Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Chris Baty — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:17:07 -0500

Hello 2011 Wrimos, I’m the developer of a software program for writers called Scrivener, and just as we have done for the past couple of years, I’d like to offer all 2011 NaNoWriMo winners the chance to get Scrivener for only 50% of its usual price. (And the great news is that Scrivener is now available for both Mac and Windows, so you can use your coupon on either - or both, if you buy a licence for each at the same time.) Full information about Scrivener can be found here: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php (Note that at the time of writing, Scrivener for Windows is still in the final rounds of beta-testing, so the above page has yet to be updated to show the Windows version as well as the Mac version. The Windows version will be officially released on 31st October, with a special NaNo trial version coming out before then (see below). In the meantime, however, you are free to try out the public beta - details can be found here: http://www.scrivenerforwindows.com) What is Scrivener? Scrivener is designed specifically to help hammer out the first draft of a long text such as a novel, finding its structure along the way. It allows you to keep multiple text documents in the same project, to navigate between them fluidly and easily, and to view them separately or combined (so, for instance, you could write and edit scenes individually or pull back to see them in the context of the chapter or entire draft whenever you want). You can also look at two documents alongside one another, or import and refer to research such as PDF documents, images, web pages and media files, right next to your writing. To help you structure your draft, there is an outliner and a virtual corkboard: you can assign a synopsis to each text chunk in the project and thus build up an overview in the the corkboard and outliner, which you can then use to rearrange the text or mark out new scenes or chapters that need writing. All of these tools are designed to be entirely flexible - you can meticulously outline everything before you start, if you like, or you can hammer out your first draft and use the structuring features for the revision process. So it doesn't matter whether you're a plotter, a "pantser" (my Mac's autocorrect wants me to say "panther"), or something in-between. Here are some (slightly warped) screenshots: I wrote Scrivener because it's the tool I wanted for my own writing. I was fed up with having multiple chapters written in Word scattered around my hard drive, trying to sort through all my notes and research, attempting to organise and get an overview of everything. Scrivener isn't the sort of writing software that presumes to tell you how to write (I'm not a fan of that sort of software myself - nor am I anyone to tell others how to write); instead it just provides a number of tools that I hope are a lot more geared towards organising and hammering out a first draft than a standard word processor. (It's not intended to replace a standard word processor, though - when you've finished your draft you can print it or export it for tweaking and polishing in your word processor of choice.) I'm not going to claim everybody needs this sort of software or any such nonsense, but if like me you've ever struggled with getting an overview of your novel and keeping all of its disparate threads and ideas together, then I hope you'll give it a whirl, and I'd be delighted if in some small way it helps some of you attain your 50,000 words this year. (If you like the idea but Scrivener just doesn't suit you, there are lots of alternatives on our links page, by the way.) We have all sorts of writers using Scrivener, from Hugo-award winners and Booker long-listed authors to struggling hopefuls. (Fans of the great Danish TV show [i]The Killing[/i] may be interested to know that the novelisation of [i]The Killing[/i] is currently being written in Scrivener by crime author David Hewson, who has loads of great tips on using Scrivener to write novels over on his blog: http://www.davidhewson.com/blog/category/scrivener.) It's not only for novel-writing, either; Scrivener is also used by screenwriters, comic book artists, lawyers, journalists, academics, students and many others. You can see what some of the published authors who use Scrivener have to say about it here: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/testimonials.php Right, enough of the hard sell! Special NaNoWriMo Scrivener Trial Version As always, we want to try to make it as easy as possible to use Scrivener during this year's NaNoWriMo for those who are interested in doing so. For that reason, late in October we will be releasing a special NaNoWriMo 2011 trial version of Scrivener. Normally, Scrivener's free trial period lasts for 30 non-consecutive days. This means that it doesn't run out until you have used it on thirty different days (so if you used it only twice a week, it would last fifteen weeks, for instance). But of course, you are going to want to try out Scrivener before November starts to see if you will be comfortable writing your 50,000 words in it, and after the month ends, if you decide that Scrivener isn't for you (although obviously I hope you will love it and decide to continue using it!), you will want to get your work out again after the month has finished. And that's more than thirty days of use. For these reasons, the special NaNo trial version will run up until the 7th December, so that you have October to get used to it and the first week of December to decide if you want to continue using it and buy a licence, or export your work and continue in your regular word processor. You'll be able to download the special NaNo trial version - for Mac and Windows - here: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php (The above link won't go live until later in October.) Aside from the different trial period, there are no differences between the NaNo trial version and the regular trial version. Special offer for all NaNoWriMo participants On to the offer! Scrivener 2.0 for the Mac normally costs a mere $45 (or $38.25 for students), and, to reflect the fact that it will be catching up with the Mac version for a little while yet, Scrivener 1.0 for Windows will have a regular price of $40 ($35 for students). But we are offering a further 20%-off discount on Scrivener's full price throughout November and December. To use it, just go to our product page, click on "Buy Now", select the regular licence and enter "NANOWRIMO" in the "Coupon Code" text field in the top right of the web store. You might want to hold out until the end of November, though, because all winners of this year's NaNoWriMo will be eligible for a 50% discount. Winners will receive a special coupon for this on their winner's page on the NaNoWriMo site at the end of November, once their word count has been confirmed. Note to Linux Users Although we don't plan on releasing an official Linux version for some time yet (because we're a tiny company focussing on one platform at a time, making sure we can support each platform as well as possible), we do release unofficial Linux builds ported from our Windows version - essentially the Linux version will remain in "free beta" mode until such time as we can put the extra love and attention into it to make it release-ready. We don't publicise it widely because of this, but we have a sub-forum dedicated to Linux here: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=33. Note to Last Year's Winners Last year we promised winners that they would be able to use their 50% coupon codes on our Windows version when it was finally released. The Windows version was delayed - we had hoped to release it earlier this year - but if you won last year, don't worry, we are still honouring that promise. We have extended last year's winners' coupons so that they will continue to work until the end of this year. Hello Scrivener users Any existing Scrivener users will be able to pass on their 50% coupon to a friend, of course. And if any Scrivener users reading this would care to share how they have used Scrivener for NaNoWriMo in the past, or pass on any tips they have, I'd love to read your comments in replies to this thread. Anyway, I hope some Mac- and Windows-using Wrimos decide to give Scrivener a whirl this year if you haven't already tried it - be sure to let me know in the replies to this thread how you get on, and feel free to ask us any questions. We will be monitoring and answering questions in this thread throughout November, along with answering technical support queries in our regular forums: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum You can also email us directly through through: mac@literatureandlatte.com or windows@literatureandlatte.com Thanks for reading. Good luck with the getting those 50,000 words, whatever you use! All the best, Keith MODERATOR NOTE: Hey guys! This is just a quick request to please not ask for special offer codes in this forum. There is a dedicated thread stickied in the Life After NaNoWriMo forum for those who have them available to offer. Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

wombatrider — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 01:45:14 -0500

So… if I heard about Scrivener earlier today and downloaded it … will I not be able to use the nano trial on this computer because of this? I love it, by the way… and it includes EVERYTHING I ever wanted and can't wait until I'm a little bit richer to buy it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 01:58:16 -0500

wombatrider - You'll be able to download the NaNoWriMo trial version when it becomes available; it's completely separate from the normal trial version so it won't matter how many days you used on the regular trial, you'll still get through December 7th for the Nano trial. Thanks for giving Scrivener a whirl! (And if you hit the 50K word count, you'll be able to get it 50% off come December, too!) Good luck with your novel!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

tajavioletta — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:12:31 -0500

I've got Scrivener open right now as I organize my notes for November! Thanks for making such a lovely product...it's truly become indispensable for me. I remember doing my first two NaNo's on Word, and get the cold shivers. XD

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

bobo_the_bard — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:06:40 -0500

I've got it open too! I love Scrivener, and I've never written any wrimos with anything else. I shudder at the thought of trying to manage and rearrange so many scenes and chapters by scrolling through an increasingly lengthy word document and copying and pasting. Excellent product!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cupcakemichi — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:40:27 -0500

I'm a tad confused on the discounts... if we won last year, are buying the windows version in November or December, and are a student, how much would it end up being? Can we only get 20% off or 50% off? And then if you get both, is it 70% off, or is it 20% off THEN 50% off? I'm assuming, that since it says 20% off the full-price that you can only get one or the other but there's always a hope. =D And do you apply these discounts to full price or student edition price (if you're a student)? Honestly, I'm buying it even if it's the full $35 (but I have a coupon code from last year!), but I need to know how much to save. :) I AM a student, after all. XD (OH, AND I LOVE SCRIVENER. SERIOUSLY.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Millamant — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:17:26 -0500

I love scrivener, I tried out a few other bits of this and that but nothing compared to this. I use the doc targets, mainly because I don't like doing the key stroke thing, but it keeps me focussed, and I have made it to the 50k six times now. And Keith is a great guy. An extremely helpful genius.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bramblepath — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:30:39 -0500

I've never felt the need for any kind of story-writing software but I might give Scrivener a shot this year. Anyone knows exactly when we can get the NaNo Trial?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ArborlonElf — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:31:09 -0500

I don't know exactly when the NaNo trial comes out, but if you install the regular trial now, and the NaNo trial when it comes out, you'll be able to use Scrivener straight from now until December 7th.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

teacherguy66 — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:35:43 -0500

I tried Scrivener last year. I also wrote in Word and on my Neo. This year, I'm using it lots more; it's been great for planning, note-taking, and outlining.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ladyellie — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:55:24 -0500

I've used Scrivener for a couple of years now, and it helped me win last year! It helped me keep organized, and it was much easier to deal with than a huge, unwieldly Word document.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MingLin-Hong — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:09:50 -0500

I'm using the Scrivener trial right now. Absolutely loving it! I will definitely buy it if I win NaNoWrimo. Thanks for this wonderful software! :D

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sammyjw — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:33:56 -0500

I started using Scrivener for last year's NaNo and am patiently waiting for the full Windows version to come out. Love this program!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tonic — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:55:04 -0500

Thank you so much for providing the NaNo trial. I just downloaded the regular trial and am going through the tutorial now. This software looks like it will be amazingly helpful during my first ever NaNo.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

simplywriting — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:07:05 -0500

Glad I popped in here. I was concerned because I d/l it and wasn't aware there would be a NaNo trial and this one expires Nov. 7. I thought, 7 days of novel and several weeks of notes and then I have no option but to buy it. This makes it easier to plan. I like the software, it's just taking some getting used to from my normal program (yWriter, which I've been using for the past several years). The functions and capabilities far outweigh the cost - I just didn't want to have to commit to anything a week into NaNo. haha I will definitely make it to 50,000 because that's just what I do, so when that special discount code pops up, I'm probably using it to buy the full version. I feel better knowing I have time to learn to use it. Thanks Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Byronicwoman — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:32:26 -0500

started using scrivener during nano last year. love. it. am waiting patiently for the betas to be done on the windows version. i'm so excited!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Mistwalker — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:51:34 -0500

Two questions: 1) I'm currently using the Windows Beta version of Scrivener. Is the "Inspector" feature supposed to be available? It's not already preloaded on my toolbar, and when I try to add it, it doesn't work. This one of the primary features I'm looking for to use in my writing, so if this isn't going to be available.... ? Anyone else having this issue? 2) It states on the website that in the demo version, Scrivener cannot export as an RTF. Are we still going to be able to export our work out if we decide not to buy the full version?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:08:58 -0500

Mistwalker - The inspector is absolutely available in the Windows version, but you may be having an issue where the main toolbar isn't appearing--this was an accident in the latest tutorial with 035, that the main toolbar isn't showing by default; you can turn it on via View>Toolbar. The blue inspector button should be on the far right of the toolbar (to the right of the search bar)--if the project window is too narrow, you might see a >> sign to indicate there's more available that's not able to be shown. You can also show/hide the inspector via View>Layout>Show Inspector. And finally, to customize which icons display on the main toolbar (or on the format bar, Format>Show Format Bar) you can go into Tools>Customize Toolbars. So that said, if any of that isn't working for you, could you please let me know specifically what you're doing so I can make sure we don't have a bug somewhere? This definitely should be working--as you say, the inspector feature is one of the really useful aspects of the program! Scrivener is also definitely able to export/compile to RTF. Where are you reading that it says that's not possible? Sounds like we may have an out-of-date page somewhere. Scrivener for Windows is able to compile to print, PDF, RTF, DOC, ODT, TXT, HTML, XHTML, ePUB, and MOBI and to DOCX if you have Word 2007 or higher installed. So yes, you will absolutely be able to get your work out whether or not you choose to buy. All your writing is stored accessibly in RTF files while in the project, too, so although you shouldn't edit them outside of Scrivener, they're available should you need to get to them when you no longer have Scrivener, even if you haven't specifically exported your work. We'd never want you to lose your novel! Thanks to everyone who's been trying out the program or sharing experiences! We greatly appreciate the kind reviews. Good luck to everyone in reaching 50K!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

indigo_room — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:15:55 -0500

I've been using the Scrivener for Windows beta since it was first released. It's the only writing software I've used that: 1. does what I want 2. isn't loaded with stuff I don't want or need 3. is easy to learn and use, and 4. looks good. In fact, it's the only writing software I've used, period. I've downloaded plenty of others, and even paid for a few, but never got past the dabbling stage with any of them. I'm using Scrivener for Nano and will definitely buy the Windows full release. If you're curious about writing software, or if you've heard about Scrivener for Mac and wondered what a Windows version would be like, I encourage you to check it out.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:21:31 -0500

Hi all, Many thanks for all the comments, kind words and questions! (Sorry to those whose posts have been wiped since yesterday with the NaNoWriMo board reset - hopefully we answered all the questions there, but please repost if you missed the answers.) Byronicwoman (cool handle!), tajavioletta, bobo_the_bard, teacherguy66, ladyellie, MingLin-Hong, sammyjw, Tonic, simplywriting Thank you for the kind words, and thanks for trying Scrivener to those who are new to it. wombatrider - As blackswan says, the NaNo trial is entirely separate, so even if you have used up lots of days on our regular trial, the NaNo trial will last until 7th December regardless. (blackswan is Jennifer, our Windows support person, by the way). cupcakemichi - You can only use one discount at a time, and the discounts only apply to the full-price regular version (not the educational version), I'm afraid. So if you have a 50% and a 20% coupon, you only get a 50% discount - otherwise we'll never be able to afford to feed our kids, ha. :) Which reminds me - if you won last year, because the Windows version took longer than we thought (and will now be out on October 31st), the coupons from last year will still work right up to the end of this year. Millamant - Thanks! My head is now swelling in the way I like it to… I think I'm going to insist on having that as my epitaph, although I have a feeling only "An extremely…" will be respected… Bramblepath - The NaNo trial should be out some time next week. In the meantime, as AborionElf says, you can use the regular trial (or the Windows beta version), as the NaNo trial will have a built-in expiry of December 7th, so using the regular trial or Windows beta and then swapping to the NaNo trial won't reduce the length of time the NaNo trial lasts in any way. (Incidentally, Scrivener is only "story-writing" software in that you can write stories in it - it won't try to tell you how to write; as an unpublished wannabe myself, I'd be a complete fraud if I tried to tell anyone else how to write.) Mistwalker: 1) Yes, the inspector feature is there. In the toolbar it should be a white "i" in a blue disc, although if your window is narrow it may not be visible (in which case, you should see a ">>" symbol at the right of the toolbar, which when clicked will show more icons, including the Inspector one). You can also show and hide it by going to View > Layout > Show Inspector, or hitting ctrl-shift-I. It then opens a bar on the right showing an index card, meta-data and notes pane. 2) I'm not sure what you mean here - Scrivener can export to RTF, and the trial version is identical to the full version. The only difference between the trial version and the full version is the time limit; other than that, it's fully functional. Are you sure you saw this on our website and not somebody else's? If so, where on our website is it, as that would be a mistake! Thanks again - and good luck with the planning to those who are doing some! All the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:24:47 -0500

Oops, two new posts in the time it took me to write mine, in which time Jennifer (blackswan) already answered some of the questions, so apologies for duplication. indigo_room: Thanks for the kind words of support, much appreciated. The Windows version is the biggest step for us since the first Mac version was released nearly five years ago (back when I was a one-person company), so it's fantastic to hear from happy beta-users. All the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

imaginepageant — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:11:08 -0500

I'm trying out the Windows beta. I've tried to use several writing programs in the past, but they were all too complicated for my liking - I want a simple word processor and organizer, I don't need a bunch of the bells and whistles clogging things up. So far, Scrivener seems to be just what I've been looking for and I can definitely see myself using this to plot and write my Nano novel this year!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DisFanJen — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:51:53 -0500

I've been using Scrivener for a couple of days now (since I decided to give NaNoWriMo try in fact) and I'm really liking the way it works. It's rappidly turning this discovery writer into an outliner. :) I'm going to hold out till Dec 1 just in case I hit the magical 50k (and with it 50% off) but one way or the other I will be buying the retail version of Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

LilyGreenEyes — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:28:42 -0500

This definitely seems like something I will be looking into once the trial version comes out. I struggle with organisation and keeping going and I'm sure this will be of great help in my first ever NaNo, and may I say it comes highly recommended from many people on hpff (my spiritual home lol!) Very much looking forward to trying this out!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DisFanJen — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:37:40 -0500

You can download the normal trial right now and the NaNo trial version will still work happily when you put it on. Download it now and have a look. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ziplizard — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:29:14 -0500

I've been using Scrivener for Windows (beta) for, maybe, six months now and it's such a great tool. It's great for organizing your notes and amazing for editing. All without being overly complex. It's really worth checking out.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

nicayal — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:53:58 -0500

I got in on this deal during last year's NaNo, although I didn't begin trying to use the programme until after November when I bought my Mac Air (before that I was using PageFour on Windows and won NaNo with it, so no regrets). I do love Scrivener though. I love all the configuration options, and the ability to set a full screen background of your choice. It's just a really great programme for anyone who needs to organise things in their novel before really getting into it. Highly recommended. If I win again this year, I might just buy it for my Windows PC. :]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BlackScorpio — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:31:38 -0500

