Jennifer decides whether or not to plunge into Scrivener

Scrivener is a project management system for writers. You can access it easily on the Internet and it all seems pretty generous: 30 days free trial and those are not consecutive days, but the days you actually use the package.

I heard about it a couple of years ago when a couple of IT focussed guys at work raved about it as a way to write their novels. A story went around that the designer of Scrivener was writing a novel, but Scrivener itself was so successful that he abandoned his novel and lived off the proceeds of his software package. Full of scepticism, I downloaded the package and started to do the introductory tutorial. I persisted for about half an hour, then the ‘instructor’ announced something like, that’s the first part, now go and get yourself a cup of tea . . . This isn’t for me, I thought. I closed everything down and went back to using Word, keeping my work in folders, all embedded in a folder called ‘Writing’. Sometime last year I went to a workshop given by Toni Jordan – a writer I admire very much. She is very keen about Scrivener. If she uses it, I thought, I’d better give it another try. Writers’ Victoria advertised a workshop on Scrivener to be delivered by writer Alison Stuart. I gritted my teeth and enrolled. I took the workshop.

At the end of the full day workshop, I’m still not sure whether I will use it. I’ve got an idea for a novel-sized book and used that as a kind of ‘guinea pig’. I had a new thought about it this morning and went to the newly-created Scrivener file to make a note about it. That’s a good sign. But I still feel very constrained: you start with a Binder (like a big ring-binder folder) and in this you create whatever section you like, but if you’ve opted for ‘fiction’ you get choices such as ‘characters’ and ‘scene’. There’s an editing option (where you write stuff) and an Information section where you can store all the support material. I use old photographs a lot, you could also have pdfs of old newspapers, cartoons  . . . whatever. It will be useful to be able to have a split screen and write with this stimulus material next to the prose you are creating.

Writers are described as either Plotters (plan it all out first) or Pantsers (write off the seat of your pants). I’m a Pantser. The book that I’ve just (perhaps) finished started when I looked at an old photograph and grew with loads of twists, turns, diversions into 90,000 words. I think I’d have to regurgitate a first draft in Word and then sort it all out with Scrivener. Yet – I did go to Scrivener this morning when I had a new idea. So, I’m still thinking about it.

I can see that Scrivener would be excellent for writing non-fiction: you could keep interviews, notes, articles right next to you as you write. It would also be good for a detective story – easy to keep track of clues. And the only way to learn about such a package is to use it – so I’ll give it a try, for 30 days, at least.