For a while now I’ve been using Reedsy to write my books. Mostly because it exports them for publishing in ebook and print formats with a few clicks and it was easy.
But lately I’ve been wanting to return to Scrivener. Between wanting to use it to create a world-bible, and the ability to sync with Aeon Timeline, it’s very convenient in a different way than Reedsy is, and arguably more important depending on how big into worldbuilding you are.
In looking over the compiling in Scrivener, I’m not sure if it’s changed over the years, or I was just a noob, but it looks much easier and nicer than before. That said, there is a fair amount of finagling in case I would like something specific and coherent looking.
It got me thinking, since I’ve seen many people trading and even selling premade Scrivener themes, maybe there are folk out there who saved their layout section formats and might be willing to share? And if that is not a thing, maybe we should make it a thing?
Although this is possible in principle, it is difficult to implement because everyone is free to name their sections as they wish and also to organise their manuscript relatively freely. Some authors, for example, use chapters and scenes, but I, for example, do not favour this subdivision and only divide my novels into chapters. The chosen format settings, line heights, etc. are also individual, which is why you would probably have to adapt everything to your own needs. This is probably why it is easier to create your own compile format from the start. For example, I never use the included standard layouts because they don’t fit my system. I have created three compile formats that I use for eBook production and two other special editions. Once created, I have been using them since the release of Scrivener 3.
This is what the Compile Formats supplied with Scrivener are intended to do. The frequency with which people need to change them shows how futile attempts to develop a “universal” format are.
The other thing to remember with Scrivener is that while you can use it to go all the way to publishable output, you don’t have to, and in fact often that’s not the best use of your time. If you find yourself needing to put an unreasonable effort (however you define that) into tweaking the Compile settings, it might be time to transfer your manuscript to another tool.