love!
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"From a professional writer: EXCELLENT!"
Version: Scrivener 2.2
Pros
Feel, stability, predictability, organization and workflow integration.
Cons
Not cheap, but for me, it's been very well worth it. Especially with how quickly I've received technical support when I've needed it.
Summary
I'm the author of a 992-page book that's used in a lot of college courses. I'm now working on the 7th edition. I read several journal articles a day and do countless browser searchers, and need a program to organize my research. I also do a daily 90-second radio broadcast that is research intensive. So I spend several hours each day collecting and organizing information.
I've tried just about everything including MacJournal, Circus Ponies Notebook, Devonnote, Evernote and Together, SOHO Notes, and more. I found each of these to be excellent in its own way, and I well understand if one suits your style and needs better than Scrivener. If fact, if you do a lot of writing, I'd strongly encourage you to try each one and find the one or two that you are most comfortable with.
For me, Scrivener has provided the most intuitive and best feeling environment. Maybe that's because I started writing back in the old days, when one used 3x5 cards and a typewriter. Perhaps that's why I've done better with Scrivener than the others.
I've honestly had no loyalty over the years to one of these programs or the other. Shamelessly, I'd consider switching tomorrow if an organizer came along that felt even better, so the fact that Scrivener has kept me happy for the past 18 months says a lot.
(I'd especially switch to a new app if I could find software that helped me feel less resistance to the process of writing in general--but I've found no apps with this kind of miraculousness attached. Writing remains a challenge for me, even though I'm successful at it and make my living from it. I still dread having to do each new project. I've also found that no program can do the hard work of entering the information I need to enter in a way that's most useful. That's ultimately up to me. Damn.)
The two times I've needed to get technical support with Scrivener, I've heard back within 6 hours. Both times, they were able to solve the problem.
Another thing to consider is the stability--each note in Scrivener is kept as a separate text file in the project folder. This means that there's no database corruption to worry about. No question, databases have their advantages, especially for easy back up, searches, and perhaps for cloud storage. But as long as my hard drive is working, there is no way I'll ever lose the notes I've put into Scrivener. I just make sure I do daily backups to jump drives that I swap out and store in another location.
On the other hand, I don't need to download directly to a blog or other media from Scrivener. I have no idea how well Scrivener works for that, nor am I syncing between laptop/smartphone and desktop. All I can tell you is for my particular purposes as a writer--which might be different from yours--Scrivener is the program that I've settled on to collect, collate and process my work. -
"Not Your Ordinary Word Processor"
Version: Scrivener 2.2
Pros
Useful app for any writer, novelist, or screenwriter. Does everything that word does and then some. Has an incredible variety of useful features. Easy-to-use interface. Comes with easy-to-understand manual that is in depth.
Cons
Some small output bugs, but stable for the most part.
Summary
Scrivener is an amazingly powerful writing tool that will help organize and manage your writing project from beginning to end. The app is unlike any other word processor. It helps to break down your work into tiny pieces so the writer can create a larger, more complex project. It has a bunch of useful features like the snapshot feature, split-window view, the powerful inspector panel, and the corkboard views, which all help organize your scrivenings. It's easy to use for the most part, but you may want to keep the manual handy just in case. Definitely recommend this app for anyone who is serious in writing.
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"This product just keeps getting better and better."
Version: Scrivener 2.1.0
Pros
Great new features in this version. Well worth the upgrade price.
Cons
None I can think of.
Summary
If you are a student or write content for work. Scrivener is a must. I reckon it gave me another 10% on my degree.
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"Not a word processor - Instead a flexible author's tool"
Version: Scrivener 2.0.5
Pros
A wide number of features - but you can easily adapt it to working the way you do. It uses a programmer's approach to writing - because it was concieved by a programmer who is also an author. But, in the end, it is a wise approach.
Cons
To really see what it can do and understand some of the assumptions behind the way it is set up - you do need to invest time and review the training videos. If you want a word processor for writing - this is not a replacement for document formatting.
Summary
Best approach I've found for helping me organize and write articles and that long considered but never started fiction piece in the back of my mind. Well worth $45 dollars if you spend the time to try it and understand the purpose and process behind it.
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"Jack of all trades"
Version: Scrivener 2.0.5
Pros
A word processor, note collector, research archive and more. Ability to split screen and have notes in one document and current work in the other is invaluable.
Cons
Doubtful anyone beside the author of the program can use all the tools it offers. Can be a little overwhelming.
Summary
I'm a journalist/author and I do ALL of my writing on Scrivener. I would be lost without it and can't imagine going back to a standard word processor. I do occasionally have to check the terrific manual to recall how to do something but that's OK. You can use as little of the program as you need or as much as you want. Either way, it's worth every penny.
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"works well with so many options"
Version: Scrivener 2.0.4
Pros
keeping track of different sections; able to easily find things/sections;
Cons
have not really found any...
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"It's my favourite app for Mac"
Version: Scrivener 2.0.2
Pros
A great piece of software, well coded and very well supported by a large community and a great developer, Keith Blunt
Cons
Not (still!) available in all main languages (italian missing!)
Summary
This application is what I needed for my writing project. It's a great way to manage my ideas.
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"complete writing toolkit"
Version: Scrivener 2.0b
Pros
Puts many useful tools in your hands. Revising, restructuring, creating visual representations, and accessing your research become easy rather than tedious. Version 2 has many improvements.
Cons
Nothing (and this is after more than 2 years with V 1, and a month with 2.0.
Summary
Its usefulness increases exponentially with project size. For a 2000 word piece of short fiction, well, maybe it doesn't give you much you can't get with an ordinary word processor. But when your project starts to grow, or to have chapters . . . then Scrivener lets you do things easily that would be an enormous headache with any other tool.
My first published fiction was written on a DEC VMS editor, then I moved to dedicated word processors and then to Scrivener. So I've tried writing with tools not really meant for creative writing, moved to those that did it OK, and ended up with one that does it superbly. -
"Thoughtful, practical, versatile, one-of-a-kind"
Version: Scrivener 2.0b
Pros
This is created by writers and it's for writers. It's remarkably versatile. It works for a vey wide variety of writing: novels, long books or legal briefs, or even structuring presentations. Or loosely drafting half-cooked ideas.
Cons
I cannot think of a single negative. Even the price is a steal for all that this offers.
Summary
It doesn't get much better than this. How often do you find software that has carefully considered every aspect of its purpose and has found creative solutions? That's what you get with Scrivener. Plus, the nicest developers. This is a joy to use.
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