Am looking for work flow advice for importing and revising large (400 pp, 11 Chaps) Mac Word manuscript. Revision will involve bringing references up to date and creating significant new and different text.
1 Like
Welcome to the forum. Others will chip in with advice. I’ll keep it simple:
- be sure to view the videos and the tutorial on the “Help” menu to orientate you.
- 400 pages for Scrivener not a problem. Might be for Word.
Just do it, meaning:
- In Word, put a hash-space ("# ") in front of the each 11 Chapter title.
- Create a new project, then “Import and Split” the Word file into the Scrivener Draft binder.
- Consider “splitting” the Chapters into subdocuments, or do that later
Then write. Use the features of Scrivener you learned about from the Tutorial and Videos.
2 Likes
I would recommend putting the # at the end of every scene.
I find it easier to insert the chapter folders as needed, than to go though something imported as chapters and splitting them into scenes.
4 Likes
I would recomment to update the header Style paragraphs with an “Outline Level” in Word, so Scrivener can Import > Import and Split on “Document structure”, and create a nested folder structure in the Binder.
For Revisions, you can use Snapshots to retain the original text and then rewrite sections. Revision Mode can color text based on Revision status/round.
3 Likes
The above advice is good. Always make a backup before embarking on a major revision. In Scrivener, that’s the File → Backup → Backup To command. You can also check Scrivener’s automatic backup settings in the Scrivener → Settings → Backups pane.
3 Likes
One significant problem. Import of a Word chapter works well. Footnote numbers are in the text. Footnotes are in the comments sidebar. Unfortunately there is not link between the numbers in the text and the specific footnote to which they should refer. Please advise. Many thanks.
There will be when you compile after editing. 
2 Likes
Agree with @AntoniDol about Snapshots. I use them regularly even though I rarely go back to any previous versions of the text. For me, Snapshots are a fast and easy way to calm a part of my writer brain before I embark on any major revisions.
You also mentioned needing to update references and add a fair amount of text. If you don’t want to immediately amend your existing footnotes, or you have other, completely new references to add, you might want to consider using Bookmarks.
No matter the reference—photo, document, online source—you can link it to an individual document (or the Project, but I think document is what you’d want here). That way, you won’t disrupt the existing text and footnotes as you revise, and should you move items around in your outline, the document Bookmarks will move with them.
3 Likes