Hi. I’m new to Scrivener and though I’ve watched the tutorials and read Scrivener for Dummies, I’m still having trouble figuring out to write a traditional outline, which is the first thing I would do before I write anything else. In Corkboard mode, I see the index cards and I would like use these to list ideas for each section of my project. Or I could do this in a traditional outline format, using bullets. However, to do this, it seems there needs to be existing text? That seems contrary to the idea of an outline. To do this, do I need to write the content for each index card first in the binder, as a new untitled document? These documents could be in folder called Outline? Is that the easiest way? Thanks so much for any tips!
There doesn’t need to be any existing text. You could use either Scrivener’s outliner or corkboard view for this, whichever works best for you. If the outline will become text itself, then you can do this in the Draft/Manuscript folder, or otherwise you could create a folder for the outline. Then select the folder in the binder and switch to either corkboard or outliner view in the main editor. Then just create cards or rows, filling in the titles and synopses as you go. You can later open all of those cards or rows in the main editor and have the index card alongside it, so that you can see what this part of the text is supposed to be about and fill in the main text area.
Or, if you don’t want to create an outline that you later fill in with main text but just want to create an outline in a text document that you can refer to, you can just create a text document and use bullets to make your outline. it’s entirely up to you and depends on how you work best.
All the best,
Keith
Hi Keith,
When you say this:
Then select the folder in the binder and switch to either corkboard or outliner view in the main editor. Then just create cards or rows, filling in the titles and synopses as you go. <<
How do you create index cards in corkboard view after you select a folder? I am doing this now by creating documents in the binder within the folder.
Thanks!
There’s a “+” button at the bottom of the corkboard. Or, click into the corkboard and hit the “+” button in the toolbar. Or, hit return when the focus is in the corkboard. Have you been through the tutorial project? If not, I strongly recommend it, as it will help you get up and running.
All the best,
Keith
Thanks for that. I’ll rewatch the tutorials. The Dummies doesn’t detail that and that’s what I was using.