The Great Illusive v.3 for Windows

[PrudentSoy]

There's no reason everything has to be in one program. It's not necessarily more convenient.

I find that my workflow gets interrupted when I have to switch programs to edit what I just wrote, but I obviously work differently to most authors.

I write a scene, edit and polish it, write the next scene, etc., so that my finished manuscript, barring proofreading, is actually finished. I also outline AFTER I write the scene. Just notes of anything significant that happens in the scene, so that I can refer back and find it easily later if I need to check/modify it.

For a work mode like mine, having everything in one program would work best.

Many tools, many ways, and our different minds. Outlines can interrupt creativity, perhaps. Having the exploration then the outline once you've gone through. Corkboard is great for that.

[theswede]

Papyrus Author, other than the lack of a corkboard view is comparable.

What makes Scrivener the best tool for me is the Binder, the Corkboard and the Inspector with the meta-data, allowing me to put both SMC information and "phase" information in each section without having to put it in the actual text. Is there anything which has that, among the things you have tried?

[PrudentSoy]

Papyrus Author, other than the lack of a corkboard view is comparable.

What makes Scrivener the best tool for me is the Binder, the Corkboard and the Inspector with the meta-data, allowing me to put both SMC information and "phase" information in each section without having to put it in the actual text. Is there anything which has that, among the things you have tried?

Manuskript has this functionality.

[JTBuckley]

I am excited to see the beta numbers have been appended with the RC initial Release candidate. I use v1 daily for my writing and to develop training manuals. It is great the way it is but the V3 will just be better. I have played with some of the earlier betas and they worked quite well. Since that was prior to getting the compiler functional I hadn't done much with it but all the other functions were great.

[MadFable]

For the time being, I'm using Word, Excel, and OneNote. I find them quite nice to use and cover what I'd use for Scrivener. There are other features that can be found in other tools, but haven't used them, yet.

On my PC laptop, I have Word running in half the screen on the left. OneNote (for notes and research) in the top right, and Excel in the bottom right corner. That's where I keep my running lists.

1. Word - you have the formatting right there. Also, it's one document. I use the navigate feature to drag and drop and move around sections. Scrap writing is a section as well. I can add comments. It's very powerful. It also works on my phone. And dictation works. It's incredible and I can dictate my writings and have quick notes that are transcribed by Word on the fly.
2. I like to have my functionality in different apps to leverage their power. And also don't need to jump all over in one program, but have all three programs open.
3. I love Excel for all of my lists and notes.
4. Versioning - Love being able to have option of getting old versions of writings in document.
5. Don't need to rely on synching issues with Word and OneDrive. Less fussy than Dropbox.

There's no reason everything has to be in one program. It's not necessarily more convenient.

Some people like yWriter. It's free (at least desktop version).

As someone else who has moved on due to delays and other reasons I just wanted to say thank you for sharing this post. It was enlightening for me.

I use word like you do with navigation to shift around scenes and chapters. OneNote for notes and brainstorming of course. Excel I just could never quite get use to. Any tips on that end?

[theswede]

What makes Scrivener the best tool for me is the Binder, the Corkboard and the Inspector with the meta-data, allowing me to put both SMC information and "phase" information in each section without having to put it in the actual text. Is there anything which has that, among the things you have tried?

Manuskript has this functionality.

Indeed it does, but it's also full of distracting fluff. And worst of all, it doesn't show me the document. It's built like a note viewer, with each section as a note. The part which looks like a binder, isn't a binder like what Scrivener has, it's just a tree.

So close, but no cigar. Still nothing that can do what Scrivener can for my needs. :/

[RHarvey]

Looking at the PapyrusAuthor site it is a subscription model for the Pro version with all the bells and whistles. Some £14.99 per month, circa £180 per year.

I'm downloading the freebie version and I'll give it a go. Subscription software is always a red line for me, but it will be interesting to see what the freebie has to offer etc.

I've been using Scrivener and Scapple for six years now. Can't remember how much they cost me, but they were a one time hit - okay I will buy Windows V3 but still it is nowhere near the cost of six years subscribing to PapyrusAuthor.

[Teriodin]

I've been using Scrivener and Scapple for six years now. Can't remember how much they cost me, but they were a one time hit - okay I will buy Windows V3 but still it is nowhere near the cost of six years subscribing to PapyrusAuthor.

I agree completely. It is expensive, I have made that point to them before, and I hate subscription software too.

BUT I found I was very productive with Pro. My daily word count shot up from 1K to 3K. I am finishing a novel per month, and getting 'clean' copy without rewrites.

I tried dropping Pro and lasted about 48 hours in the free version before I re-subbed.

If I can figure out a way to create the same workflow with Scrivener and PWA, I'll happily drop it, but so far I have been frustrated in my efforts.

