I mentioned right after this beta became available that I might actually finish NaNoWriMo this year thanks to Scrivener. Well, it’s happened! I’m an official winner for the first time since my yearly efforts began in 2005. There’s no way I would have kept chugging through without Scrivener, so thank you guys so much!
The ability to separate files, chapters and everything else, as well as importing images, has helped me tremendously. Using Word for NaNo seriously made it feel like a chore and was way too hard to have 10 different files open just for one project. Scrivener, however, made writing fun again, which is something I’ve been missing since high school. So, thanks, you guys! And good luck to everyone else that’s wrapping up!
I just finished NaNoWriMo today with 50,131 words and am still going strong. I’ve used Word in the past and it was great ease of use wise but as far as organization, nada! I didn’t find Scrivener until 10 days into November but I took the time to move all my work over into the program. I was a little scared at learning a brand new program while also trying to write my book. I have to tell you, best decision I made all month! This program definitely made a big impact on me finishing NaNo this month, but also the quality of my writing as it kept me organized so that my story flowed more easily and I could effortlessly move things around as my story changed. Thank you, THANK YOU for your offer to NaNoWriMo writers, and for Windows users in particular, you are to be applauded, I look forward to the full version coming out, I plan to be one of the first to purchase.
Keep up the great work
Rachel Meyers
NaNoWriMo user- livinglighthouse
Yay congrats to you! It’s definitely a giant help to be able to easily find plot points and whatnot. Before, I would seriously forget all kinds of stuff in a story. Scrivener is just great. I actually got my best friend to use it for NaNo as well. I’m slowly spreading the word, haha.
I first heard about NaNoWriMo through the Scrivener forums years ago. Each year I’ve thought to myself ‘Imagine trying to write 50,000 words in a month!’ and shaken my head in amazement at both the people who try to do it and the ones that actually complete it.
This year I decided my writing needed a shake up so set myself up for the challenge. This morning I’ve completed my story, compiled it and had it verified by NaNoWriMo. I’m a winner! Un-freaking-believable! But, now it’s over, I can try to get the rest of my life back on track.
Have a good day all, especially any other WriMos desperately trying to finish their novel.
As one who has done this a few times: shower is second door on the left; those court issued notices stapled to the front of the door should probably be attended to; and spouse can be reached via your mother-in-law.
also completed my 50k words thanks to Scrivener 2.0
this year was doubly tough with my son being born on 31st October!! but hes been sleeping 7 hours a night, and has been an angel and hasn’t minded looking at the words on the screen as I typed, or minded me dictating into the Macbook during nappy changes and story time
This was my first NaNoWriMo as well. I didn’t use Scrivener for writing though. I did my novel entirely on my IPad. I will be importing everything into Scrivener for editing and revision. Would be nice to have Scrivener on the IPad. Might be something to think about.
Congrats, all you NaNo winners! I just finished myself and the first thing I did was take a shower! Lol! Scrivener was such a joy to use in the process, and it’s going to make editing so much easier. I wrote a good deal of my novel on my alphasmart neo and transferred it into it’s designated chapter in Scrivener. Worked like a charm. Now, I’m going to start another project where can work more slowly and take advantage of all that the program has to offer. It’s brilliant! Thanks guys!
This was my second year trying NaNoWriMo and my first using Scrivener for Windows. Scrivener made it easy to compartmentalize my scenes, organize my storyboard, and keep all my research in line. This year I actually finished and finished early, crossing the 50K line on 17 Nov.
There is an intimidation factor that begins for me at about the 10K mark. When I see all my words stacked up in Word or JDarkroom, I can feel just how much I’ve already written. My subconscious starts working against me. You’ve written enough, right? Wow, that is a lot of words. Are you sure you can keep this up for another 40K? The weight of it become oppressive and my fingers freeze… and I quit.
Scrivener let me chop up my writing into scenes, giving me a blank page for every scene. It’s a small thing, but it made a profound difference to me. I can honestly say that I may not have finished NaNoWriMo this year without Scrivener.
Just wanted to chime with my thanks for such a fantastic program! I won NaNoWriMo Saturday afternoon and Scrivener was a life saver at keeping me focused, on track, and organized. I can’t wait until the full version is released!
I’m another NaNo winner and I really couldn’t have done it without Scrivener.
One thing that I found useful was to use Scrivenings mode to display my last section directly above any new section I was starting. That meant that I was never faced with a totally blank page, and the crippling writers block that can produce.
But it was the way I could break everything down into smaller sections that really helped. Everything seemed much more achievable.
Thank you for a brilliant program and I look forward to buying it when the full version is released.
I’ve done it to! And I have to say its a great programm. All things I missed in the past … many open worddocuments, pictures, maps and so on are now in one programm. On my netbook its really easier to write in this way (little screen you know)…
I hope the realease will be really soon… I wont to know how my characters go on - yes 50.000 words are written but lets say 100.000 more can be done… I hope the release will be really early in 2011 so I can go on with my writings in scrivener and dont have to go back to word for a long time.
Eluin - You can keep using the beta up until the official release! Lee’s planning to release 1.4 mid to late next week, so it’ll be out before the current one shuts down. You won’t be kicked back to Word!
I decided to give it a go for the first time ever, just the day before it started. The two things that tipped the balance for me was 1) It gave me a chance to give the Scriv Windows Beta a proper workout and 2) The 50% discount if you won. Not having tried doing NaNoWriMo before, I can’t definitively say how much using Scriv helped me cross the 50k line but I do know a couple of things.
The first one is that (don’t hate me) I found it pretty easy. I think that’s partly down to a couple of decisions I made (getting up early to write for two dedicated hours each day, setting myself a 2000 word daily target and already having a story idea to start on) but at least some of that ease must be down to Scriv. I found having the target word count progress bar was really helpful and a good motivation (would love the option to play a sound file when I hit the target though – a ding or wild applause perhaps). Also, I found it a more interesting/fun experience than if I’d done it in my usual word processor of choice, Atlantis. Although I love Atlantis and use it every day (it’s quick and has some great, quirky features), like all word processors, it’s not setup to organise document parts and view those parts in the way Scriv is.
I will continue using Atlantis for my day to day writing but I already know Scrivener is better suited for some projects (e.g. Script Frenzy). For me, they make a great combination. I can’t wait for Scrivener for Windows to have the missing (Mac version) features added and be released – I’ve got a 50% discount burning a hole in my virtual pocket!
By the way, anyone know what the UK price will be with the discount? I’ve only seen the price quoted in dollars.
Last year (my first nano), I finished, 6 days late. This year, I finished 1 day early. And I have to give Scrivener at least part of the credit for that 1 week difference.
But I have a Major Complaint.
I am NOT a patient person. I’m sitting here, with code in hand, and you’re telling me I have to Wait - perhaps a couple of MONTHS before I can buy Scrivener??? GRRRR?
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Love you guys at L&L. I truly am not a patient person. But this is definitely worth waiting for. (Now if I can just manage to not throw out my code.)
3rd year attempting, 2nd finishing.