I used Scrivener for my NaNo Novel in 2009 (I didn't participate in 2010 because of heavy workload) and I dearly love it! It was easy to use, kept everything organized, and plotting a novel by creating it scene-by-scene helped me to finish with about 86,000 words. An important part of buying Scrivener, to me, is in the editing phase of your novel. It is soooo easy to keep edits organized with Scrivener. I also imported my other three novels that I've completed into the Scrivener program and it is much easier to edit, remove scenes, and create new ones! I highly recommend this software for NaNoWriMo!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Windee — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:48:41 -0500

I downloaded the 30-day Trial Version on October 31st last year and used it for NaNo last year. I loved it so much I bought the full version on December 12th and I've used it for my noveling purposes ever since. I definitely recommend!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Badrat — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:52:56 -0500

Finally, someone mentions REVISIONS. Revisions will drive you mad without something like Scrivener to keep everything visible and mobile. I'm much saner and productive since I started using it last year to clean up big old ugly unfinished manuscripts. WRITING IS 90% REVISION, AND REVISION NEEDS A STURDY ORGANIZATIONAL UNDERPINNING OR IT WON'T GET DONE. Hence, Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CABridges — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:17:17 -0500

Been using the various Windows betas since last Nano, and I've been highly impressed both with the software and the attention the developers give to the people using it. VERY responsive. Hurry up with the final one! I've been waiting to give you money for 11 months!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

rianlrt — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:01:20 -0500

Question... I, too, have a code from last year (and like CABridges, have been waiting to give you money for some time :) ). I'm using my old computer still (Win XP Pro, which I still need for some purposes), and will be transitioning to my new machine, a Win7 Home Premium which I hope to upgrade to Win7 Pro (for the XP emulator so I can use it exclusively, of course, and make this brick a "desktop"). But that won't happen completely until well after Nano (affordability of M$ upgrade). Will I be able to transfer my soon-to-be-purchased copy of Scrivener to the new machine, and how easy will it be?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

rianlrt — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:08:21 -0500

This is exactly what I want ScrivWin for :) I can write Nano in Word - in some ways that's easier, because I just write, flow from one thing to the next. But to edit, sort scenes, organize? Hello, storyboard capabilities! :) If I'd had Scrivener in 2005, I'd have two or three published novels by now, I'm certain. No pressure, of course, Kayembi/ blackswan, just because my professional career is riding on it... :D (Ow! Who knew grinning with one's tongue in one's cheek hurt like that?)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:11:45 -0500

rlanlrt - To transfer to the new machine when you get it, you'll just need to download and install Scrivener 1.0 and then use your license details from your original purchase to register; there won't be any problem about switching over. As it is, the license allows you to install on more than one computer that you own, so switching is as simple as the initial registration. CABridges, Windee, Badrat, BlackScorpio, nicayal, ziplizard, DisFanJen, imaginepagaent - Thank you all for the praise and support of Scrivener! LilyGreenEyes - Thanks for wanting to give Scrivener a try! As DisFanJen said, you can download the current Mac trial version or the Windows beta version and still make full use of the NaNoWriMo trial when it comes out--the trial counters are completely separate, so regardless of how many days you've put in on the regular trial, you'll still be able to use the NaNo version through December 7th. ---- Jennifer (Scrivener support and novel-writing-procrastinator)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dancingfool — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:12:43 -0500

just fyi.... you can absolutely use, and love, Scrivener, without becoming an outliner! (and generally, at least on this site, the two groups are called planners and pantsers, rather than outliners and discovery) I like to do lots of research (last year, was tattoos, this year it's magnets, lightning, and blood types!).. and Scrivener provides the perfect vehicle for me to put the results of my research in an easily accessible place. However, I don't outline. Once I start writing, I am a pantser all the way. As it happens, this is one of the many wonderful things about Scrivener... it makes life easier for planners, pantsers, researchers, outliners.... however you get the story written, Scrivener helps you get there. Use the features you want, without the other features getting in your way. (now, if they'd just wrap things up, so I can give them money... :-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Latsi — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:59:12 -0500

I bought my Scrivener license in May 2008 (just looked it up), and I used the old Scrivener Gold beta version for some time before. I can't think of any computer program I love as much as this one. I'm not sure if I had any completed novel without it. It made plotting and outlining real fun instead of tiring work that took away all the initial zeal I had before. And now, as I'm beginning to revise some of my earlier works, I realized how great it is for that, too. To be able to push chapters and scenes around in a whim, to take a snapshot with a press of a button and then revising without being afraid to make it worse and not having the original as a backup, or else having multiple versions of the draft lying about in different files ... Well, as I said: I love it. Thank you, Keith and staff! So, if I win this year, I think I will buy a license for my Windows netbook, so that I can use it when I'm underway, too. :-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

imaginepageant — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:08:32 -0500

Not sure if this is the best place to ask this, but here goes. I won Nanowrimo last year, but never took down the Scrivener coupon code (as it wasn't available for Windows yet). Is there any way to retrieve this coupon code and purchase Scrivener with it now - well, when the Windows version is fully released? I'd rather get it all settled now, than download the Nanowrimo trial version now and then buy the full version December with the new winners' coupon code... less things to download, install, and export/import that way, haha.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Katie C — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:18:00 -0500

You took the question out of my mouth. I'm in the same boat. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Daeghrafen — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:27:21 -0500

Same here - never have I been so eager to give people money! ;)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Qe_pa — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:12:32 -0500

I'm beta-testing right now and I love this software! I look forward to using it for my NaNoNovel this year and have every intention of buying the PC version when it's released.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Marauders Girl — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:14:30 -0500

Okay I saw the stuff about Scrivener last year and was curious - but as I'm a Windows person I couldn't do much - but nooww there is a Windows beta version. One thing I want to ask about before I even try downloading it as this is make or break for me well two things 1) If I buy a license may I use it on two (personal) computers? Or am I forced to buy two licenses & 2) If so - does Scrivener have a feature where you can send content from one computer to the next? Or better yet - where you can sync your scrivener on one computer with it on the other in some manner? Here's my situation.. I have one (very small light) computer - a thinkpad that I take to class during the day to take notes on at university. It's a godsend because it only weighs about 2 pounds and it's easy to haul around. However it's not my primary laptop because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles and graphics programs I need - so at home I have a Dell Studio 15. I tend to write during my class breaks. I also commute in - and going home during the day for me is not an option as I commute from nearly an hour away with an hour time difference (different states between home and school). I'm also an ML in my university town. This means often leaving straight from class to a write in meeting. I want the flexibility to be able to export my content on scrivener from one computer to the other depending on if I feel like hauling my other computer to the write in to do my writing in or not.. Can someone let me know the functionality of using scrivener split between computers? THANKS!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

msmightyduck — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:05:03 -0500

I love Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mangoshapedspace — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:10:59 -0500

Hey; I downloaded the trial version of Scrivener towards the end of September and bought it a few weeks ago. That was maybe a week into my trail period? But for me, it was exactly what I wanted in a writing software. This is my fifth year doing NaNo, and the last four years have have gone through many notebooks and binders, trying to keep handwritten pages, notes, research, all that together. I'm not saying that was inconvenient, because it worked well for me; but there's something to be said for being able to link research to the corresponding online articles, while switching back to what you're writing. The way Scrivener allows you to do what you want - from write it all in one place to spread it out scene by scene within chapters - i think it gives you a better grasp on what you're writing. I can't believe how easy the thing is to use, and the tutorial is amazing. It takes about 2 hours to get through, which is really a testament to a) how much you can get out of it and b) how much the developers really want you to know the software, and how much time they've put into it. This was an amazing find for me and I'm glad I found it when I did. I highly recommend trying it out to see if it's something you'll like! -mango

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:42:20 -0500

imaginepageant, Katie C - I'll double-check on this, but unfortunately to the best of my knowledge the coupon code was handled entirely through OLL--we didn't give them out individually and don't have a list of who got what, so I don't know of any way that we can help retrieve them since the site was reset for this year's NaNoWriMo. I know that's not what you wanted to hear! I'll check on this just in case. Marauders Girl - Thanks for your interest in Scrivener! In short, the answer to both questions is yes. The license will cover multiple Windows computers that you own, so you'll have no problem installing and registering on both your machines. Once you've done so, you can share projects between computers just like you would any other file. A lot of users (including myself) use Dropbox or a similar sync service for this. There are a few extra considerations for projects vs. single files (like a single Word .doc or so on) because projects are actually folders of multiple files that all need to stay in sync with one another, so it's important you always allow the sync to complete on the first computer before shutting off your network connection and again that you allow the download to fully complete on the second computer before you open the project. The User Manual covers all this in three basic points (in a section on Cloud Integration and Sharing). So long as you're careful to only have the project open on one computer at a time and to allow the sync to complete, this is an easy method for working on multiple machines. Qe_pa, Latsi, msmightyduck, mangoshapedspace - Thank you all for the kind words and support of Scrivener! --- Jennifer (Scrivener support and novel-writing procrastinator)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

SarahDyce — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:08:18 -0500

Another vote in favour of Scrivener! I've been doing NaNoWriMo for ten years now, and have tried at least a dozen different writing programs. Scrivener is far and away my favourite, and it made NaNo much easier last year. I've been using the beta version on and off all year, and can't wait to put my money down for the finished version. I did lose a bunch of text once, though, when I replaced an old beta version with a new one, so make sure any planning/notes are backed up before installing the NaNo beta!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ProphetNoir — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:54:03 -0500

Well I finally left the comfort and safety of the tutorial that comes with the Beta and started putting some real words of my own in the editor. Instant gratification! Scrivener stays out of my way until I choose to take advantage of a feature. The best thing is that I can use as little of it as I want to and, even with minimal features selected and used, it has exposed Word as a good, but sorely lacking program for creative writing or any type of writing that will require editing. I will definitely be purchasing and sticking with Scrivener. Thank you for making a Windows version!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

chrisdd — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:00:41 -0500

I deleted my e-mail from last year's Nano and was hoping to purchase it. Help!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

underredskies — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:52:05 -0500

Just out of curiosity, how do you pronounce Scrivener?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

indigo_skye — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:44:39 -0500

I started using Scrivener last year as my writing software for NaNoWriMo. Although the features were not all in place due to it being beta-tested, I simply fell in love with the program and it has become my main writing vehicle. It is easy to use right out of the box, I upload my drafts from my alphasmart or NEC MobilePro with ease and creates a wonderful environment in general for writing. However, I feel that I am not utilizing the program to the best of my ability. There are many features that I probably should be using, but I'm not sure how to organize my novel to use the features effectively. Does anyone know of guidelines or places for examples of how to set up a new novel and ways to use Scrivener in starting a project? I'm not talking about templates, but more how to organize and what features are used and why.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:26:39 -0500

RE: LAST YEAR'S WINNERS' COUPONS: To everyone who won NaNoWriMo last year but who forgot to take down their winner's coupons for Scrivener, please drop us a line on support@literatureandlatte.com with the subject "NaNoWriMo 2010 Winner Coupon" or suchlike. Chris has very kindly offered to look them up for us (we handed a batch of several thousand coupons to Chris and his team distributed them to the winners, so we don't have a record of who should have which coupon ourselves). IMPORTANT: Please be sure to include your NaNoWriMo user name when you email us, as Chris's team will need that to find your coupon. We won't be able to retrieve them immediately, because to save inundating Chris we'll gather a list of users who need them and send them to him altogether. Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:26:56 -0500

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:39:37 -0500

Oops - apologies for the double post, my browser gave out and I refreshed. So much for being a techie! Thanks once more to everyone for the replies, kind words and interest. indigo_skye - I love my Alphasmart too! We have a number of vides on our site, if you haven't already checked them out: http://www.literatureandaltte.com/video.php. Although they are all based on the Mac version, you should find most things the same and be able to apply them easily enough. However, I would say that if you feel it's helping and you enjoy using it, don't worry about the stuff you feel you aren't using yet. There's nothing you *should* use, particularly. It's designed to be flexible, so that writers can use the stuff that fits their way of writing and ignore the rest. We have bestselling authors using it who never once touch the corkboard, for instance. underredskies - "Scriven" rhymes with "given". Bear in mind that I'm British, though - it might be pronounced differently elsewhere. imagine pageant, DisFanJan, dangingfool, LilyGreenEyes., zip lizard, nicayal, BlackScorpio, Bedrat, rianirt, Windee, CABridges, Daeghrafen, Latsi, msmightyduck, mangoshapedspace, SarahDyce, ProphetNoir, and anyone I've missed: thank you! All the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

LoverDove — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:47:46 -0500

@Kayembi- I downloaded the trial a couple of days ago. So does it mean that the expiration of Dec. 7th will automatically kick in? I don't have to do anything?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:13:59 -0500

indigo_skye - You might also want to peruse the Literature & Latte forums for some ideas (especially if you feel like procrastinating on your novel!) as there are a lot of threads where people discuss how they use different features or, from the opposite approach, how they do a particular thing (keep track of subplots, organize their reference material, etc.) and then other users will talk about how they do that in a different way. Scrivener has a lot of flexibility, so even per project you might find yourself using the same tools differently, just as best fits that particular project. Tips & Tricks and the Zen of Scrivener are probably two good forums to start in--the majority of posts will probably be Mac users, since they've been around longer, but as with the videos, most of these will still be applicable to the Windows version, especially older posts that were using the 1.x version of the Mac software, since Windows matches those features.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:18:11 -0500

LoverDove - You'll need to download the special NaNoWriMo trial when it comes out in order to get the different countdown, but it'll just be a matter of downloading that and dragging the .app file to your Applications folder. Your projects will open in it just fine. (In addition to the extended trial period, the NaNo trial version will have a couple NaNoWriMo-specific template settings, like a compile preset to obfuscate your exported text for uploading to the word counter.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

yoghurtelf — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:24:00 -0500

I love Scrivener - I first got my hands on it a few years back and haven't looked back!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

LoverDove — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:51:21 -0500

Thank you! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Katie C — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:00:07 -0500

Oh wow! That's very generous of all of you to offer your time like that. Thank you so much. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BRuth — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:38:05 -0500

Here's my situation: I own a Mac desktop. Each weekend in Nov. I will be at my sweetie's house - she owns a PC desktop. I'm going to be writing in coffeehouses/home with others in my area doing NaNoWriMo a few nights a week in Nov - I hope to borrow a laptop for that - don't know whether it will be a PC or a Mac. How many versions of Scrivener would I need for all that? Thanks,

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

awesome speller — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:06:31 -0500

Hi, new to Nanowrimo here, though I wrote a 90K memoir a few years ago in MS Word..can still remember all the scrolling..now have downloaded Scrivener to my Mac a few days ago, have found it incredibly easy and AWESOME for doing an outline for novel..YAY..getting really excited for November to start.. just wondering, how often do Scrivener users export and save the whole thing, like to email or something? I was a complete tragic about saving my MS Word manuscript to my email every day that I worked on it, so that if something happened to my laptop I couldnt' lose it. But exporting sounds a bit big time? Or do people really do that and save to email regularly?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dancingfool — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 07:18:16 -0500

I'm a windows user, so last year, of course, was my first year using Scrivener. This meant I was using Beta software -- and therefore at risk for issues. I was using it on the desktop at work, and the laptop, everywhere else. And I tended to write in 2-3 bursts, during the day, rather than one sitting. With that info as background- a) exporting takes moments, very few moments. not much longer than saving a file b) I exported, every time I closed the program... and saved a copy to my flashdrive, and threw a copy in my dropbox. The entire process was absolutely less than 5 minutes, probably closer to 2 1/2-3 minutes. Where you're using a non-Beta version, you might decide to be more relaxed... although I'll do the same I did last year, even though the Windows version will be (probably) out of Beta. But my suggestion is that you import something into Scrivener ... and then export it back out... just to see how fast and easy it really is.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

imaginepageant — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:02:20 -0500

Excellent, thank you so much!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

underredskies — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:38:32 -0500

I downloaded Scrivener yesterday. I'm amazed by how easy it is to use. I used a single OpenOffice document for my NaNo two years ago, and everything got really overcluttered and confusing. I can see Scrivener making this a thing of the past.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Veleda0 — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:25:48 -0500

I just watched an indepth video on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DthBJhBrYs) about how to use Scrivener and what it can do. Amazing! The whole time, I'm thinking about all the index cards I have from researching my Camp NaNo non-fic book. Trying to organize over 100 cards is rough, even divided into sections. It would be so much easier with Scrivener! I am downloading today, not waiting for the NaNo trial to come out. (I wonder how I will get the 2 together.) I am so excited about it. I started sending texts to writer friends, taking pics on my phone of screenshot to send as well. I am beyond excited!! Thank you for bringing this to Windows users!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CABridges — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:43:18 -0500

Any project you begin in Scrivener now should still show up if you install a NaNo version or later paid version; your files don't get overwritten or deleted when you upgrade. That said, some people have lost copy when they upgraded, but I save my Scrivener projects on my hard drive and in a DropBox folder so I haven't had any problems and I've upgraded hundreds of times since last November. Well, it seemed like hundreds... :) They fix bugs fast, these people do.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Feena — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:51:32 -0500

I've never attempted NaNo before so that's a bit daunting anyway. I downloaded the Windows version last night and I'm really enjoying using it. I know I'm only using the very basic aspects of it yet, but I'm sure I'll pick up more stuff as I use it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

indigo_skye — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:07:00 -0500

I've seen the basic videos when I first started using the program, but I haven't been to the Literature & Latte site except to download new betas for quite awhile. I'll check out the forums and see what is going on now. When I was there before, people didn't really know how to use the program and were as lost as I was! Perhaps now that a year has gone by, that has changed. I also didn't look at the mac forums since I am on windows and when the first betas came out, there were too many differences between the two versions. I think that this has changed too. The programs are more similar.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

indigo_skye — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:10:52 -0500

I do a zipped compile of my manuscript at least once a week and save it onto dropbox. I also like to do a second backup onto a sandisk thumbdrive, but I tend to do that a little less often. The compile of the entire novel (mine is over 100K words) takes only a minute. I don't save to email, but I imagine that the compile feature has that listed somewhere and it should be just as painless to do.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

seajewel — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:01:58 -0500

I use Sugarsync to sync my Scrivener projects folder automatically. I like it better than Dropbox because you can sync certain folders, not just folders within the "Dropbox" folder, so I just choose the folder I already save my Scrivener projects in, and never worry about it again! It's working beautifully and sets my mind at rest. and if you sign up from my link we both get 500MB extra on top of the free 5GB!! :) https://www.sugarsync.com/referral?rf=dzq9b80i3rke0&utm_source=txemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=referral

