I have a completed manuscript, and bought Scrivener last night. How could I use the program to help me edit the novel?
I suspect I’ll use the corkboard for outlining the overall scene structure. Any other ideas?
Ginger
I use the Mac version, not Windows, but no one’s responded to this yet, so I’ll lay out a couple of thoughts:
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import the manuscript and break it into scene-sized chunks, or smaller, using File > Import > Import and Split (I’m assuming that the Windows version offers “Split at Selection”)
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go through your manuscript examining structure and order using either the Outliner or, as you suggest, the Corkboard (bear in mind that the Corkboard will not show your text, it will show synopses for each chunk, which you will have to write or generate)
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re-arrange as desired
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once you’ve achieved a satisfactory structure, review each scene and annotate it, using in-line annotations, bookmarks, labels and status (to indicate what you’ve revised and what you haven’t)
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re-write where necessary, using the split-pane editor, the original in one pane, the revised text in the other
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create a scrivening of the entire text and read through - is it the best you can do?
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compile, as required.
HTH
H
One of the things I use as an editing tool is the word/phrase search function. I search on the conjunctions : and, but and then to make sure I haven’t over used them and ensure I don’t have repeating sentence structure. Also I realized in one of my projects that I consistently punctuated my dialog incorrectly, so, I was able to search and correct them all. It’s also good for checking word repetition.
Make sure you know where your backups are, and that Scrivener’s backup options match the way you work.
Make ample use of the Document Split, Merge, and Move functions. In particular, the best way to move a large chunk of text is to split it into its own document and drag it to its new location, using the Split function to make a hole for it as needed.
This capability seems to me to be overlooked sometimes. People set up a nice neat outline with a folder for every chapter and a document for every scene, and sometimes seem very reluctant to let that structure get a little messy as they work. But trust me, that 1000 word chunk that you’re trying to move is much safer in its own document than it would be in the Clipboard. You’ll also be much happier with a separate document if you drop it in the wrong place by mistake and end up having to move it again.
Don’t be shy about using metadata, document notes, and other tools to help you keep track of where you are, what else you need to change, research and continuity questions, etc.
Get comfortable with the Compile function bit by bit, during breaks in the actual editing. It’s a very powerful and complex function: ignoring it until the day before your deadline is a good way to discover new and exciting curse words.
Good luck!
Katherine
Depending on your comfort level with all of these features and their application to your editing process, I suggest you consider keeping some of your old methods that have proven effective. How (and whether) you track characters appearances and mentions, sub-plots, ideas for improving a passage, things you need to research, what you want to cut, what you want to keep, etc… can be helped by Scrivener. But if you take on too much of it, you may lose track of the actual writing in your efforts to learn this new tool inside and out. So my advice is to ease into it. Use the features that immediately make your process easier, keep your current methods where it’s not easier; try those features out on the next book, maybe even as you write it.