Live Instruction?

[TSHGM]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to Scrivener and am struggling with the manual and online tutorials. I find that critical steps are often skipped. For example, some tutorials kept saying to click "draft." I could not find draft for days. Finally, I found a video in which someone explained that you have to rename a folder to "draft." Not very helpful and very frustrating for days.

Is there someone out there who teaches this stuff live? By phone or in person or something? Pouring through endless tutorials and text to arrive at no answer after a week is getting tedious. I'm sure someone who is familiar with the program could walk me through everything I want to know in less than half an hour.

Is such a service available?

Thank you,

Mickey

[lunk]

Have you done the interactive tutorial built into Scrivener? It explains all the basic parts.

[TSHGM]

Thanks Lunk.

I'll give it a try. I'm trying to figure out the best way to outline before I get too far into it. I imported an outline and chapters from Word. Now I wonder if I've gotten too far ahead of myself. Thanks for the tip. Was taking a break on tutorials for the day.

Mickey

[TSHGM]

Hi Lunk,

Not so helpful. It's one of the sources that mislead me on "draft" for days. I did look at this early on. Information overload with little "how-to" gleaned.

I want to know how to effectively outline. Maybe I'm doing it, maybe I'm not. The directions say that people have different ways of doing things. I'd like to hear from someone who knows how to run the program effectively, rather than getting walked through every button while not understanding how the functions collaborate together for ease of use.

Hoping someone can direct me to something that clearly demonstrates, "Here is a great way to outline. And while you're at it, using feature X, Y and Z will help you develop and manage chapters." That's what I'm looking for.

Thanks,

Mickey

[TSHGM]

I figured out my method of outlining. I just taped a bunch blank paper on the wall. Then once I'm happy with that structure, I'll put it into Scrivener. I supposed everyone has their own method. First book. Had no idea how to approach it. Starting in Scrivener is not for me. Thanks for all the replies!

[Marc64]

I figured out my method of outlining. I just taped a bunch blank paper on the wall. Then once I'm happy with that structure, I'll put it into Scrivener. I supposed everyone has their own method. First book. Had no idea how to approach it. Starting in Scrivener is not for me. Thanks for all the replies!

Hi Mickey

Have you looked at the corkboard? What you describe is pretty much that. If you click on your draft folder and go into corckboard view, you can just add index cards to your heart's content.

[TSHGM]

I tried with the corkboard for a while, but something about being able to scan big pages and scribble on them fast is making things move way better. The outline is coming alive on my wall, while the Corkboard was harder to navigate. The view of twenty-five big pages and the interface of a pencil just seem to work better than a mouse and screen. I'm excited to work on my wall. Wasn't in the Corkboard. For me, somehow, the wall is just much easier to see. Going with it. Once I get the outline down, I'll feed it into Scrivener and start the real writing.

[Marc64]

It's all good. Everyone has their own way of doing things and Scrivener is a great tool to fit into any methodology you choose.

Good luck with your writing.