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Shine098 — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:09:55 -0500

This is awesome! Thanks (scrivener) guys! I downloaded my free trial about a week ago and WOW! It's amazing... and simple! It doesn't "preach", it just lets you do EXACTLY what you want to do! I love it, and I definitely plan to write my NaNoWriMo novel on it. One question, however- if I download the NaNo trial now (which goes until December 7th) but I have days left on my regular trial (say, a week), then would I be able to use Scrivener for free for 1 more extra week, or does the "free trial" thing get written over when I download the NaNo trial? (If that doesn't makes sense, I want to know basically- will my extra days "rollover?" to after the NaNo trial runs out? Or not?) Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

M_P_Mitchell — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:33:59 -0500

I really like this software so far. I've just used it to prepare for November. My only complaint is that the tutorial says it should take about an hour, um, noooo. Took off work on Wednesday, all day, to learn it. But it was a great tutorial and it is extremely easy to sort out and sort through jumbles of prep work.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AngelicWolf09 — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 03:01:39 -0500

Just started with the Windows beta version last night and this software is Incredible. I have begun my character outlines for my novel for November and the layout works really well for me. The only issue I have is that to go to full screen the F11 doesn't work for me, but that's just very minor. Other than that, I'm loving this product and will be purchasing the Windows edition when it is released.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DeanJohnson — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:15:03 -0500

I absolutely love Scrivener and am going to use it again this year. Keith is absolutely fantastic, except for his ongoing inability to conjure an extra 12 hrs in the day to do a stripped down ipad client. ;-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:24:42 -0500

Hello BRuth, Our licence conditions for Scrivener are fairly friendly: "Scrivener comes with a generous "household" licence. This allows you to install Scrivener on multiple computers (of the same platform, so a Mac licence will not work on Windows, and vice versa) provided that you are the primary user or owner, and on any machines owned by members of your immediate family residing in your household. Businesses require separate licences for each user." As Scrivener for Windows is currently in beta, you can install and use Scrivener as you wish on that platform. If you are borrowing laptops, licence wise it would be best to stick with using a Windows machine, as there is no licence to adhere to at present. When we release a licence you need to follow our stated licence conditions, so the laptop you use with Scrivener should belong to you. Currently, you only require a licence for your Mac installation of Scrivener once out of any applicable trial. NaNoWriMo trials will run until 7th December on both platforms, so you will be good for the whole duration of the writing event. Scrivener project files are cross-platform, so you will be able to move from your desktop Mac to your partner's PC with relative ease. I hope that helps. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:31:55 -0500

Hello M_P_Mitchell, To be honest, the tutorial took me much longer than an hour to complete too! Thank you for your kind words. I hope that your preparation for NaNoWriMo continues to go well. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:37:20 -0500

Hello underredskies, Great to hear that everything is obviously fairly intuitive and going well for you! Thank you for giving Scrivener a try. Good luck with those 50,000 words and may clutter and confusion no longer be a part of your writing process. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:41:11 -0500

Hello Feena, Thank you for giving Scrivener a go. Help > Interactive Tutorial should get you up to speed and ready for your inaugural NaNoWriMo. Good luck! All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:59:59 -0500

Thank you yoghurtelf! Always nice to receive a little application love. Good luck this year. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RoadDog — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 11:49:04 -0500

You said that you should not edit your file outside of Scrivener? Even a RTF file? I am a truck driver and had planned on using my iPad for writing in those moments when I could not stop and setup my laptop. Could you clarify this for me? Can you edit a RTF file on another device? I just downloaded the Windows Beta and I am ready to sit down and start learning the program so I would like to know if this will be a problem for me during Nano. Thanks

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

awesome speller — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 16:20:58 -0500

hey guys thank you - why didn't I think of a USB drive - and I know my better half has set up some kind of drop box on our home computers - time for me to get up to speed on it. thanks for the awesome ideas. and yes I tried exporting it just to my hard drive and it took about one second (hopefully it will take a couple seconds when I have more than an outline in November, ha!) so I am getting more comfortable with the whole thing. mucho thanks.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tigers Eyes — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 16:36:04 -0500

I'm currently using the beta version, but I have a question: If I buy Scrivener (which I really want to- its awesome) does my license go to my computer/email address/ something else? Because I was to know what will happen if I get a new laptop...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 18:24:23 -0500

awesome speller - In addition to the advice and experience other users have offered, I want to throw out there that Scrivener for Mac will automatically create a full project backup when you close your project (you can adjust the settings in Preferences). I have my projects set to back up a zip copy straight to my Dropbox folder. Simple and I get extra security by having my backups pushed to my other linked computers as well as online. Windows doesn't do this automatically yet, but it's easy to save a backup manually before closing (File > Backup Project To) or at any point when you have a sudden urge to make backups. Because who doesn't get that urge during NaNo? :) --- Jennifer (Scrivener support)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 18:38:55 -0500

Veleda0, CABridges, AngelicWolf09, DeanJohnson - Thank you, to those of you just giving Scrivener a try and to those who've been using and enjoying it. We appreciate your kind words! Shine098 - The NaNo trial will be separate from the regular trial, so it won't affect the timer on your standard version--after the NaNo trial expires, you can switch back to the other version and finish out your 30 day trial. AngelicWolf09 - What version of Windows are you using? F11 should be working so I just want to check into this if we've got a bug. You can try going into Tools>Options and click on the Keyboard tab to assign a different shortcut (filter by "fullscreen" and you'll see the menu item there to change)--if the problem is a conflict with that key, using another key sequence might fix it for you for now. Tiger Eyes - Registration is activated per-computer, but the license allows you to register multiple computers that you own, so there will be no issue with setting up Scrivener on your new machine. You'll get a serial name and number when you purchase a license and will just need to enter that into the registration window and validate. Just make sure to keep the email in a safe place so that when you need to re-register on the new computer, you've got all the info. --- Jennifer (Scrivener support)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 18:56:52 -0500

Thanks Dean! And while I might not be able to conjure an extra twelve hours a day for myself, let's just say that things *might* be quietly moving into place behind the scenes regarding an iPad version. Watch this space. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

reptile_smile — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:19:30 -0500

Hi there, I'm one of the long list of Scrivener convertees. Everyone, I imagine, has their own personal favourite bits, but for me, the split panes thing is fantastic - it would be enough to convert me in it's own right, let alone everything else. Perhaps someone from Literature & Latte could help answer me this. At the moment, I'm working on a triple-boot Hackintosh - MacOS/Ubuntu/JoliOS. It's not that I don't love Macs - I do - but I'm getting a little tired of their business practice with regards to patents, and so am trying to move to Linux altogether. The Linux Beta was working fine for me on Ubuntu 11.04, and not in 11.10. I'm incredibly grateful that you guys put out the Beta at al, and I'm sure I'll get it sorted out in the end via the incredibly helpful folk on the Linux section of L&L website, but I'm trying to plan where I'm going from here, as, at the moment, I have Scrivener Trial on the Mac and love it. So - next computer is coming up in the next 6 months. Do I get another Mac and put Linux on it, or get a Netbok running Windows, and put Linux on (multi-booting in all cases). I can see Scrivener becoming such an integral part of the way I work - not just for fiction, but for my academic work as well) - so a key question for me is - Scrivener for Mac, Windows or Linux..? Accordingly, is there anywhere I can find out the difference in features between the current development states of the different platforms? Like, the differences as a list/table? Thanks for an awesome program.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lilygirl — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 20:04:19 -0500

Hurrah! I love using Scrivener on my Mac & I'm looking forward to the Windows & Linux versions so that I can have it on ALL of my computers!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 20:37:28 -0500

An alternative suggestion, if you don't want to support Apple Inc. on general principle, you could try buying a used Mac from a local store or the classifieds. True, you're probably putting money in the pocket of someone that will turn around and buy another Mac for themselves, but at least it's going to help that person out and not Apple directly, and who can control secondary market actions anyway. Main downside is that Apple computers hold their value really well, so make sure you are getting something in good condition as there aren't many "deals" to be had. And, you can dual boot a Mac with Linux as well, so you don't have to give up that either. I mainly ran Linux/Mac dual-boot until around 2004 or so when OS X finally evened out the performance and bugs. That aside; I'd recommend waiting six months to make a decision. That's a while, and the Linux/Win version will doubtlessly be even better in a half year than it is now. It most certainly won't be caught all the way up to the Mac, but that's okay---Mac people used less than the Windows version provides now, for years. There isn't a huge list anywhere of differences. We that continues to change rapidly enough that maintaining it would be a pain for everyone. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RainDropReverie — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 20:42:53 -0500

I've wanted to check out Scrivener for a long time and was really sad when I was told ages ago it was MAC only. So the release of a Windows version is Really Exciting for me! Though I'm going to be using a borrowed netbook for NaNo this year (and old enough it probably couldn't handle the program anyway), I'll have to wait til after I win to buy/try the product with the hope my desktop will be set up/internet ready by then!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:42:51 -0500

Really liking your plan lilygirl! I hope that you enjoy using Scrivener on each and every one of your chosen platforms. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:46:03 -0500

Hello RainDropReverie, I hope that Scrivener on Windows is worth the wait for you! Good luck with your 50,000 words and earning a 50% discount on our licence rate. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RainDropReverie — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:34:21 -0500

I hope so too! I'm not always fully tech/program savvy, but I will do try to be sure I test out all the features to see how they work for me! I'm borrowing a netbook for this year, so I think I'll win handily since I can write anywhere! Theoretically. lol Is it bad that I also want to check out WriteWay? >_>

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 05:45:24 -0500

Not bad at all! Remember that we reference many other writing applications and tools on our website, both for Mac and Windows http://www.literatureandlatte.com/links.php. Scrivener might not be the application for everyone, but we naturally hope that it is a good fit and appeals to many writers. :-) Cheers, David

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RainDropReverie — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 06:01:25 -0500

I intend to buy both and check them out to see if one or the other suits me best, but who knows, maybe I'll use both! Somehow! Or something! -random exclamation marks-

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

JennH — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:53:22 -0500

I had the same quirk with inspector in the tutorial. It did come up when I started my own novel prep. Not sure what I was doing but If it quirks again I'll pY attn and report. Using windows beta.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AngelicWolf09 — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:57:32 -0500

I''m using windows vista, but I will try the other opinions that you have posted and see if it helps out.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

the-cookie-cutter — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:30:12 -0500

This just made me so excited. I downloaded the beta version for my PC and I love it already. Can't wait for the NaNo trial version!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tephra — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:08:55 -0500

I downloaded the Windows beta last... Friday I think. It's hard to keep track of days because I know I stayed up to 5am at least once importing old NaNo stories and breaking them into chunks for editing. :D I'm looking forward to this year's NaNo to see how writing in it works for me, but given how well it's worked for editing I'm thinking I'll have to squeeze the money out of my budget somewhere to buy the released version. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

imaginepageant — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:24:19 -0500

Oh man. I didn't even think about putting last year's Nano into Scrivener for organizing/editing until seeing this post. Mind is blown.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tephra — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:48:56 -0500

It is awesome. The split view is my new best friend. No more switching tabs or scrolling or jumping around putting in bookmarks to look back at a previous scene to make sure I didn't contradict anything. I just put the scene I'm working on and the one I need to look at right next to each other (or one over the other) and edit. :) I'm just starting to play around with the research folder, previously I was making wikis (TiddlyWiki) to keep that organized. It's pretty nice to be able to drop a file from Great Family (genealogy software) in there to be able to bring it up with one click to check family trees though.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:26:50 -0500

Thanks for the nice testimonial. I love writing out first drafts with an AlphaSmart too, it's nice tool to pair with something like this. It's difficult to say which features are best for what, since the program is designed to be pretty open-ended. One person might use keywords to keep track of POV, another person might use the colour Label feature for that. As you've probably noticed, the features kind of keep out of the way until you need a little extra, I suppose the difficulty is in figuring out just which one is best for the job. The documentation might help you out a bit here. In particular there are sections of the manual which discuss all of the various meta-data options available and compares their strengths and weaknesses with one another. In fact most of the tools in the program have a brief on practical usage in their documentation. Beyond that, the [online forums][] contain a wealth of archived information from other users and ourselves. Since the Mac version has been around for longer, you'll find that much of the conversation revolves around the Mac version, but increasingly these tips are something that can be applied to the Windows version, especially the philosophical discussions on which things are best for what. The forums are free to snoop about on without signing up, so feel free to utilise that as a resource. [Online Forums]: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:35:28 -0500

I've got all of my old NaNos in one huge project file. :) Since they are all so closely related, they can use many of the same labels and keywords. So I can run a search for a character that has appeared in them all, and see every scene they were in from 2002 to 2008 (alas, didn't get a chance to write the past two years) and make sure I'm keeping things consistent. If something happens in a newer book that references back to an older one, I can use the References pane to drop the relevant scenes in for future references.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

naquada — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:18:01 -0500

I've won nanowrimo every year I've used scrivener... (so basically two!!) it's singularly the best piece of software I've ever brought.. if you want to survive nano.. i wholly recommend getting scrivener (windows or mac... actually get mac.. buy a mac if you don't have one.. and then get scrivener!!)...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:36:39 -0500

Thank you Andrew! (naquada) Good luck with your 50,000 words this year. I can feel a hat-trick coming on! :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 03:35:47 -0500

Whoops, sorry RoadDog, missed your post earlier. For editing your work on the go, your best method is to use the File > Export feature to make an external copy of the documents that you can move over to your iPad or wherever. When you're ready to bring them back in, you can either import the documents or just copy/paste the text into the appropriate files. The reason for all this is that Scrivener needs to keep all its internal files in sync, so if you start editing them outside of the program, not all the necessary files will be updated to keep the rest of the project knowing what's going on. Additionally, although the files are RTF, Scrivener uses some of its own code for displaying specific special formatting like annotations, so best case you'd see this wrapper code when opening the file externally, and worst case it might end up getting altered by you or the external program and so not working properly when you opened again in Scrivener. All that is avoided if you export (or compile), since then Scrivener is preparing the text to be viewed and edited externally, and once it's out of Scrivener, the project doesn't care about it so you can do whatever you want with it. Down the road we'll be implementing a sync system that will make what you want to do simpler and integrated into the program. For now, export should serve you well. It'll be nicer to work with than the RTF files directly from the project anyway because you'll be able to name and save them whatever and wherever you want. I hope that helps, but let me know if you've got questions still!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 03:38:31 -0500

Thanks, JennH. The issue will be project-specific because the interface settings are saved with the project. We've fixed the tutorial for the NaNoWriMo trial so this won't confuse new users, but I'm sorry you had to figure it out on your own! Thank you for trying out the Scrivener beta!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows - Trials Now Live

Kayembi — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:04:15 -0500

Hi all, Just to let you know that the special NaNoWriMo '11 trial versions of Scrivener are now available: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php There are also special NaNo project templates available there for existing users of Scrivener (those using the special NaNo trial don't need to download the templates separately as they come built in). Thanks! All the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows - Trials Now Live

Kayembi — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:07:54 -0500

Oops, that didn't turn into a clickable link: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

awesome speller — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:34:11 -0500

thanks blackswan, I've got the mac version, so I'll get onto that. I totally have that urge to make backups all the time!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

gbostic5 — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:11:25 -0500

Hi, I downloaded the Beta version of Scrivener last evening, and I'm thrilled with what I've found! I'm glad I checked back here last night when I became confused. I couldn't find the inspector, but after reading your response to Mistwalker, I found it and love the feature. Also the corkboard and outliner look like fantastic tools. Your tutorial is excellent and well worth the time taken to go through it. Thank you for developing this great product for windows!!! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

indigo_room — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:45:09 -0500

I just downloaded the Scrivener for Windows Nano 2011 trial version. It installed beautifully. Nice to know I'm good to go until Nano is over and I can buy the full release. Note that if you're already using the ScrivWin beta, as I was, Keith recommends uninstalling the beta before installing the Nano trial version. You won't lose any of the project files created with the beta. Thanks to Keith, Lee (the ScrivWin developer), and everyone else who has made this program available.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

msannomalley — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:17:53 -0500

I've already been sold on Scrivener for Windows ever since I downloaded the first Beta version last spring. I just downloaded the Nano trial version and I can't wait until December when I can buy the license. I am very impressed with the program already! Thank you for making this available. I am looking forward to December, when I can get the full version. Love the special NaNo template, by the way.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tina In Wonderland — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:14:09 -0500

Woo Hoo!! I've been waiting for the NaNo trial for a week so I'm psyched!! Mine's installed and ready to go! I'll be doing some NaNo planning this evening. [NOTE: If you have any trouble downloading the new trial, clear out your browser history first. I downloaded the regular trial a week or so ago and had to clear out my cache after I deleted the old version this am, because I got an error message. Then it installed easy as pie.]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

elizabethnoble — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:45:18 -0500

I have the beta version and am just starting to look around it, so far I like it. I downloaded the Nano trial version just now to use for Nano.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Aubergine — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:21:31 -0500

This is brilliant. I'm actually organized (what a scary thought).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mutewolf_ — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:00:55 -0500

Suh-weet! I've been using the Beta versions for months and used Scrivener to write my first Script Frenzy play in (which I won!) and am excited to write a novel in it. I've got a couple of my old novels sorted out in it too and I love editing with it. I've used lots & lots of different writing programs and Scrivener is my favorite.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows - Trials Now Live

Seagull 116 — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:28:26 -0500

Will there be a linux NaNoWriMo trial version or will I have to use the Windows version and virtualbox? Cheers Chris