[RHarvey]

I've been using Scrivener and Scapple for six years now. Can't remember how much they cost me, but they were a one time hit - okay I will buy Windows V3 but still it is nowhere near the cost of six years subscribing to PapyrusAuthor.

I agree completely. It is expensive, I have made that point to them before, and I hate subscription software too.

BUT I found I was very productive with Pro. My daily word count shot up from 1K to 3K. I am finishing a novel per month, and getting 'clean' copy without rewrites.

I tried dropping Pro and lasted about 48 hours in the free version before I re-subbed.

If I can figure out a way to create the same workflow with Scrivener and PWA, I'll happily drop it, but so far I have been frustrated in my efforts.

Interesting. Can you put your finger on why, using this, your word count shot up so much?

[Teriodin]

Interesting. Can you put your finger on why, using this, your word count shot up so much?

Workflow, pure and simple.

I don't need to close Scrivener, fire up PWA, click 4 or five tabs to use different editing reports, close PWA, fire up Scrivener. Check things in Aeon Timelines. Update a character record in Excel. Open a mindmap in Inspiration to check I am covering things properly. etc.

I type the 500 to 1000 words for that scene/part. Click two buttons at the bottom to turn on Grammar/Proofreading and Spellchecking. Run through what I just wrote, fixing, tidying, adding voice. Click the two buttons. Write the next part. The timelines, mindmap, character data, etc, are all just tabs in the program. I drag the Organiser tab to a second monitor so I have it there as a quick reference any time I need to glance at how the structure is panning out.

It also seems to get less false positives than PWA. I had a full classical education, so I know when the grammar checker is wrong.

Basically , I am stayiing in one program so everything is much more streamlined and I am less likely to take a break. It just suits my working method.

[RHarvey]

I had a full classical education, so I know when the grammar checker is wrong.

I had a boss who had a classical education. Another guy and myself constantly threw questions in her direction and she never blinked with her replies. Good times.

Many thanks for your response.

[Felinfoel]

SmartEdit writer is quite comparable and it is free.

How long have you been using it?

(recommendations of other software should be posted in Reviews and Recommendations, not in Scrivener Technical Support)

Remember you're not a mod or admin Iunk, despite the fact your a Mac user that likes to prowl the Windows forum to give us the dubious wisdom of your never ending posts, fanbois drivel and outright pomposity.

[lunk]

SmartEdit writer is quite comparable and it is free.

How long have you been using it?

Bla, bla, ...

You haven’t been using it then? Okay. It would have been interesting with a proper review. Maybe someone who’s been using it can give us that.

[PrudentSoy]

For the time being, I'm using Word, Excel, and OneNote. I find them quite nice to use and cover what I'd use for Scrivener. There are other features that can be found in other tools, but haven't used them, yet.

On my PC laptop, I have Word running in half the screen on the left. OneNote (for notes and research) in the top right, and Excel in the bottom right corner. That's where I keep my running lists.

1. Word - you have the formatting right there. Also, it's one document. I use the navigate feature to drag and drop and move around sections. Scrap writing is a section as well. I can add comments. It's very powerful. It also works on my phone. And dictation works. It's incredible and I can dictate my writings and have quick notes that are transcribed by Word on the fly.
2. I like to have my functionality in different apps to leverage their power. And also don't need to jump all over in one program, but have all three programs open.
3. I love Excel for all of my lists and notes.
4. Versioning - Love being able to have option of getting old versions of writings in document.
5. Don't need to rely on synching issues with Word and OneDrive. Less fussy than Dropbox.

There's no reason everything has to be in one program. It's not necessarily more convenient.

Some people like yWriter. It's free (at least desktop version).

As someone else who has moved on due to delays and other reasons I just wanted to say thank you for sharing this post. It was enlightening for me.

I use word like you do with navigation to shift around scenes and chapters. OneNote for notes and brainstorming of course. Excel I just could never quite get use to. Any tips on that end?

I still have Scrivener. I just don't use it too much.
Excel: I just have my lists. Things to write about, notes, whatnot. I like lists. Ideas. Categories of things. Use iOS version when I'm on the go on my phone.
OneNote: also used for notes, ideas, so still processing how to use them all in conjunction for projects.
Excel is great for tabs; for different project lists and ideas. Brainstorming then grouping.

[kewms]

SmartEdit writer is quite comparable and it is free.

How long have you been using it?

(recommendations of other software should be posted in Reviews and Recommendations, not in Scrivener Technical Support)

Remember you're not a mod or admin Iunk.

He's not, but I am.

This is not the appropriate forum for discussions of other software. This thread appears to be petering out, but if it sputters to life again, I'll move it.

Insulting other forum members violates our only rule: be polite. Please desist.

Katherine