Scrivener 2 first impressions

[swilcox]

A confession: I bought Scrivener 1.0 quite a while ago. But I never could get into it. I am an academic and I write mostly journal articles (linguistics) with lots of figures. I like organizing by hierarchically numbered sections, and I want to work with my (current) favorite reference manager, Sente.

I know Scrivener 1 could probably do all these, but I guess it was too many years in traditional work processors (I've been using computers for writer since the mid-1980s, started with WordStar if you can believe that).

I'm now embarking on a large, single-author book (Oxford U Press), which I should have already started writing but haven't (I've got lots of pieces of writing all over, and lots of bits of research stashed away in Yojimbo), probably because this project is so overwhelming. It's sort of a culmination of decades of work in my area.

Long background by way of saying: Scrivener 2 has me really jazzed. Something about it is just "clicking" with me. I like your changes; I like the added flexibility and power. And I think it is going to permit me to start writing in little, manageable pieces, while still maintaining what I know is the overall structure of my book.

Two questions: will you be including some example academic templates? Can you give us access to the Scrivener file you used to write the manual. I feel like I could learn so much about how to use Scrivener just by looking at that file, even just a chapter.

Second, I would pay good money for a printed copy of the manual. I think I read that a printed copy comes with boxed copies of Scrivener. But when it comes time to buy, I'll be upgrading. Is it possible to just purchase a printed copy of the manual?

[Qlibet]

I'm using version 1.54 and the 2.0 seems a breakthrough in every sense. I like it. I like the layout of the icons (me yeah). I added some according to my needs (very easy). Maybe change the background cockboard (I've done for a more refined cork) and would like a new feature: create a keyword from a selection with the right mouse button (no need to change the panel). Maybe I have not seen? Thanks for your work, extraordinary.

[KB]

Thanks! Glad Scrivener 2.0 is clicking with you - I've tried to make it more intuitive and user-friendly all around.

Two questions: will you be including some example academic templates?

Yes. There will be some essay templates with the first release, and we'll add more as time goes on. If you have any suggestions let me know. Each template takes hours to create, so there won't be quite as many in 2.0 as I would have liked to begin with, but there will be a Chicago style essay, MLA-style essay, research proposal and a few more. And these should serve as good examples. (Tip: If you hold the "Option" key down as a project is being created from a template, the variables don't get replaced with user-name etc, so you can see how to add text that will automatically get replaced with the user address and suchlike usually.)

Can you give us access to the Scrivener file you used to write the manual. I feel like I could learn so much about how to use Scrivener just by looking at that file, even just a chapter.

We plan to make this whole Scrivener project available for download, yes. I'm not sure if it will be going up on the site tomorrow (Ioa is dealing with that), but if not, it will be made available for download over the coming weeks. As Ioa uses MultiMarkdown in Scrivener to write the manual, it should server as a good example for that, too.

Second, I would pay good money for a printed copy of the manual. I think I read that a printed copy comes with boxed copies of Scrivener. But when it comes time to buy, I'll be upgrading. Is it possible to just purchase a printed copy of the manual?

It will be, yes, but not straight away. The manual is still a bit of a "live" document. We don't want to get 1,000 printed right now, because as hundreds of users pore over it, there are bound to be typos and mistakes that get brought to our attention that we missed, even though it has been proofread of course. There also some extra sections on workflow that Ioa wants to put together, and then we need to go through the printing company we have lined up, who will be creating the boxed product too. We're aiming to get all of this set up for Christmas.

Thanks again and all the best,
Keith

[laru]

I was thrilled from the moment I opened the chooser and saw the selections for non-fiction writing. Thanks! now I'm testing to see if the index cards do what I hope they will do...

[InklingBooks]

The manual is still a bit of a "live" document. We don't want to get 1,000 printed right now, because as hundreds of users pore over it, there are bound to be typos and mistakes that get brought to our attention that we missed, even though it has been proofread of course.

You might consider using Kindle export to create a Kindle version that'd be readable on Macs as well as Kindles, iPhones and iPads. You'll need to check with Amazon's requirements, but I believe that'd let you distribute regular, automated updates as the 'typos and mistakes' get fixed. And I believe you can tell Amazon to turn off the DRM, so people can print a copy. And a Word version sent to Smashwords would give you distribution to almost all the other ebook online stores, including Barnes and Noble, Sony and even Apple.

Once the content has stabilized, you might consider a print-on-demand version to get wider distribution. Lightning Source is already printing in the US and UK and will soon be printing in France and Australia. Their books slip directly into wholesale distribution without you having to do a thing, so there's no klutzing with costly storage and shipping.

I can give you more details if you're interested.