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bumble Bee Elixir — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:57:24 -0500

I've been using Scrivener Beta for Windows throughout the year since Nano 2010. I absolutely love it. It has helped me think differently about my own writing process and allowed me to more fully develop my writing with remarkable ease. I even started using it at work to organize Website projects that I work on. The separate files help create a multi-level site map that I can adjust easily and and each page is self-contained - heck, I can even contain individual aspects of a page and I never lose track of them.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CrazeeMikee — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:47:43 -0500

Scrivener is amazing. My friend told me about it yesterday and I fell in love. It's amazing, organized, and not too fancy. I never even thought about using writing programs (why would I need one when I have word?!), but then I decided to try Scrivener out and I'm so glad I did! Will definitely buy the Windows version if I win NaNoWriMo! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

tamiveldura — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:06:27 -0500

I love Scrivener. I remember playing with the windows beta so long ago it was almost Alpha. The only issue I have, and correct me if this has changed. is there's no way to automatically sync my writing/data to an online location that is accessable by internet A: on a different computer and B: on my smartphone. I do a lot of writing on the go, typing into my phone, and to cut down on the number of files I have floating around I've migrated all my writing into Google Docs. I can access and type on any computer with internet access and my phone whenever I want. I really REALLY want to be able to do this in Scrivener, any plans to make the program more mobile friendly in the future?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Fgodmom — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:57:09 -0500

As one of the tech challenged, have been saving up my discount code from last Nov until the finished version of Scrivener came out. It's due out Oct 31. and when I checked tonight, the page with my code has vanished in the transition from NaNo's old website to new one. How do i get my code back to qualify for this dicount? Thanks

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dilally — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:02:41 -0500

Like a lot of other posters, I've been using the Scrivener Windows beta and eagerly awaiting the release of the full version. I love the fact that Scrivener supports Nano and offers discounts. Thanks guys. Since starting to use Scrivener, I've realised that my main writing issue has been project management. With Scrivener I can keep all my writing and research in one folder, open what I want when I want to work on and know that it will all be there when I get back to it. Scrivener's organisation means that I can see where I'm up to very easily. Much better than my random word processing documents of the past. This is the advantage of having writing software written for writers by a writer. And, it's not mucho $$ like a lot of the writing software out there. And on top of all that, there's a very friendly Scrivener community at the website to help with any problems. In particular, the staff are amazing - always quick with the answers. I think the Scrivener staff and the great community are the icing on the cake for me. They contribute strongly to how positively I feel about the Scrivener experience overall. Since starting to use Scrivener to organise me, I've got so much more writing done. I'm looking forward to using it for Nano for the first time too. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:05:51 -0500

Glad to see that you're all ready for the go indigo_room! Thanks for sharing your uninstalling the previous Scrivener for Windows beta pointer. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:09:14 -0500

Glad that you've got our NaNoWriMo trial version installed msannomalley. Do note that you will be able to purchase the Windows licence from 31st October onwards, but you're obviously going for the 50% winner's discount variety of purchase! Good luck. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:12:33 -0500

Good point about clearing cache Tina In Wonderland. Thanks. Hope the evening planning went well, and continues to do so. Not long until that countdown clock reaches zero! All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:16:19 -0500

Help > Interactive Tutorial is always the best place to get acquainted with Scrivener elizabethnoble. I hope that you continue to like what you see! Good luck with those 50,000 words. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:19:49 -0500

Organised? What an incredibly bold statement Aubergine! Whatever does that feel like? :-) Wishing you all the best with NaNoWriMo this year. Prepared more than a week early. Incredible. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:22:31 -0500

Thanks mutewolf_! With a screenplay already under your belt, this NaNoWriMo thing is going to be a cinch. :-) Really glad that you enjoy using Scrivener for your writing and editing. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:36:22 -0500

Really happy to hear that Scrivener for Windows is helping with a couple of your workflows Bumble Bee Elixir. You've been with us for approaching a year now through all the betas, so I hope that you also enjoy our version 1.0 release at the end of this month. I'm sure there are even more work and play scenarios you can turn your Scrivener project to! Good luck with NaNoWriMo 2011. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:43:48 -0500

Appreciate that your friend made an introduction CrazeeMikee, and that your first date went so well! Although Help > Interactive Tutorial is always the best way to get acquainted, we do have plenty of videos http://www.literatureandlatte.com/video.php to watch if you're a visual learner. I hope that you continue to enjoy, and thanks for your intention of supporting Scrivener. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:08:45 -0500

Hello tamiveldura. You can synchronise Scrivener projects using Dropbox, so your first point is catered for, but there is not smartphone syncing provided yet in the Windows version. With Scrivener on the Mac you can sync files with apps on your iPad or iPhone, but this is a version 2 feature. Scrivener for Windows 1.0 will be like version 1.54 on the Mac, with a few additional features bundled in for good measure. Our Windows offering will naturally continue to evolve and will ultimately offer both workflows that you are looking for. Thanks for your interest in Scrivener for Windows. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:01:28 -0500

Thank you dilally! Appreciate your very kind post. :-) Good luck with your inaugural NaNoWriMo. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Errant Crow — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:20:11 -0500

With the magpie configuration of my brain, I refuse to write for NaNoWriMo in any program but Scrivener. I even got my boss to buy Scrivener for my work computer when I got assigned to write our user guide...really Chris, I could kiss you, Scrivener has saved me that much misery. The guide is approaching 50,000 words. If I had to navigate and attempt to reorganze all of those sections, sub-sections, and topics in Word docs... Nuh-uh. No. Nein. Nyet. Never. If anyone is wondering about the usefulness of this product for NaNoWriMo, believe me, it will save you. 1: auto-save, aka you cannot lose your work due to a crash 2: binder, aka you can't lose a file in the depths of your hard drive 3: drag&drop reorganization, aka it takes seconds to put text snippets in the right order if you don't write in order 4: automatic word count at the bottom of the page for any combination of files 5: built in notes and research tools ...and that's my spiel.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Annika_K — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:09:28 -0500

I've downloaded the trial version (for Macintosh, I'm a die-hard Mac lover) a few days ago and love it. It looks very useful for both my work as an IT journalist (I write "normal" articles in TextEdit, but for research-heavy features or interviews, this would be just perfect) and my planned novel (historical... looooooooots of research). Also, I simply like the UI and usability (typical Mac fan, things that look good and "just work" appeal to me even though I have an IT background). However, I have a question about the NaNo discount. I've signed up for NaNoWriMo since it was all the rage in a forum I'm in and I liked the idea. However, work commitments and a new-found motivation to work on my "real" novel (which is still pretty much in the research stage, so there is no way I will write 50k words for that in November) make me wonder if I will actually take part in the writing challenge. I'll probably be content just hanging out, chatting with other writers and playing the "expert" for the things I'm good at to help other writers achieve the best possible result. So, even though I picked up the code in the forum, I guess that technically wouldn't make me a "participant", would it? I'll buy the software anyway, I'm just checking.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

tomcbwilliams — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:00:20 -0500

Does the Windows version have any word count functionality?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sarai.schu — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:33:45 -0500

I'm so excited to hear that last year's Nanowrimo Winner voucher will still be usable this year. Is there any difference between the Nanowrimo version of the Beta and the actual Windows software? I'm trying to decide if I should use the beta until after this Nano is over, or if I would get a better product (more functionality, faster?) by purchasing the full version. Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

writingsmurph — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:51:55 -0500

Friday, October 21. Have been trying to access Scrivener via the posted links but they all take me to that dreaded "dead end" page. Is it just me or is something wrong with the link?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:00:26 -0500

I've got a big problem: I can't access the Scrivener site. I keep getting this message "Error 101 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_RESET)". What can I do? I wanted to download the NaNoWriMo for Windows but I'm unable to do so. Oh, and I live in France.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Marauders Girl — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:43:05 -0500

Could you guys give me more explicit instructions on how to get scrivener successfully downloaded on both laptops I own? Do I need to download the nano trial version to both computers? I'm assuming so - but what happens if I fall in love and buy a license with my 50% off coupon? I know I don't need two licenses - further back in the thread it said it'd email me a serial number and etc - which makes sense - but where do I go on my second laptop to -enter- the serial number? Like how do I start the process? Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

elizabethnoble — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:43:35 -0500

Thank you! I have been going through the tutorial, it's very nice. Sometimes it's best to simply read the directions...lol I currently use a lot of actual notebooks, and am playing with One Note and Scrivener to replace all that paper. So far I'm very impressed with this program.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:46:25 -0500

OK, everything's normal now. Phew! Maybe I panicked a bit too early. :-) I downloaded the NaNoWriMo version. As instructed, I uninstalled the Beta version before installing the new version but I can't find any difference in the two versions. So is it because the NaNoWriMo version doesn't stop working before the 7th of December? Or do I miss something? Anyway, I'm really happy because I like Scrivener a lot.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:30:04 -0500

The software is unlockable, which means any demo version you download can be unlocked with the serial number that you'll be given in the invoice. So to install Scrivener on additional computers that you own, just download the demo and unlock it. There is a menu command for doing so, `Scrivener/Registration...`. And yes, you need to install the program on both computers. The installation and registration process would be precisely identical on both computer.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:32:51 -0500

Glad to hear you got it working. The web site got a little flummoxed last night for some reason, but as you note it appears to be all back up and running at this point. There isn't going to be a huge difference between versions. The main thing is, as you point out, the extended expiration period. Beyond that you'll find a special NaNoWriMo novel template in the new project window. This will come pre-configured with a 50k goal and use a special compile preset. You can read all about it in the project's help file (at the top of the binder) once you create one with the template. Otherwise there have been some bug fixes, and the drag and drop model in the binder and outliner is improved and what will be shipping in the final version.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:17:12 -0500

Hello Annika_K. Glad that Scrivener is looking like a good fit to help with both your novel writing ambitions and work. We are thankful to a number of IT journalists that started using Scrivener on the Mac back in 2007 and spread news of the application. Now, onto the ethical aspect of your post. The NaNoWrIMo coupon code that will provide a 20% discount during November and December is provided for participants, but we are hardly going to invigilate their use cross-referencing with NaNo user accounts. We appreciate you supporting Scrivener. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:26:50 -0500

Hello tomcbwilliams. The Windows version of Scrivener has word count functionality aplenty! Do you want word and character counts for each individual document? When you combine documents? Text statistics on word frequency used? Give yourself a target for your entire draft? - already set to 50,000 in the NaNoWriMo trial version of Scrivener. Set yourself a writing session target? All these functions are readily available in the Windows version. I hope that helps. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:34:55 -0500

Hello sarai.schu. Simply by Scrivener for Windows version 1.0 being released almost 2 weeks after our NaNoWriMo trial version means that it will be a marginally better product. Lee and his team code fast, so there will probably be fewer bugs and glitches as they would have continued to pounce on those during the intervening period. I don't believe there is going to be any striking new features or major functionality differences though, so you may as well stay with the NaNoWriMo trial version as that is tailored to the writing event. You will be able to purchase a discounted licence at any time after the 31st October 2011 using your winner's code from 2010. Thank you for supporting Scrivener and good luck with your 50,000 words this year! All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Annika_K — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:08:54 -0500

Thanks. Now, I'm aware that technically I could get away with claiming to be a participant when I'm not, but that's not my style... Anyway, thanks for clarifying this. With all the overtime I'm doing at the moment (one of the reasons I probably won't be participating in NaNoWriMo) the regular price shouldn't be so bad anyway... it has to be good for something... By the way: I didn't know so many of my colleagues use this software. Here in Germany, I've never heard of it, unfortunately. If it turns out as great as it promises to be in the long run, I might be spreading the word, though...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

PogiNate — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:45:32 -0500

I've used Scrivener for all three years that I've done NaNoWriMo, as well as for a number of other projects. It's one of the finest pieces of software I've ever come across.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bee82 — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 12:31:25 -0500

Just downloaded the Nano trial.... and I love it. I think it is exactly the thing I need for planning out an old WIP after nano too. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BeauB1980 — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 13:50:27 -0500

This thread tells me something very important to me about your company, one that I think many companies have lost touch with today: You actually care about your #1 resource -- your customers. With what appears to be such a great product (with what little I have poked around in it thus far), the price (especially with the coupon), and the fact that you care about your customers, I will definitely be purchasing Scrivener, regardless of whether I hit 50K or not next month. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

zeebell377 — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:34:04 -0500

I absolutely love Scrivener. I've had it on my Mac laptop for years, and use it for everything! This is such a treat for writers who don't already have this awesome software!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lisard — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:37:02 -0500

Never used it before, or heard of it before, but downloading it now to transfer my notes and outlines too it. If it works for me, the price is very reasonable... we'll see. I very much appreciate the ability to use it from late Oct through early Dec.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:33:24 -0500

What I love most is the Inspector with the synopsis, the index cards and the notes. It meant I could create a lot of scenes, without actually writing a single line of my NaNo novel. I did this with the Beta version and when I had downloaded the NaNo version, I discovered that I could drag and drop all my work in the newly created NaNo project. Fantastic!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lady_Legacy — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:48:51 -0500

Sorry I just skimmed, running a little short on time, not NaNoWriMo of course, but I was curious, will there be an iPad version. I use both mac and windows, if I want them on both computers, would be the cost individually? If I were given a choice to use one version over the other, which is recommended? Mac, or Windows? I just played with both versions, and they seem to be identical, which makes it awesome. I've never used my computer for all the pieces before, and I am looking forward to having it all right there. I usually write out my characters and places in a notebook, but I am wanting to use my iPad more, and be able to transfer the information between the two. Any direction would be great, this is my second NaNoWriMo, and I am looking forward to this year being a little more organized.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

venusinchains — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:53:29 -0500

It took me a bit to get my demo working (I just started using a windows xp desktop and it took longer than it should have for me to track down that C++ file thingie), but now I'm all set! I had been using it on a windows 7 laptop, but not for a bit. (I'm not tech savvy - some of the bugs it had 5 or 6 months ago scared me off.) This latest version is lookin' pretty good. :-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lisard — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:34:35 -0500

After going through the tutorial, I've decided it seems awesome and I'll definitely use it this year. One question... in a "Character Sketch" template, where there's a "drag an image file"... how can you make it bigger? I've got a character sketch and it doesn't fit. :( If anyone knows... Much appreciated. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

T L Kay — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:03:15 -0500

What versions of Windows is this program compatible with? I have Windows XP and it installs, but won't open. It says that there is some sort of configuration error.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sacherjj — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 22:07:58 -0500

I'm running it on both Win XP and Win 7.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Joniok — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:23:32 -0500

Love Scrivener. Use it for everything. Thanks so much for developing it. Good job!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

redtarget — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 09:01:01 -0500

I love using Scrivener for NaNo. It is a great organizer for those of use who have a problem keeping everything together. I can not wait for the Windows version to get out of Beta. Using it in combination with DropBox means I can get to my files anywhere I have an internet connection. Thank you so much for creating this program for us to use.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

venusinchains — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 09:49:14 -0500

Go here: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=9141 And follow the link to the microsoft download at the bottom of the post. That's what fixed it for me. (I had the same problem.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

T L Kay — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:46:48 -0500

Thank you. It's working now. Can't wait to try it out.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ReneeDrake — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:22:47 -0500

I use two different computers while writing. Do I need to purchase two licenses?Am I writing my project in the "clouds" to allow me to use both computers interchangeably? Thank you!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Mallorca Writer — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:13:29 -0500

Hi, I am already 2 weeks into the Scrivener for Mac free trial, so I will go ahead and buy now. I have two questions. Is there something different about the special NaNoWriMo 2011 trial version that I won't get if I buy now? Also, can I use Writer or Die with Scrivener? thanks

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:22:35 -0500

An iPad version is something we are actively investigating; stay tuned. However in the meantime you might want to check out chapter 13 of the Mac user manual PDF (Help menu). It outlines a number of techniques you can use to integrate with some great text editors on the iPad. Seamlessly updating the contents of your project over synchronisation services like Dropbox and Simplenote. Most of our authors find these tools address most of what they want for a portable setup. The ability to jot down ideas and notes, and maybe do a little writing/editing here and there. One can also take things to the organisational front with Index Card for the iPad, which also now allows a for a little editing too. It's text editor isn't quite as nice as some of the Dropbox editors out there (lacking niceties like a custom keyboard and such), but the ability to work on a corkboard and write and capture notes are all welcome features. This is all for the Mac, right now, to answer that question. You are correct, the two versions are very close in many ways, and getting closer all of the time---it is the idea for them to one day be 1:1---but synchronisation is one thing the Mac does right now that the Windows version does not. So, if you find yourself doing more conceptual work on the iPad, you might find the Mac version to suit you better. You can still of course interface with the Windows version using an iPad---you just have to be a little more 2004 about it and that can get some people all worked up into a lather. Files and Cables and Paste, oh my!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Chocolatequeen — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:24:33 -0500

It's not much of an exaggeration to say Scrivener influenced my decision to buy a Mac. After going through most of the tutorial and playing some with the NaNo template, I am absolutely in love. I will never use another piece of software again for my writing--why would I need to? As soon as I get the coupon in December, I'm buying a full license. Just one question. In the NaNo template, the directions say to create folders for each chapter, and then subdocuments for scenes if you like. Will it mess up the chapter numbering if I switch that? I have ten big "scenes" and probably 20-30 chapters. The outline is based around those scenes, rather than a chaptering system Okay, you caught me. I haven't finished the outline yet. I'm still wondering about my question though.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bicicletta — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:41:29 -0500

If you bought it, you can install it on up to five computers. This only applies to the Mac version, since the Windows version is still in beta and not yet for sale. Also, there will be no cross-platform licensing.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lady_Legacy — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:15:40 -0500

Thanks for the information, I am very excited, and also noticed the iBook feature, which has me all giddy! I will probably end up getting both versions, just because I like being able to go from my Windows based Laptop, to my iMac, until I get a MacBook, which I do not see in the future since my laptop was a quarter of the cost, but the apple products do make things flow a bit. I had already downloaded the index cards for my iPad and find it very comforting that it was a recommendation. Thank you VERY much! I look forward to utilizing this tool for my current and future novels outside of the NaNoWriMo. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

