Using Scrivener on a Mac

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to Kindle publishing and had some questions about using Scrivener for this purpose.

I’ve heard that Scrivener can be complicated to learn with several pages information to read.

Are there video tutorials on learning Scrivener and if so where do I find those?

Thanks in advance,

LiquidPaper87

2

Our video tutorials can be found here:
literatureandlatte.com/videos.php

Note that some of them were made with older versions of the program and so menus may not exactly match the current version. The underlying principles haven’t changed, though.

Katherine

3

Be sure to download and try the free full featured evaluation version, good for thirty or so days of consecutive or nonconsecutive use. Try out, in miniature, with minimal risk, what you anticipate using it for, to see if it meets your needs and resonates with you. Worst case, you can export or compile whatever you create in a variety of popular formats before the trial expires. Some folks love it, some don’t. Some use it as their only tool, others as one of several tools. Varies by person and goals.

There are books/e-books regarding Scrivener (see Amazon and elsewhere), Internet based training (do a Google search), etc. The forums contain a wealth of information (use the forum search to help find).

Some learn Scrivener formally, some plunge in. I tried formally, bounced off, went back and just plunged in and learned as I went.

4

Thank you, SpringfieldMH! I’ll definitely have to look into the software more in depth.

  1. Why are writers using multiple tools?

  2. What other tools are they using?

  3. What are the pros and cons of each software?

For point of reference when using the Scrivener, I read on another forum that it automatically creates the formatting for your Kindle e-book upon completing the upload to the software. (There may be other steps you need to follow to get to that point, but that’s the general idea.) Once you have a satisfactory manuscript, you can then check it on a Kindle Previewer for errors, omissions, and invisible control characters. I also heard there are boxes where you can edit and sort the book by chapters.

  1. Are all of these points generally true?

Thanks your information has been helpful on so many levels! :slight_smile:

LiquidPaper87

5

For it to be meaningful and relevant, you need to figure out the answers yourself. :smiley: They will vary for each person.

Search and read reviews. Skim and search through support forums. Identify the most likely apps, download their free evals and try them out with small experiments, in miniature, representative of what you anticipate writing/publishing. In my experience, theoretical hands-off doesn’t work in picking a writing tool… hands-on immersion and trial-and-error is required, preferably before purchasing. You may change or use multiple tools over time.

6

Why does a carpenter’s toolbox contain more than one hammer? Not all projects are the same. Not all steps within a single project have the same requirements.

In addition to Scrivener, I use DevonThink Pro and DevonAgent Pro as data repository and research-focused browser, respectively. Evernote is getting increasing use as a cross-platform, cross-device notetaker. I have Word, but almost never need to open it.

Yes, that is generally true. You could also substitute “Word” or “PDF” in place of “Kindle.” A key idea of Scrivener is that it separates the writing and the final formatting. You can write in green Comic Sans if you like, and then produce your output with whatever formatting your destination prefers.

As SpringfieldMH said, though, you really need to experiment for yourself. If a tool doesn’t match the way you work, then it doesn’t really matter how many other people love it.

Katherine