VioletPepper — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:11:16 -0500

Thank you! I can tell Scrivener is going to rock my world.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:09:07 -0500

Thanks Bee82! I hope that you continue to enjoy using Scrivener as you explore it further. Good luck with NaNoWriMo and any writing adventures you tackle thereafter. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:12:53 -0500

Glad to see that you finally came across Scrivener lisard. Please use Help > Interactive Tutorial and watch a few videos http://www.literatureandlatte.com/video.php to get up to speed in readiness for NaNoWriMo. Please make the most of the extended trial and all the best with achieving 50,000 words. :-) Cheers, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:15:42 -0500

Sounds like you're preparing well cdyard! Hope those fingers are willing and ready come 1st November. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dilally — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:16:11 -0500

I don't know the answer to that one and can't work it out as the Windows beta and Mac version are different. If you don't get an answer here you could try the Scrivener forums. They are incredibly helpful over there.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

keybuk — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:02:13 -0500

I must admit that I hadn't considered the software I'd use for writing my first NaNoWriMo; I'd looked at Storyist for my October "warm-up" project but ended up just using Pages. Scrivener has turned out to be an absolutely find! I really like the focus on allowing you to write scraps and pieces as you think of them, and join them into the novel as you go - and I can see this is going to be a godsend when it comes to the editing process. I can't wait to start now :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:35:08 -0500

Glad that you got up and writing in the end venusinchains! Apologies for the hassle. Pleased to see that you noticed that Scrivener for Windows has evolved fairly substantially over the last 6 months or so. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:00:30 -0500

Hello lisard. Pleased that you have chosen Scrivener as your writing partner this year! If you have an image file for a character, you should be able to go to the Characters folder in the NaNoWriMo trial binder, select image file in the index card area of the inspector (you can toggle between an index card synopsis and image file) and then drop your picture file directly into there. Obviously get back to me if that is not happening for you. Many thanks. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:03:23 -0500

Our pleasure Joniok! Thank *you* for your kind comment, and enjoy. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:10:09 -0500

Hello ReneeDrake. Our licence conditions for Scrivener use are fairly friendly: "Scrivener comes with a generous "household" licence. This allows you to install Scrivener on multiple computers (of the same platform, so a Mac licence will not work on Windows, and vice versa) provided that you are the primary user or owner, and on any machines owned by members of your immediate family residing in your household. Businesses require separate licences for each user." As long as you are adhering to those conditions, you can install Scrivener onto multiple personal machines with a single licence purchase. If you intend sharing a single Scrivener project between two machines, you may want to consider using Dropbox. Follow these common sense guidelines http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11725 and all should be well. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

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Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Andanzas — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:31:50 -0500

Do you plan to add support for Spanish in the Windows version? I only see English dictionaries in the demo.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:16:18 -0500

Did you check in the Auto-Correction tab of the options? There is a place where you can set the dictionary. Just click the `Download...` button that you'll find there. There are about two dozen support languages. Spanish is definitely among them. They aren't all distributed in the download as that would bloat the installer size.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Andanzas — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:21:20 -0500

Thanks so much! Yes, I missed that button. It's downloading right now. Well, I am afraid I am running out of excuses not to buy it. What a great program.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

thepuppetmaster — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:16:07 -0500

I can't wait for the PC version to become available! I really need it for my classes as well!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Ceebsies — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:01:14 -0500

I second this question. I had saved my discount code onto my PC to use when the program finally came up for sale, but alas, I had a hard drive failure and lost my back up. Is there anyway to get a new discount code? (that doesn't involve winning this year? Not to say I don't think I can win, but I am working on a considerably tighter schedule this year than I was last year when I won. :P )

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:28:40 -0500

Is anyone else having trouble with Scrivener? I was all excited, but now, after I've imported things and go into the document to set everything up, break things into scenes, fix punctuation, etc., everything stops and I get a box that says "Scrivener has stopped working and needs to shut down". I'm wondering if I need to just stick with Open Office on Windows 7...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:34:40 -0500

Should I not be using the Nano trial? Could that be the problem?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

westichick — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:13:03 -0500

I bought the full-priced version months ago, and I am incredibly happy with it. It's amazingly easy to use, and helps me structure plots, and move things around. I love the full screen writing version, as I can block out the world while I write. Thanks for writing such a great program!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

egyptianprincess12 — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:58:14 -0500

I have a few questions. I really want to buy Scrivener, but there are just a few things I need to know. First, when you pay the $45 for the program, do you just get it for one computer? I have several computers, like a work one, and then a laptop. They both have Word on them, so that's just what I use for NaNo, because I can just save it on a flashdrive and I can start writing wherever I am. Or do you just have to scrounge around for pennies and collect $90 for both? Second, is the $45 price to download the software count as a lifetime membership? Or do you have to continue paying $45 dollars annually? Thank you!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:50:11 -0500

When you buy a licence it's a 'household deal". You can install it on your computers, any immediate family members living under your roof may also use it on their computers, and you can also install it on one external computer that is primarily yours, like a work machine. The exception to this is the Windows version, once it goes on sale it will use a different serial code. This is because the development for Windows is being done by a different developer and so sharing costs wouldn't be feasible. As for duration: nothing fixed. On the Mac you're buying the 2.x product line which very likely has another few years to it. The original version, 1.x, lasted for around four years. So people that bought it back when it came out only paid once and then a discounted rate to upgrade. 3.x isn't even on the horizon yet though. It is currently just a huge stack of ideas that are being collected---haven't even started sorting them or discussing their merits. So you'll be okay for a while, and when 3.x does come out, there will be discounted upgrade pricing for existing users. Certainly no annual fees!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:57:25 -0500

Just to add a little technical detail to David's reply, you can get the word count of the text in the editor (either a single document or a full Scrivenings session) by checking the editor footer. (You can toggle the footer on and off via View > Layout > Show Footer View). Project > Project Targets will give you counts for your writing per-session (ie. from when you open the project until you close it) and the overall Draft (or "Manuscript" as it might be called in the template you're using). And Project > Project Statistics will give you a count of the Draft based on the current compile settings--so this will be the most accurate as it will reflect whether you're incorporating document titles and will exclude your annotations. -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:17:44 -0500

There's no way at present to adjust the cropping or scaling of the image in the synopsis, although how that's handled by the program is being adjusted slightly, so it should end up scaling the image to display the entire picture when viewing the card in the inspector; that's not in there for the NaNo Trial, though. You should be able to view the image when looking at the document's parent container on the corkboard (so e.g. if you select the Characters folder in the binder and view it in corkboard mode, you should see the different image synopses) and you can resize and change the ratio of the cards by clicking the icon of four rectangles in the right of the editor footer. You can also try cropping your image in an external program before dragging it onto the synopsis in the inspector--the card there uses a 3x5 ratio, so if you apply that to the image and then drag it, you should get a better view. -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:25:08 -0500

Thank you, Chocolatequeen! Enjoy your Mac! :) You can set up the project to whatever suits your needs, you just may need to alter the compile settings to get the proper output when you reach that stage. The template suggests one alternative to the initial set up, using just chapter files without breaking them down into scenes, and walk through the changes you'll want to make to the compile formatting to accomodate that, so you may want to just read through those instructions to help you get an understanding of how things are set up. As far as your set up specifically, how are you thinking of arranging things in the binder? Without having a clear picture of what you're wanting to do there as far as the folders and file hierarchy, I can't really give you more specific directions on what you'll want to do with compile, but if you can detail that for me I'd be happy to help walk you through the changes. Are you thinking of the "scenes" as sort of distinct sequences, with each "scene" containing several chapters? Are there going to be further scene breakdowns inside the chapter? And what kind of output do you want--should the "20-30 chapters" get numbering when you compile (as "Chapter One" and so on)? Should the ten big scenes? -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:31:14 -0500

Hi robini - Did you post over in the L&L Windows Tech Support forum? I think I responded to you over there. This sounds like a bug Lee's in the process of investigating, to do with certain character encoding in the document you're importing, so stripping out the Unicode character that's getting mishandled at the moment will probably fix this. Try resaving the document via Notepad in ANSI encoding and then importing that--I know it's an ugly workaround for the moment as it will lose your rich-text formatting, but if that works to stop the crashing it would help isolate the bug, and obviously not crashing would be a boon for you. If you have access to Word, you could also try resaving the file there and then importing--there have been a couple OpenOffice-specific problems, so this might be something more along those lines. Very sorry in any case that you're having this trouble, but hopefully we can get it sorted in time for NaNoWriMo! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Chocolatequeen — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:27:57 -0500

Great! I knew it had to be possible to adjust it. I start my outline with ten big scenes. These are the scenes I'd describe when telling someone about a book. "And then this happened..." They're the high points, the major events the plot rests on. From there, I expand into chapters. Sometimes a scene will cover multiple chapters, and sometimes I go a few chapters before I hit one of those big scenes. Chapters have... beats? I've seen that word used, and I think it's the right meaning for me. A chapter should have a bit of structure, a complete plot of its own. I don't think I would usually need to break the binder down farther than chapters though, unless it was a very long chapter. So, my binder will something like this: Scene 1 -chapter 1 -chapter 2 -chapter 3 Scene 2 -chapter 1 -chapter 2 Scene 3 And so on. I would like the chapters to end up numbered correctly when I compile.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:28:43 -0500

Fgodmom and Ceebsies - Chris Baty has kindly offered to have an OLL intern look up the codes for last year's winners who didn't get them off the goodies page, so if you can send us an email at support@literatureandlatte.com with the subject "NaNoWriMo 2010 Winner Coupon" or similar, we'll add you to the next batch of names we're sending OLL. Please be sure to include your NaNoWriMo user name in the email. Once we've got the names (probably in a couple weeks) we'll email you your coupon codes. Thanks! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:30:47 -0500

Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy the software, and best wishes for hitting 50K (and maybe even "The End")! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:35:52 -0500

We had some server troubles early in the weekend, but everything's up and running again, so if you haven't already you should be able to head over to http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php to download the trial. -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:43:20 -0500

Errant Crow, PogiNate, zeebell377, redtarget, thepuppetmaster - Thank you all for the kind words! It's great to hear Scrivener is helping out with your various types of writing beyond NaNoWriMo. Mallorca Writer - All that's different with the trial is that it includes a NaNoWriMo template, and you can download that separately from the trial offer page http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php if you want. It's also a separate trial period from the standard one, lasting until Dec 7th rather than the usual 30 days, so for people just checking out the software it will allow daily use of the program all through November (plus this week beforehand and a week after). As for using Write or Die, there's no integration between the programs, but you can certainly type in Write or Die and then copy your text over into Scrivener. Best of luck to everyone for reaching 50K next month! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:16:13 -0500

Blackswan--I tried uploading it from Word and the punctuation all came through, though Scrivener still crashed. So I tried it with Works and with Notepad and neither of those seemed to produce anything. Notepad gave me a blank document and Works just pretended it was uploading, but I saw no evidence of it. By the by, it's 68 pages, so even if I did get it in without the formatting, it would suck--so if there are any suggestions to get it in without losing formatting, it would be much preferred! Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:48:00 -0500

Thank you for supporting Scrivener westichick! This makes all the difference and allows us to continue coding and supporting users. Good luck with your writing. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:55:28 -0500

Thanks keybuk! Hope that you continue to enjoy using Scrivener. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:56:34 -0500

Good luck with your writing VioletPepper! :-) Cheers, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:30:11 -0500

Ok, I'm just a beginner when it comes to Scrivener but I think that you should create a new project using the "Novel with parts" template just to see how it looks. Then, if it's what you're looking for, you could use a "NaNoWriMo project" and modify it to create the "Parts" folders and rename them as "Scenes". Then rename the "Scenes" (Scrivener scenes) as "Beats" if you like. This way, you could have your scenes (parts), your chapters within them and the scenes (beats as you call them) within the chapters. What do you think?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jedi_Shepp — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:37:00 -0500

I normally use pen and paper and notepad files (since they can be opened and worked on more or less wherever I am, and I'm not a "cloud" kind of person), I'll give this program a shot for this NaNo. Though that means I'll be rooted to my desktop at home to use it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jedi_Shepp — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:41:12 -0500

I haven't yet started to use the program, but is there the possibility to manually copy and paste sections into Scrivener? Its crude but might work if all else fails.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:09:41 -0500

robini - Try saving a copy in Word to RTF and then importing that--another user reported success via that method, so it's worth a shot! We're still working on this, so I'll get back to you if I come up with another assured workaround while we're awaiting a bugfix. -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Mare9548 — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:29:09 -0500

I've been using it since a couple of days back, ans I LOVE it! Makes my writing so much easier... The thing I like the most is the Name Generator!! OMG!! that is the solution to one of my greatest problems, find the right name for a character. For sure after the trial period is over I'll buy it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:01:21 -0500

I've tried the manual copy and paste thing, too... That was my first instinct, since I think I need to do that to get it into scenes once the whole document is in Scrivener, but, alas... it did not help. I saved the Open Office version as RTF. (My copy of Word has been unkind to me, which is why I switched to Open Office.) It seems to have worked. I guess the formatting won't be such an issue because I I still have to break the whole thing up into scenes anyway and reread to re-immerse myself... Thanks. It's not shutting down anymore!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

venusinchains — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:25:36 -0500

No need to apologize. The hassle was all my own doing. I'd been having trouble with a lot of programs thanks to a bad re-write of the OS. So I wasted a few hours googling 'xp and compatibility problems' before going to the Scrivener Forum - where the solution was just waiting for me. Thank you for making it so easy to find (when I finally turned to look)! -the ever tech-blind venusinchains ;-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:08:00 -0500

I stand corrected. It crashed again. Bummer. I could really use that notecard thing...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

amandaglows — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:22:07 -0500

This hasn't worked for my Mac. I've downloaded it and everything, but when I double click, nothing happens. DO you need a certain version of Mac OS?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DanielleM — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:53:15 -0500

I'm sorry if this question has already been asked but this thread is so long and I don't see a search function! My question is: What is the best way to easily sync projects between Scrivener for Mac and Scrivener for Windows beta? I have both a Mac Laptop (at home) and a Windows Laptop (at work), both with Scrivener trials loaded on to them, and I want to make sure I am able to switch back and forth between them with ease without losing any work. Can the gurus at Literature and Latte help me out here and let me know how to do this? Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:56:12 -0500

Bother, sorry that didn't work. Would it be possible for you to send the original .doc file to support@lteratureandlatte.com so Lee (the developer) can try to debug this with the example file? All contents will be kept confidential, of course, and the file will be deleted once Lee's had a chance to see what's going on. Thanks! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Ceebsies — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:15:34 -0500

Thank you so much, Blackswan. I've fired off an email to that address with my info. If they're able to find my code, I'll use it the moment they send it to me. I've been looking forward to buying Scrivener for windows since I started using it last year in beta.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

GenetheGenie — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:09:13 -0500

It's SO PRETTY. Fullscreen mode is beautiful, all empty except for what you're writing. ^___^

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jedi_Shepp — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:06:07 -0500

One thing to look out for might be certain character sets in the document itself, and certain character sets in the formatting or header of the document. I remember when I had to do some backups for a government office that if any file contained ascii characters &( in sequence in the file name it ended the backup and disregarded everything else after it on the drive. Didn't matter the file type, or where it was on the drive, that's just a character sequence the program recognized as a command instead of data. I think this might be something similar. Something in there being interpreted as a command instead of data. Well, that's why things are tested in Beta, which this program still is. And feedback like this help to make the product better for everyone else. I've noticed before that many files started in Word tend to break other word processor programs, which is why I stopped using it. Other information that would be important is the processor, ram, operating system, version of Word, version of Works, custom fonts (if any, but not likely). And any weird bulleting or numbering in the document. Glad to hear the program's developer wants to work first hand to fix this. Not many companies will do that for their products unless its on a grand scale.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

icydove — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:43:35 -0500

[quote=ambersense] When you buy a licence it's a 'household deal". You can install it on your computers, any immediate family members living under your roof may also use it on their computers, and you can also install it on one external computer that is primarily yours, like a work machine. The exception to this is the Windows version, once it goes on sale it will use a different serial code. This is because the development for Windows is being done by a different developer and so sharing costs wouldn't be feasible. [/quote] Are you saying that the Windows version is only installable on a single computer?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Gray Nomad — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:46:50 -0500

I am dyslectic and have owned the program now for over a month and been unable to understand how to use it despite buying two how to books. It is too complicated for me. OK I have a uni level science degree, majored with honors...threw that in because I wanted to say...it is dyslexia not brain damage, I do have a high IQ. I can understand most how to manuals...just not that of my mobile phone. lol..I have t confess my smart phone IS smarter than me, lol, and I have after trying this evening..walked away from Scrivener and wish someone had explaind to me that it would be hard for a dyslectic to learn it before I bought it and those books. I downloaded the video.... OK I do actually forget I am hearing impaired as I can hear most things...just not the softly spoke, rushed speech of the person on the video. No I am not complaining about the program...just explaining that the hearing and visually impaired may have some extreme problems in trying to use this program. After a month of owning it..I give up. Back to word and will try out a few others and please everyone else here is so happy with it. believe me..I wish I had one of you here to show me how but there are few novelists around in my area to teach me the basics of Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 07:54:19 -0500

Hi, I saw in your bio that you are 64, like me and, like me, you had problems with Scrivener. Now, I'm not dyslexic or hearing-impaired but I'm French and English is a foreign language for me so we have something in common, don't you think? I've got a PC and I downloaded the Windows Beta versions of Scrivener 3 or 4 times because I was unable to understand how this program works. I read the manual and the tutorial, looked at the videos and still I couldn't understand. Scrivener was not for me and that was it. Sounds familiar? But how come now I'm so in love with Scrivener? Because of NaNoWriMo. You can't write a single line of your novel before November 1st but you can write an outline or the backstory or as many notes about your characters as you wish. That's when I discovered that Scrivener was perfect for this: all these index cards in the Inspector (you can view them on the Corkboard, too). They were "tied" to the chapters or the scenes but not parts of the text itself! Plus the Notes where you can jot down some comments. After that, as they say, the rest is history. I know that I will buy Scrivener at the end of NaNoWriMo. I just hope I'll win NaNo!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Windows

Storeetllr — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:02:22 -0500

I just downloaded the beta version of Scrivener for Windows and started using it yesterday to plot the story and save some research. Already I love it love it love it! It's exactly what I've been wishing for over the years. I will be buying it even if I don't win NaNo this year (bite my tongue) to finish editing two prior NaNo first drafts (which I could not face doing before as getting them organized so they could be worked on was such a daunting task). Thank you thank you thank you Latte & Literature for finally making a version for Windows and NaNoWriMo for introducing it to me!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Badrat — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:04:57 -0500

I've used the Scrivener beta for Windows all this year, and mostly just copy and paste, as I had a lot of writing hanging around in Word files. The thing with Scrivener is not to get hung up on what it looks like, i.e. formatting. It can all be smoothed out later. But cut and paste definitely worked for me on Windows Vista.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Njordgal — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:34:36 -0500

Gray Nomad, did you go through the tutorial included in the demo? I found it very helpful, and it's completely self paced so you can go over a section a few times if you need to. (Not dyslexic, but dyscalculic, so I have some idea what you're going through :) )

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ProphetNoir — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:38:06 -0500

After living with (and loving) the Scrivener for Windows Beta for about three weeks, I decided to "upgrade" to the NaNo version and I was immediately set back by the special features which are supposedly just for this version. I can see how they are supposed to help, but some of the simplicity of the standard Beta has been lost to me. Given a bit more time with it, I am certain that I will once more be loving Scrivener. For the moment though, I almost feel like I am back at square one, and NaNo begins on Monday. I still will want to purchase it after I win though. It's that good, and I will need it to write the rest of my novel and then to edit it all.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Andanzas — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:53:06 -0500

[quote=DanielleM] I'm sorry if this question has already been asked but this thread is so long and I don't see a search function! My question is: What is the best way to easily sync projects between Scrivener for Mac and Scrivener for Windows beta? I have both a Mac Laptop (at home) and a Windows Laptop (at work), both with Scrivener trials loaded on to them, and I want to make sure I am able to switch back and forth between them with ease without losing any work. Can the gurus at Literature and Latte help me out here and let me know how to do this? Thanks! [/quote] From what I've read on the Lit&Latte forums, SugarSync seems to be the preferred method to sync Scrivener projects, as you can sync whole folders with it. Dropbox could work too, but only if you remember to copy your project to the Dropbox folder after you are done working with it. If you edit your Scrivener project inside Dropbox, you might find a problem of corrupted files (if I understood correctly). I am not an expert, but I hope this helps. Please somebody correct me if I am wrong.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:58:19 -0500

Hi ProphetNoir - I'm not quite sure what you mean. The NaNo trial is identical to the regular version in every way except that (1) it lasts until 7th December and (2) it has a special NaNoWriMo project template available. You don't have to use that, though. There are no special features that have been added for the NaNoWriMo version at all - what problems are you having? Gary Nomad - everyone is different and Scrivener certainly won't suit anybody. I disagree that it is complicated, though. Also, the Mac version has supports OS X's accessibility features for the visually impaired (we have a number of blind users). We also have lots of dyslexic users (and even a number of ADHD users who are very enthusiastic about how it allows them to jump around in the narrative). So, although I disagree that it is complicated (any more than MS Word is when you first learn it, or a typewriter, or driving a car), I totally understand that it's not for everybody, so thanks for trying anyway. DanielleM - the best way is probably just to save the project in Dropbox (www.dropbox.com). Just make sure Dropbox is fully synced and that the project isn't open on your other computer before you open and edit it elsewhere. amandaglows - Scrivener will work on any Mac so long as it is running Tiger (10.4) or above (right up to the latest OS, Lion 10.5). What exact problems are you having? Has the .dmg file downloaded for you? Thanks to everyone for trying out Scrivener - I hope the planning is going well; only five days left! All the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:39:19 -0500

icydove - No no, the Windows license is the same as the Mac's, you can install on multiple computers. What you can't do is install cross-platform with one license. One Mac license will cover multiple Macs, and one Windows license will cover multiple Windows PCs. Hope that makes sense! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Yakumae — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:19:21 -0500

Okay, I have a question for those who have more Scrivener knowledge than myself. I want to use Scrivener (the Nano trial) on my computer AND my laptop this year. I have a Dropbox account. How do I save my work between sessions that can be loaded on either machine? Is this even possible? If this can be done and you know how, could you tell me in a step by step way... since I'm not very tech savvy.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:30:29 -0500

I'll try to get it to him tonight. Is it okay if it is the Open Office version?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lenaf007 — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:04:40 -0500

I first started using the beta for Scrivener for Windows earlier this year and used it exclusively for Camp NaNo in July. It's helped me out immensely. Outlining has become so much easier, and since I'm tackling a more complex novel this time around, I'm looking forward to the official version being released soon too! I've never had the software crash on me, even though I think I've pushed its limits quite a bit over the past 4 or 5 projects I've used with it. Exporting it into RTF format is taking some time to get used to, and I still don't have the method down quite right yet, but I'm learning. The stuff you can do with this package is amazing. And it keeps me sooo much more organized than I was fumbling through Word docs. By the way, Dropbox + Scrivener makes my life much easier. Not only do I get to keep backups on my three computers, but I also get to work on my writing over lunch at work. Without having to keep my flash drive handy. I'm curious about how the licensing will work for Scrivener for Windows once it comes out too...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lenaf007 — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:12:09 -0500

Save yourself the trouble of doing this manually and look into SynchToy (http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=15155). It's a free Windows tool that I use to synchronize between my Dropbox folders and My Documents on my three computers. It's a handy backup tool too. Dropbox puts its folders into My Documents, and I usually keep my Scirvener folders under My Docs as well. I run SynchToy before and after my writing to make sure I get the latest stuff from the server, and then afterwards push the latest stuff to the server. Since I never know what machine I'll be using next, it's a nice way to keep everything together. Each machine will need Dropbox, Scrivener, and SynchToy installed -- but after you set it all up, you'll appreciate it. When SynchToy runs it puts anything it deletes into your Recycle Bin, so you can always go recover stuff if something gets written over. Let me know if you run into any problems. I've been using these three pieces of software for nearly a year now. Love it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Yakumae — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:46:29 -0500

Thanks. I think I set it up right. I synced a newly created folder in Dropbox (called My Writing) with the folder in My Documents that has all my writing in it. Now I just need to download SychToy on the laptop and do the same thing there. It wasn't too complicated, and this will let me get away from the desktop while writing this year. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Gray Nomad — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:32:03 -0500

Thank you cdyard, Njordai & kayembi for addressing my problems in understanding Scrivener. Hope I didn't miss anyone. Several people have mentioned a tutorial that came with it..I'm not sure where this is, I will search. I've been reading the books I bought with it and they are on my Kindle and as clear as mud to me. It is almost like I was using it easier before I tried to read the how to. lol, that is how I learn most things including Word...just by doing it. From what I read other people saying about Scrivener, it should be something I love. I even wondered if I have it downloaded properly as it seems a lot harder to understand how to use this new one I have on my new iMac computer running Lion that the Beta version I had a brief try of on my Windows PC last year. OK, I will give it one more attempt. I know the ability to weave scenes in a novel around would be a huge help as I do this in Word and it isn't made for that action the way Scrivener and some of the other writing software I also plan to try, are. I hope I can get one of them set up before Nov 1. That can be my project today :-).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:32:43 -0500

Hi Gray (sorry, called you "Gary" before - I blame the champagne, as I'm away on holiday for a couple of days right now). I wouldn't say that Scrivener is something you *should* love - I'm very happy that so many users do love it as it's amazingly gratifying that so many other people's brains work the way mine does, but the thing you have to bear in mind about Scrivener and all the other pieces of writing software is that they have been written around the way the programmer works, so not all of them will fit your own "mindscape". I hasten to add that I didn't start from a programmer's point of view - I wasn't a programmer at all before I designed and built Scrivener. Rather, I was a primary school teacher and wannabe novelist; I taught myself to program just to build Scrivener for my own work. As for the tutorial, you can find it by going to the Help menu and choosing "Interactive Tutorial". If you have any questions, please feel free to fire them to us at support@literatureandlatte.com. Thanks all! All the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ginsing — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:20:30 -0500

I'm using the Scrivener NaNo trial, and loving it except for one thing... it keeps crashing! What I'm trying to do at the moment is go through old stuff and give it scene synopses and keywords. The problem seems to come after I make minor edits to text that I have copy-pasted previously. I will make an edit, the asterisk appears at the top, then it autosaves. All that seems to happen fine. But about 30 seconds later, Scrivener just crashes on me. Not sure why this is happening, I have restarted my computer once or twice since installing the demo, it doesn't seem to have helped at all. Is this happening to anyone else? Anyone got ideas how to fix it?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ProphetNoir — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:21:42 -0500

Hi Keith, Sorry if I made it seem as if I was having a problem with the NaNo version. I should have been a little clearer in my comments. It still appears slightly different from the Trial version. Maybe it is the NaNo splash screen and Template that are throwing me off. At any rate I pretty much type for a bit and then use the Plus button to save that scene and begin a new one. That part is working for me just as it always has. I just need to spend more time puttering around with it to see how many features I can use intuitively. Thanks for your response. Regards, Benton

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:22:58 -0500

Thanks for giving Scrivener a go Jedi_Shepp! Also appreciate your comments above. Good luck. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:25:27 -0500

Thank you Mare9548 for your enthusiasm and immediate reaction to adopting Scrivener! You should never be lost for a character name again. :-) Appreciate your intended support of the application. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:33:43 -0500

Hello amandaglows. Any Mac OS X version from 10.4 (Tiger) onwards will be fine. You can find a fairly dated Scrivener installation video tutorial here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9LeoKA3iDo. There is even a section within this promotional video that covers installing the latest version of Scrivener onto a Mac http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DthBJhBrYs. As long as you download the Scrivener.dmg, transfer it correctly to your Applications folder, and eject the disk image, you should be fine. I hope that helps. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:46:48 -0500

Hello DanielleM. I can see that you've already received great advice from Andanzas! The Dropbox route it probably a good way to go in order to sync a single Scrivener project between a Mac and Windows machine. You will need to follow these fairly common sense guidelines in order to ensure that you do not have an issue http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11725. Never a bad idea to backup your Scrivener project elsewhere too. :-) Good luck with NaNoWriMo! All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:03:26 -0500

Hello Gray Nomad. Not really too sure how to reply to your post. We do have plenty of dyslectic, hearing impaired and sight impaired users of Scrivener that have written to us enthusing about how happy they are that they found Scrivener, so I don't think any condition can be attributed to how you are personally getting on with Scrivener. Obviously sorry to hear that you're not having the best of times with the application at the moment, but please take a step back and follow Njordgal's advice. Work through Help > Interactive Tutorial at your own pace. We wrote that in-application project guide to ensure that everyone could get a thorough overview of the application, and hopefully develop a good understanding of the workflows that were available with the application. Not so good for NaNoWriMo this year, but it might even be worthwhile taking a good step back and letting things settle for a while. I have also received numerous emails from trial users who initially disliked Scrivener when they tried it a year or so ago, but are now thrilled that they "gave it another go". I do hope that Scrivener ultimately gels for you, and you manage to derive plenty of joy and utility from the application. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Windows

davidmj — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:06:39 -0500

Thank *you* Storeetllr! Wishing you a fantastic NaNoWriMo this year, and hope that the first draft editing goes well. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:16:41 -0500

Looks like I should read the whole forum thread before replying to anyone, eh Keith! Still, it looks as though our advice and thanks have been consistent. :-) Cheers, David

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:23:51 -0500

Hello lenaf007. Thanks for your synchronisation guidance earlier, and for your kind comments. Not too long now until Scrivener for Windows 1.0 is released! :-) Our licence conditions for this version of Scrivener will be the same as our fairly friendly conditions for Scrivener on the Mac: "Scrivener comes with a generous "household" licence. This allows you to install Scrivener on multiple computers (of the same platform, so a Mac licence will not work on Windows, and vice versa) provided that you are the primary user or owner, and on any machines owned by members of your immediate family residing in your household. Businesses require separate licences for each user." Thank you for supporting Scrivener. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:36:35 -0500

Champagne indeed... I remember when he was happy with the cheapest pint of lager and a bag of crisps! :-) Have fun on "holiday" with Mrs Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:45:11 -0500

Hello ginsing. Unfortunately, I'm not too sure why that is happening either. Are you using Scrivener on a Mac or Windows? Either way, could you please compress or zip your project and send it to supportATliteratureandlatte.com with an explanation of the issue. Many thanks. Glad that you're enjoying the NaNoWriMo trial regardless of the rather annoying circumstances! All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:00:36 -0500

All righty. As cdyard suggests, the idea of the "Novel (with Parts)" set up may be what you want, so take a look at that template. You can save the compile preset from there for use in another project, so you don't need to transfer your work; I'm just suggesting creating a project from the template to see how it's set up for a model and then stealing the compile preset if it's to your liking. It sounds like you're arranging things a bit how I have one work set up right now, if I understand correctly: I group things for myself by "event" or "sequence", which is what I think you're calling "scene"--essentially, "this big plot point which may take any number of scenes/chapters to relate, but they're all focused on this one major issue". It's not a division that will be seen by the reader, but it's how I organize story and is a higher level than the breakdown into the individual chapters/scenes/beats that will make it up. If that's the case, then what you'd want to do is, for instance, follow the "Novel (with Parts)" set up using the "Parts" folders as your scenes, with the chapters (and any smaller sections) going inside them as appropriate. With the normal set up of this template, the Parts chapters would compile with the title "Part One: Title of the Part" but by simply deselecting the "include in compile" checkbox for these folders, you can keep them out of your final draft and skip that titling, meaning that all your compiled draft will contain are the appropriately numbered and titled Chapter folders (inside the part folders). Even if you ditch the folders for chapters and just use single documents at that level instead (each Chapter being a single document rather than a folder of multiple "beat" documents), the preset will compile it correctly. Beyond that, a few tweaks in the "Formatting" pane of Compile should get you going, e.g. you might end up using document stacks (single documents that have subdocuments as well) as the chapter level, in which case you'll want to set them up to include titles and a prefix. This is pretty easy to do by just selecting a row (like the level 2 folder row) that's already set up for this and using Cmd-C to copy the settings and then selecting the row you want to change and using Cmd-V to paste. If your "Scenes" are more than just organizational levels the way I'm thinking about them and are actual documents to compile themselves or require some kind of title and prefix in the end document, this probably will still work for you--just change the "Part" prefix as necessary by clicking the "Level Settings..." button in compile's "Formatting" pane for that top row of folders in the "Novel (with Parts)" setting. To save the compile settings, click the "Format As" pop-up button and then choose "Manage..." from the bottom of the list. In the panel that appears, click the "+" button in the lower right to create a new preset using the current compile settings. It will be created and automatically selected, so when you click "OK" you'll see it in the available list of "Format As" options and be able to access it from other projects. If you make further changes and want to update the saved preset, choose "Manage..." again and select the preset from the list, then click "Update". Aaand if I completely misunderstood what you're after, I can try again. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:09:52 -0500

Hi ginsing - So sorry you're having a rough time! If you're using the Windows trial, my guess is you're running into a bug Lee is busily fixing that has to do with the handling of certain characters on import or copy/paste. We should have an update out soon that corrects the problem, and I'll post here with a link as soon as that's available. In the meantime, if you like, you could try pasting the text into Notepad first and saving it there with the default ANSI encoding and then taking that saved version and importing or copying it into Scrivener. The difficulty is of course this will strip your formatting (italics, bold, the works) so it may be more trouble than it's worth. If you can hang in there until the update and then test on that, fingers crossed that it will resolve all the crashes you're experiencing! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:13:17 -0500

Meant to add, if the program you're copying from is using smart quotes/apostrophes, the ellipsis character (rather than three periods) and the em-dash character, try replacing these with straight quotes, periods, and a double hyphen, then saving to RTF and importing or copying that. It will retain formatting but may successfully clean up the characters that are posing a problem currently.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

adrimarie — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:39:04 -0500

I've been wanting this software since I started NaNoWriMo 4 years ago, but I lack a Mac, so no way I'm able to use it. :(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

samanthagard1 — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 07:53:21 -0500

I think it is the best piece of novel writing / screen writing software currently out there. I've got moviemagic as I used to write scripts but this is fantastic. As a dyslexic I struggle often to have a way of structuring my novel but this has really assisted me with the draft process. It has so impressed me that I've been mentioned this to my dyslexic consultant who is helping students who have dyslexia. So don't be surprized if you get lots of orders suddenly.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lenaf007 — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:27:16 -0500

The Windows Beta works great for me. I've been using it for the past year or so without problems.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lenaf007 — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:28:58 -0500

Thanks David - that's great to hear. I saw the household licenses for the Mac version, but I'm glad to see it'll also be that way for Windows. I appreciate the work you guys do! Lena

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:52:46 -0500

Yes, the original OpenOffice version is exactly the one we want. Good news is that Lee has been working hard to fix this (it is a character problem, but he was able at last to find and work around the specific issues) so we should have a new build up in the next day or so to address this issue and you'll be able to download and run that for NaNoWriMo. If you can send the file, I'll run some tests with it to make sure it's importing correctly and not producing crashes, but things are looking good with the other sample files we have with this. Thanks for your patience! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:11:01 -0500

Definitely read that thread David posted for *any* synchronisation technology. The problem of generating conflicts---files that have changed in two different locations and can no longer be decided upon by a machine---is universal to the very concept of synchronisation itself. So anything that promises to keep multiple computers concurrent with some form of Internet transfer and/or remote storage can and will generate conflicts if you use it haphazardly. SugarSync, Dropbox, all the same level of risk---which is to be quite clear about it, very low if you follow the rules to the letter, and the rules are mostly common sense. Don't leave the project open on Computer A and proceed to try and edit it with Computer B. When you shut down for the night, let the whole project finish syncing before you close off so that if you wake up and find yourself on the other computer, you don't have pending uploads on the switched off machine that will conflict the moment you turn it on. Basic stuff like that.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:09:55 -0500

As lenaf007 advised, there's no specific need for a Mac these days adrimarie! Please see our main promotional link for NaNoWriMo 2011 and the Scrivener downloads that are available from there http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:14:21 -0500

Thank you samanthagard1 for both your kind comment and for recommending Scrivener! There is no better marketing than the personal touch and enthusiasm for an application. Much appreciated. :-) Glad that you are finding Scrivener so useful whilst drafting. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Zulmara — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:08:50 -0500

Bummer...I missed my coupon code as well, but it seems like the new codes will be here around the time that NaNo is done and I have the 2011 code...so I will just wait til December, I have used the Beta versions and they are all pretty good...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragle — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:02:31 -0500

Can we also get a Linux beta that doesn't expire until Dec. 7 (or at least after Nov.30th)? I don't want to risk using the existing one that expires Nov. 7th because I'm too worried that there won't be a new one in time and I'll lose the work done to that point--you can't even view your work, once it expires. But if I knew it wouldn't expire in the middle of Nano I'd try it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

harry loofah — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:12:35 -0500

I'm trying to set up a couple computers at my school (I teach English) with the Mac version of Scrivener--is there an education program? Started up my next novel project using Scrivener this morning--didn't type anything, I promise. Just the new novel's title. Can't wait to get started. Thanks--I love using Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ginsing — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:21:25 -0500

Ah, that helped - thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:23:04 -0500

Lee's working on getting out a Linux build this weekend with a Dec 7th expiration date. One of our fantastic Linux users handles putting out the deb package, so although I post an update in this thread, you may want to keep an eye on the Scrivener on Linux forum as well. -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragle — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:04:39 -0500

That's great! I'll be looking for it. Thanks!!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

martdog9 — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:17:14 -0500

Looks like a great piece of software. I've struck a problem though. Using Snapshot causes Scrivener to crash on my laptop. This happened first in the tutorial but also occurs on my own project. I'm using the Nanowrimo windows version on Vista.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:14:40 -0500

Hello harry loofah. There is a discounted education licence for Scrivener available from our web-store getscrivener.com. In accordance with our licence conditions, each individual machine in a school will require a licence, but there are also discounts available for volume purchases (6 or more) from our web-store. I hope that writing your new novel goes well. Good luck! All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

littlelummox — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:07:47 -0500

Honestly, this coupon is so much motivation for me to finish my nano on time. Thank you!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Daniel O Casey — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:43:41 -0500

that's the best news I've heard this month!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TarinCrewk — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 12:51:26 -0500

I adore this software. I used to keep folders of all my research and ideas on my desktop with tons of Word documents. Now everything is in one spot easily accessible. I even started using it for my freelance journalism work, even with that it makes a world of difference.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

xucaen — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:24:16 -0500

I've been playing around with Scrivener for Windows for about 20 minutes. I am sold! I'll be getting at least two licenses. Thanks!!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sacherjj — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 22:07:22 -0500

I use BeyondCompare and SmartSync for syncing. But these are more than you need and SyncToy will get the job done. I need better tools for complex source code trees. One thing to keep in mind is that you will want to make sure you sync deletes or keep everything in the Scrivener Trash. Otherwise, you will have a project with orphaned RTF documents in the Scrivener folders. I currently sync my files to an SD card. I also run Scrivener from the SD card, by just copying the program directory. This allows me write on my lunch hour with my work machine.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Slytherisa — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 01:53:15 -0500

CRYING. Okay so I downloaded the scrivener (for windows) trial to both my laptop and PC so I can work on my NaNo on both, at home and while commuting. Things have been going fine so far until I started setting up my project with notes and things. I move my files between computers via flash drive, and replace the old files with the current, updated ones. Only when I try to replace the older scrivener file with the new one, it seems like the replacement goes backwards--the old one replaces the new one! I've lost everything I worked on this weekend right now, and have to start over with my notes... this kind of kills me. Also I had a crash when I did a find and replace, after hitting "replace all". It worked fine the second time though.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Slytherisa — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 01:58:41 -0500

Can't edit, sorry, but I'm going through the individual docs under my project file and I found my notes pages... but they're no longer in the program itself? Like when I open scrivener, or the project file, none of the documents I've recently added are there anymore.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

laverdiere — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 07:25:53 -0500

At the end of Nanowrimo when we download the "real" wndows version of scrivener will the projects created with the Nanowrimo version be deleted? I know the text can be exported but I don't want to lose the outline and research notes. Thanks, Laverdiere

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

xucaen — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 10:55:38 -0500

I have a quick question. I installed the Nanowrimo version of Scrivener, which appears to be v045. When I go to Help > Check for updates, it lets me install v049 but the notes says v049 will expire on the 7th November 2011. Does that mean if we intend to use Scrivener for the Nanowrimo project that we can't use it after Nov 7th?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragle — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:27:02 -0500

As of 2:30 Sunday afternoon I don't see a Linux version on the page where you get the Nano trial. What is the status--is it out there and I just need the correct link, or has it not been set up yet? Oh, and even if the .deb package isn't done yet, that's OK as I can install it manually.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

annapalooza — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:51:04 -0500

I'm having some trouble crashing with the nano beta. I had used the previous beta without any unusual number of crashes (compared to say, word). But I've opened up the new one and am trying to write in the scrivener window, and every now and then, as I'm typing, it's just telling me that it's stopped working. I'm trying to pay attention to what seems to be setting it off, and I think it's happening when it's trying to save, or when I'm right-clicking to spell check. I'm not really sure, but I thought I might let someone know. I don't know if I've inadvertently changed something to make it all wonky or what. I really love the program though!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

accident prone — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:18:31 -0500

I love this. I used to have a PC with PageFour on it, but then my PC died (RIP, computer....) and I ended up getting a Mac instead. I grumbled about it, but downloaded Scrivener as a pseudo-replacement. And I love it. It actually does what I need better than PageFour did, so yay! I love it! Thankyouthankyouthankyou. (Also like it much more than Word.....it's easier to use and customize. :) )

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Emily Logan — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:54:05 -0500

what kind of video software do you need to view the tutorials?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

jcgr — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:24:33 -0500

I bought Scrivener with the discount after last year's NaNoWriMo. I love it!!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:59:11 -0500

laverdiere: As with most programs, Scrivener works with files on your computer, it doesn't store your work in some hidden location, and your operating system will not delete files that it think might be associated with the program if you upgrade, re-install, or even fully un-install a program.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:01:30 -0500

Sorry to hear you've been having troubles. You might try downloading and re-installing, as we've uploaded a new NaNo build that includes some bug fixes that slipped into the first one. If that doesn't clear it up, please contact us at support [at] literatureandlatte [dot] com.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:02:59 -0500

Actually, just Scrivener! The tutorial is a project file, just like the one you'd be using to write your novel should you choose to use the software. So as you work through the exercises you'll be learning how to use the actual interface. Unless you mean the video files that are available on the website? Those are just QuickTime .mov files, if you can't find a video player that plays them, try searching for us on YouTube, we have most of them posted there as well.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:04:27 -0500

Er, maybe if I'd seen the word "video" I wouldn't have been so confused. :) Yes, try QuickTime. Sorry for the Mac format, those tutorials are all for the Mac right now so the best video formats for Windows have not been considered for them. Once we catch our breath, we'll have video tutorials for the Windows version as well and they'll be in a codec that can play in Windows Media Player without any installations.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:06:38 -0500

When you copied the newer "my novel.scriv" folder into the location where the old one existed, did you wipe out the old version first? If you just drag an old version of a folder on top of a new one, Windows will attempt to merge the two together---and that's not going to be a very safe thing to do. You should remove the old version first before moving the newer version back to your current working computer.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:21:53 -0500

Very apropos user avatar! I do believe this is a known issue on some machines, Vista in particular seems to have difficulties playing the .wav file that triggers when you take a snapshot (camera shutter noise). To my knowledge this should be fixed in post b35 builds. Have you updated recently?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

vjalander — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:50:37 -0500

i have the Beta Version for Windows... i was hoping to use the iPad to write as well. My files are stored in Dropbox. My question is... where in the scrivener file is the actual text file of my writing? Does that make sense?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

olorinpc — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:39:17 -0500

I think there might be a release version with the nano trial coming soon. There have been some bug fixes obviously between the v045 nano trial and the regular beta of v049, though personally none of them I can see impacting a nano project where you are just trying to get text on the screen. Best advise at the moment is that if you don't intend to purchase Scrivener until after Nano 2011 stick with the beta you have now. If you aren't worried and plan to purchase as soon as it becomes available, then go ahead and upgrade now. (If you want to use the 50% off coupon for winning nano, need to win first ;) )

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

olorinpc — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:41:22 -0500

My understanding is that you cannot combine discounts. (This is how the mac version worked anyways.) So you get to pick, 20% off or 50% off.... personally I would pick the 50% off :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

olorinpc — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:44:10 -0500

Beau - also come on over to the Scrivener forums sometime! Great community and the L&L staff respond and chime in on posts quite frequently :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

laverdiere — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:45:07 -0500

Thank you. Two more question--is there a way to show more than 5 projects in the Recent Project menu? I thought I saw an option somewhere but now can't find it and the manual didn't say. Second question: in the windows version can we upload a picture for the full view like in the Mac version. Thanks for your time to answer my questions!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

olorinpc — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:54:09 -0500

Safest way is to export to an rtf, edit on the other device (ie ipad) and then reimport or copy/paste back into your project file. The individual project files are stored within the project.scriv folder, but it is not recommended to touch them at all. All sorts of problems can crop up if you try to directly edit those files.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

samanthagard1 — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:54:17 -0500

I'm dyslexic too but I do not have a problem with Scrivener, and in fact I have found it helps me out with my writing and is so easy to use.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bramblepath — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:08:38 -0500

Third sentence in, and I realise I need to italicise but can't. I'm using the font Bradley Hand ITC; is there any way to do this?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

rianlrt — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:42:23 -0500

So is the full Windows version available? It's lunchtime (or past) across the eastern half of the US, so should be past business- close in Britain, but I was on the website about an hour ago and didn't find it... I've been online very little the past 4 or 5 days though. So I thought I'd ask here... what have I missed? :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:00:03 -0500

If it has an italic variant (which it seems to), you should be able to do this if you're in a rich text area like the editor. (Synopses on index cards are plain text, so you won't be able to use character formatting there--you can use the italic variant for all your index card text if you like, but you won't be able to switch between them.) How are you attempting to do this and what kind of error are you getting? Also, are yo using Mac or Windows?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:09:12 -0500

I'm really sorry, guys; Lee tried to get that ready this weekend but we ended up running into some serious bugs that needed immediate attention and the release got pushed back. The new Linux version (which will last through into December) will be released before the current version expires on Nov. 7th, so you can still use the current beta to get started and just upgrade to the new version when it's out. I know it's not as nice as having everything settled before NaNo sets in, but it just wasn't possible. I'm truly sorry. Best wishes for your novel whatever software you use!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:11:17 -0500

A new Windows NaNoWriMo Trial version has been uploaded, version 049. It's just replaced the previous download available from the website here www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php, so please make sure you clear your browser cache before downloading again--Chrome especially has a tendency to regurgitate the old file rather than seeing there's been a change. This new version should fix the crash you were experiencing, so if that's still an issue you may want to update. You can install directly over your existing version.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:13:25 -0500

robini - A new Windows NaNoWriMo Trial version has been uploaded, version 049. It's just replaced the previous download available from the website here www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php, so please make sure you clear your browser cache before downloading again--Chrome especially has a tendency to regurgitate the old file rather than seeing there's been a change. This new version should fix the crash and missing characters (apostrophes, etc.) issues. You can install directly over your existing version.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

martdog9 — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:40:03 -0500

Thanks for the reply. I'm using the b45 downloaded just 4 days ago but I checked and there has been an update since. I'll give that a try.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

martdog9 — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:43:19 -0500

Now on b49 snapshot still not working.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ziplizard — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:12:22 -0500

You can pre-order it now. It will be out November 7. If you pre-order, you'll get Scrivener at a 10% and you can still add a coupon code on top of that. So I bought my copy just now for $18 after using my last year's 50% coupon.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Andanzas — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:33:04 -0500

I tried purchasing it with the NANOWRIMO coupon mentioned in their website but I got a message saying that that coupon had expired. :(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

rianlrt — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:48:19 -0500

This is... disappointing, to say the least. Unfortunately, a pre-order doesn't do me much good. I don't - can't, really - do betas, because the chance of crashes is too much a problem with this older machine. Unfortunately, I've got no word processor at all yet on my new Win7 machine, and the $150 for Word 2010 isn't possible right now. Scrivener was going to allow me to go between my old XP machine and the newer, smaller Win7 box. Now, I'm relegated to Word 2003 for one more year, because I can't realistically be setting up machines and porting over midway. Which means I'm seriously considering, at this late juncture, not doing Nano this year. I've used Word in the past... but this year's story needs the multi-window and storyboarding capabilities more than any I've ever done. Don't get me wrong; for the reasons I mentioned above, I'm very glad for it to not be put out buggy. But I've been following and planning on using this for over a year - and despite being subscribed to the newsletter since last September, and re-subscribing several times, I've never once seen an email. I've followed, getting updates piecemeal, on the l-and-l site. So at this point, I've given up. It'll be out when it's out, and hopefully I'll win nano and get a new code, and can use it for next year perhaps. I love the look of the program; it looks excellent, and better than anything else out there. I just wish it were better communicated and developed.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dancingfool — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:49:26 -0500

Woo Hoo! just got mine!! btw, if people are having trouble.. the coupon code to enter is the ENTIRE code after it says "Your promo code is:" -- not just the part that looks like a code.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:49:53 -0500

laverdiere: There isn't a way to expand the scope of that menu right now. It might be something we consider making adjustable in the future. If you are working on many active projects at once, just use Explorer to manage your projects. Some people like to make a special Scrivener folder in their Documents folder to store everything. Others like to spread them out according to topic if there are other support files they want to have associated with the project. Whatever works best for you. Second question: I'm not sure what you mean uploading a picture for full view? Do you mean being able to reference pictures while in full screen? Try dragging them into the Notes pane for the document you are working on and then opening the Inspector.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:51:09 -0500

If you visit the page with a Windows machine you should be seeing pre-order information. If you're on a Mac then you'll need to click on the URL from the blog post. When we do the full 1.0 launch next week, you'll be able to more easily switch between the two platforms.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:54:22 -0500

Which version are you trying to purchase? Make sure it is either the Windows pre-order copy, or the full Mac version (not education rate for either).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

annapalooza — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:28:23 -0500

Actually, that's just what I did, and it worked great. And I was just coming back on to let you know that it seems to be back to normal. :D Huzzah for scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:48:28 -0500

Hi rianlrt, It was a difficult decision for all of us to make, and I completely understand it's distressing to hear. Keith explained the last-minute choice in his blog post, and the pre-order price is at a 10% discount (which the NaNoWriMo 20%-off participant code can be used with as well) to help make it bearable. We've also updated the NaNoWriMo Trial version to fix a few of the bugs reported in the original release (mainly problems with imported work losing special characters like smart quotes and related crashes), and that will of course carry through until December, so users who don't want to worry about upgrading in the middle of the month can use that and switch over to 1.0 after NaNo ends. It's very similar to the end release, and as many of the fixes underway that are delaying 1.0 have to do with compile, you won't really run into any of those bugs during the course of the month while writing (even if you are compiling regularly to have another copy of your work, you'll still be able to export your writing, you just might find that some of the formatting options and such aren't working quite up to par with standard manuscript submission requirements)--and you can always upgrade to 1.0 after you've finished in order to get the perfected compile abilities. Of course the choice is yours and if you're uncomfortable using pre-1.0 software, then now at the beginning of NaNo is hardly the time to go wild. Rest assured if you're on the newsletter you will get an announcement when 1.0 becomes available for download next week--that communication line is used just for the major update news, as a lot of people who sign up for it have no interest in betas and aren't keeping watch on other announcements but just want to know when a major release is available. The Windows forums over on the Literature & Latte site are the best place to pick up more granular news. Thank you for your interest in Scrivener, and I wish you the best with your writing, whatever you end up doing! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

laughingpaws — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:00:30 -0500

I just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS on being so close to your full release. I've been using all of your Betas for the last year and I LOVE Scrivner! It's easy and simple to use yet has every single extra that I was looking for, so Thank You! You've made the last year of writing both fiction and for work a breeze. Julia Pierce

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

laverdiere — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:05:44 -0500

Thanks for the advice. For the second question I meant in full screen mode you can fade to a colour (like black) on each side of the page--but in Mac version you can have a picture instead of just a plain colour. I can't find that option in the windows version?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:15:47 -0500

Ah, yes, that is called a backdrop, that is not implemented yet; sorry about that!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

rianlrt — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:26:55 -0500

I've even got the code from last year, still, so it would be even better, cost-wise. Still, that makes it all the more frustrating, since as you can tell from that, I've been waiting for it that long, through all the delays, only to have even an 11th-and-a-half hour one. And like I said, I understand... but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with, since quite honestly I didn't have a real backup plan and never imagined there'd be yet another delay. So I've got no clue what I'm doing now. Nothing to do abut it though, so... *shrugs*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:31:47 -0500

A NaNoWriMo Trial update has been put up, so if you re-download from our offers page you'll be able to get the 049 update with the extended Dec 7th expiration date. Make sure to clear your browser cache first, as some browsers (especially Chrome) are bad about just regurgitating the old file rather than noticing there are changes and downloading the new one for you. If you want the trial version that will last through to December, don't use the Check for Updates method, as that will give you the standard update which expires Nov 7th.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:07:30 -0500

Well, darn. It looks like I was reading the notes wrong for that particular bug. Turns out, "Haven't been able to reproduce it since xxx" doesn't mean it was fixed in "xxx". Sorry for the run-around. This is a super-clunky work-around, but duplicating the item and stashing it somewhere else in the binder (or as a child beneath the item it came from, with the "Include in Compile" flag disabled so it doesn't output in the book) will at least let you preserve milestones in a way which can easily be accessed.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DoomMetalDarryl — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:10:45 -0500

I have downloaded the Windows NaNo trial, and I am trying to set up my NaNo project with the NaNo template. But the template has all sorts of explanations in it, which is nice to read, but now I'd like to clear it all out so I can put my own stuff in...is there an easy way to clean all the text/explanations out without having to go through each feature? I'm getting stressed/overwhelmed :/ Thanks for your help!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:15:57 -0500

You can fade out the background entirely, though, so that your desktop shows through. I have found this wonderful incentive for keeping a clean desktop. :) The slider for this is on the right of the control panel that pops up when in Full Screen if you hover the mouse down at the bottom of the screen.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

martdog9 — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:17:24 -0500

Appreciate the work-around - thanks! Other than this bug I'm really enjoying using Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:22:23 -0500

There are only a few documents in the template that already have text--the "About" file at the top of the binder that explains how the template works and then a couple templates for character and scene sketches. You can just delete any of these files if you don't want them cluttering up your project, or move them around in the binder to somewhere else out of your way. (As it is, none of these are in the Manuscript [Draft] folder, so they aren't part of what's going to be compiled as your novel.) The template sheets are there for you to copy and fill out if you like, to alter with your own template settings, or just to remove entirely if you don't want them. Once you've moved the files to Trash, you can get rid of them completely by choosing Project > Empty Trash. There are also two title page documents; again, these are just set up so that you can type in your correct information, but you can also just trash these completely if you don't want or need them. And of course you can always create new documents and folders alongside the existing text; you don't have to delete what's there already. And finally, if what you really want is just a clean project without anything already set up (e.g. the project targets or some labels added for you), you can always create a new project from "Blank". That will give you a clean slate, which might be the least stressful for you.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

NitNoi3 — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 23:47:56 -0500

I have a question and I'm not sure if it's been asked. I just downloaded the trial version and I'm pretty sure I may want to buy it. However when it comes time to officially buy and get a license will I need to download a new version or will it just update (and thus no work I've done gets lost or wiped out)? Hopefully that makes sense ^_^

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

NitNoi3 — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:01:48 -0500

And nevermind... spotted it. ^_^ Disregard my post.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:10:40 -0500

Potentially, what you could do is write in scenes. Use Word, and just close off a file at the conclusion of each scene. Save everything in RTF. It's going to be messy, but during NaNo that doesn't really matter since you aren't editing anyway, just moving constantly forward. The result of this will be a bunch of files that you'll be able to easily import into Scrivener in a week. Here's a tip: when you import folder and file structures into Scrivener, that structure is maintained. So use folders to organise your scenes into logical groupings (chapters, whatever). When you've got a copy of 1.0 on your computer, just drag the master folder into the Binder and you'll be off and running. There is a Quick Tour in the user manual PDF that takes about 15 or 20 minutes to run though. Even during NaNo that should be quick enough to spend some time with; and it'll teach you the basics of handling the binder outline, corkboard, and even a little compilation (though you can skip that for November). I'd argue that everything you need for NaNo is in that quick tour. It's nothing fancy, but all you need to know right off the bat is how to make new sections and type in them. Save the choreography for December. :) It's up to you, but you could totally transition into using Scrivener after week 1 without too much hassle.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:14:30 -0500

You will need to download a new version, as this NaNo trial does not have the registration code built into it. So to properly register the software you'll need to upgrade it to a version that does have authentication built into it. The built-in updater *should* be working. I don't believe we've actually tested that yet, but theoretically you should be able to update from within the application using the Help menu. But incidentally, changing software on your computer never damages or alters data you've created with that software. It isn't like an iPhone where the program and the stuff you make in the program are all in one icon.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:17:02 -0500

Sorry that you're running into this! It's a rare bug, which is great in the one sense but means it's giving us the dickens of a time trying to track it down. Are you running 32- or 64-bit Vista? Are your Windows updates all current?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

rianlrt — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:17:27 -0500

As it happens, I write that way anyway :) (though I save in the doc default). That's part of why Scrivener would be perfect; when I write Nano, as I get to the end of a scene, I simply use a ' * * ' as a separator; I don't even use chapter numbers or titles. But switching programs - specifically, giving myself a new layout look - will just mess with my brain. Odd, I know, but it'll seem like a different project to me. One year I had to handwrite for a bit then type it in later; threw me off completely. So that's not really an option for me, not for the speed and flow Nano needs to reach the 50K mark. So I'm just out of luck... I've started in Word, so I'll have to stay with it through November. Which means not being able to transition to my new smaller computer as well, unfortunately. *shrugs*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:34:20 -0500

Fair enough! It was just an idea. I can understand how switching tools would be a huge shift for the creative process. I've done four of these myself and I know you just have to get in the zone and explode forth. There isn't much room for fancy staff. Good news is that you don't have to use Scrivener to get the half off coupon. So if you win, feel free to cash in and maybe pick up the software once it comes time to edit and piece together than rumble. Best of luck! The clock is ticking, at this point. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Andanzas — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:27:57 -0500

[quote=ambersense] Which version are you trying to purchase? Make sure it is either the Windows pre-order copy, or the full Mac version (not education rate for either). [/quote] It was the Windows version. I purchased it today with no problems. Looking forward to start writing with iit!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:49:49 -0500

Thank you TarinCrewk for your kind comment regarding Scrivener! Good luck with NaNoWriMo and any other writing work you are now completing in the application. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:05:59 -0500

Thank you accident prone! Glad that you're enjoying using Scrivener on your Mac. Appreciate your support and kind words. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:08:08 -0500

Thank you for supporting Scrivener jcgr! Good luck with your 50,000 words this year. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragle — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:19:59 -0500

Oh, well. Thanks for trying anyway!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Emily Logan — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:24:49 -0500

I'm assuming that's why I can't access the videos then. I AM a Windows user. :( I found the written tutorial tedious and confusing. Hopefully I've gotten enough out of it to be able to get through the program this year. It looks like a good idea; I just don't know if I understand it completely!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:26:39 -0500

Also, this is a dreadful thing to ask in the middle of NaNoWriMo, so don't worry if you don't have time, but if it's at all possible, could you take a short screencast of the snapshot crash? Open a (test!) project in Scrivener, go to Help > About Scrivener so the video shows the version number, and then go to a document and take the screenshot however you normally do so that it crashes. If you could do that and send the video or the link to it online to support AT literatureandlatte DOT com, I'd greatly appreciate it! (You can download various free software for doing this if you don't have anything around; Jing from TechSmith is pretty convenient with a free version and will store your video online.) Again, no worries if you don't have a chance to do this, but we'd really love to figure out what's causing this and get rid of it, and it's not one that's come up enough to reveal a pattern yet.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Emily Logan — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:45:25 -0500

oh, i see what you mean! got it; ty!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bramblepath — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:41:00 -0500

Um, it just... won't italicise. Pressing command+i has no effect, and neither does clicking italics on the toolbar. (I'm using Mac.) I think only the bold variant is available for this font on Scrivener, although on a Word doc you can italicise/bold anything so I was wondering if there's another way to do it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:45:32 -0500

Ah, okay. You need to have the variant available--Word will fake italics by just slanting the standard text, but that's not actually using a real variant. The font does have one, though, so try opening Font Book and searching for the font name there--you may have it on the machine but just not enabled if you have the whole font family pack. If it's not there, you'll need to install it first (either download or from CD, however you got the font in the first place).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:36:20 -0500

Great! Thanks for picking up a copy. Good luck with your novel.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sonya Faugno — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:15:52 -0500

Hi at Scrivener, I've been using the trial version since last year's NaNoWriMo to edit last year's novel. I really like it a lot and have been able to put up with all the bugs. (Only frustrating if I forget to save often.) I just downloaded the NaNoWriMo version and have been copying over my character info from the other project file for my sequel book. I'm not sure if anyone else is having problems, but I'm having a lot of crashes. I'm not sure if it's having two files open, copying and pasting or what. It's seeming to save all my work luckily. Just wanted to let you know. Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

reptile_smile — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:16:20 -0500

I'm still making my mind up about what platform longterm I want to commit to, and Scrivener is actually quite a big part of this. It is the only thing that would make me want a Mac - in every other sense, I'm committed to Linux, and once I have Scrivener stable on that, I'm done. Here's my question: Once I finish NaNo, and buy a Mac code, can I then buy a new (different) Mac, and still install Scrivener using my NaNo code on it? Or would it be only for the machine I'm on right now? Cheers Fab program - wouldn't dream of using anything else, and the fact I'd think about buying a mac purely to run it speaks volumes about how much esteem I hold it in..!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MegaSpook — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:20:53 -0500

:o/ I still have my coupon from LAST year's Wrimo. Actually, I need to find that file, I can't remember where I saved it! Methinks I'll never get to use it though... I've officially been waiting for Scrivener full version for an entire year. *cries*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:59:34 -0500

Hi Sonya, Very sorry about the crashes! If you go to Help > About Scrivener, what version does it list at the bottom of that window? We updated the NaNoWriMo trial just the other day to version 049, which should have a fix for crashes associated with import and copy/paste. If your version is earlier than that, try clearing your browser cache and downloading again from the special offers page and installing that (you can install directly over the other version, so long as the program is closed). If you're already on 049, could you let me know what version of Windows you're using (including whether it's 32- or 64-bit), what file types you've imported (.doc, .rtf) and where they were saved (Word 2010, OpenOffice 3.3, etc.) or where you were copying text from? Thank you!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:02:33 -0500

Yes, you can register on multiple machines or transfer to another machine of the same platform (same process)--you just install there and enter the serial name and number that will be sent as part of your receipt. The main thing is that you can't go cross-platform: a Mac license will only work for Scrivener for Mac and a Windows license will only work for Scrivener for Windows. So if you buy a Mac license and then want to switch to another Mac, that's not a problem. Thanks for the kind words, and best wishes for your NaNo novel!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

wyrdbyrd — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:58:34 -0500

Hi! I'm using the Scrivner trial version on a MacBook Pro. So far, I've been very impressed with it except for one little thing: the project targets window. Under Basics Target, it says 6.131 of 50,000 words. That's real nice and all, but unless it's counting words from a different project I thought I'd set aside as not counting for NANOWRIMO, I don't know where it got that number. When I deselect everything in Options, the Basics Target goes up to 19,621. I suspect it's including the Tutorial in its count then. Under Session Target, it counted the number of words I'd typed today: 1,612 of 1,512. That's correct. However, I pressed the "reset" button to try to clear up the Basics Target, and ended up erasing my Session Target count instead. How can I get the Basics Target number to reset to 1,612, and get my Session Target number back as well? Do I have to save what I've written today, reinstall and add in the new documents later?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

wyrdbyrd — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:55:03 -0500

Good news: I figured out how to reset my Session Target number. Bad news: I still can'g figure out why the Basics Target was already populated with a number, or how to reset it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:15:48 -0500

Hi wyrdbyrd, I'm not quite sure what you mean by "Basics Target"? Have you renamed the "Draft" folder to be "Basics"? Project targets certainly doesn't count words from another project - that's not possible. Draft Target only counts words inside the Draft folder (or whatever you have named the Draft folder - it's called "Manuscript" in the novel and NaNo templates). If it says that you have 6,131 of 50,000 words, then that means that you have 6,131 words inside your Draft folder (if your target says "Basics Target", then, as I say, I'm guessing you have renamed your Draft/Manuscript folder to "Basics", in which case your "Basics" folder has 6,131 words inside it. One of the most important things to understand in Scrivener is that the Draft/Manuscript folder is where you write your draft - that is what gets compiled into the final manuscript. It sounds to me as though you might have renamed that folder, placed some research in there, and are now writing the text somewhere else. Could that be the case? Hope that helps! All the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Cathyvon — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:42:51 -0500

I want to thank you for Scrivener. I downloaded the NaNo trial and played a bit in October. Not only am I going to use this for my novel but I can see where it will help me immensely when I write my articles for the newspaper I work with. I will be able to keep all my pictures and research in one area along with my audio files. Excellent! Thank you!! Cat

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Cathyvon — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:45:18 -0500

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

kaizoman — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:37:43 -0500

You guys are AWESOME! I was worried that you were cutting and running on November 7th and expecting all us Windows beta testers to pay to finish our novels. Instead, being not evil, you are going to give me all of November free! AAAAND, I'm going to get a 50% discount at the end of the Month. Best. Company. Ever.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

originalgradk — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:35:15 -0500

I have trial on Windows PC now.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

E. E. Bruels — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:44:52 -0500

I am thoroughly enjoying the Mac version of the product since I have an annoying inability to write fiction in order.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:54:38 -0500

"I'm going to get a 50% discount at the end of the Month." That's the spirit!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dgcleveland — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:04:39 -0500

Quick question, hope this hasn't been answered yet. I like the product, but don't know how quickly I will be able to purchase it. If the trial runs out am I still able to view or export my novel, or do I lose access until I buy?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

wyrdbyrd — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:20:24 -0500

Let's just chalk this up to user befuddlement. I see what I did wrong, and it's almost too embarrassing to go into. Common sense kicked in and after a fair amount of futzing, the interface is showing me pretty much what I expected to see. *blush* Sorry about that. Thanks for being patient, Keith.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sonya Faugno — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:46:49 -0500

Yes, I do have version 046. I'm not finding anything on the special offers page. I'll look again tomorrow, as I'm guessing the site is very swamped today. It seems to be working fine for just typing. Also, I love the NaNoWriMo templates. They're a big help. Thanks, Sonya

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:07:32 -0500

Bother, I must've pasted the link in wrong, I'm sorry. You want http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php. However, I am tired and losing my mind; I meant to say the versions were 045 and 046, so if you're on 046 then it sounds like you do have the newer version, so there's no point to attempting to download again. I'm glad you're able to keep working in the project, but if the bug is still outstanding I do want to make sure we get this fixed. If you start to run into it again, please let us know! You can email directly to support AT literatureandlatte DOT com, too. Best wishes for your novel!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

originalgradk — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:29:47 -0500

Testing testing on Vista home premium. *drools* Although I haven't worked out the sofware I can see myself *giving into temptaton* this looks like a super piece of software. How to use, How to use.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:09:59 -0500

I didn't see technical requirements at the website. I do my writing under Windows 2K with WordPerfect 8. Can I run Scrivener in the same place, or do I need at minimum XP? Also, I don't quite understand how I would work between WordPerfect and Scrivener. Can I import documents from one to the other, or does all creation have to be done in Scrivener. If the latter, how do I get what I've written to date into Scrivener? I apologize if I'm repeating questions that have been answered, but I didn't see this as I perused here and on the website.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

hannahey — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:42:24 -0500

TRUE! VVV [quote=Errant Crow] With the magpie configuration of my brain, I refuse to write for NaNoWriMo in any program but Scrivener. I even got my boss to buy Scrivener for my work computer when I got assigned to write our user guide...really Chris, I could kiss you, Scrivener has saved me that much misery. The guide is approaching 50,000 words. If I had to navigate and attempt to reorganze all of those sections, sub-sections, and topics in Word docs... Nuh-uh. No. Nein. Nyet. Never. If anyone is wondering about the usefulness of this product for NaNoWriMo, believe me, it will save you. 1: auto-save, aka you cannot lose your work due to a crash 2: binder, aka you can't lose a file in the depths of your hard drive 3: drag&drop reorganization, aka it takes seconds to put text snippets in the right order if you don't write in order 4: automatic word count at the bottom of the page for any combination of files 5: built in notes and research tools ...and that's my spiel. [/quote]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bramblepath — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:37:28 -0500

At this point I would love to have it faked x) Okay, well, I opened up Font Book and it doesn't look like it's there, so I went to download it... only it's regular italics and I only have bold and not regular on my computer so it looks like I'll have to go download that too or work around it... hahaha. A little annoying :P Anyway, thanks so much for your help :3

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

morganatica — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:38:11 -0500

I ADORE Scrivener! I used it on my Mac last year to write my NaNo and I was so happy to see I could get it on my PC now. It's seriously the best program I've ever found for organizing and writing a book.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:02:50 -0500

Hi Carolf, Scrivener for Windows requires XP, Vista, or 7, I'm afraid. With that, WordPerfect documents could be imported into a project if they're resaved in another format (.rtf or .doc for instance); the WordPerfect format itself isn't supported. To get work out of Scrivener, you can either use the "export" option for bringing out individual files directly or the more powerful "compile" feature, which is how you stitch together all the different documents in your project into a long, nicely-formatted manuscript. Again, you couldn't save directly to a WordPerfect format, but you could compile to .rtf and open that. (You can also compile to PDF, go straight to print, and other options.) I'm not sure any of that is helpful to you if you're only running 2000, but there you are. Best wishes for NaNoWriMo whatever you use!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:05:11 -0500

Thanks - that answers my question beautifully. In actuality, I run both Windows 2K and XP -- I have virtual systems under VMware for Linux. It just happens that I got my WP software back when 2K was all I had available. I can put Scrivener under XP just fine. And I can experiment with the import/export stuff when I have the software. So, does Scrivener provide word processing software, itself?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:29:21 -0500

I love Scrivener. It works beautifully. I wrote the second part of the first chapter on november 1st and then, today, I wrote the beginning of chapter 1. No problem at all. That's what I love with Scrivener: you can write the scenes in the order you want, not the logical one. You can also move the scenes around if you're not satisfied with the way you wrote first. Just one point: I've got the Windows NaNo version and when I want to use the full screen mode, I can't have a black background with light green text. All I've got is black background and black text! Not really easy to read! What can I do? It doesn't matter that much because I need the Inspector for NaNo but I'd like to use it one day, when revising for example.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:36:01 -0500

If it gets down to the wire, do a full export by selecting everything in the Binder and using `File/Export/Files...` with full meta-data export if you wish (notes and all), and then do a compile with `File/Compile...`. The first part will retain all of the individual files and their auxiliary data. The second part will sew together all of the individual components of the Draft folder into a word processor friendly file. Now you've got three sources. The original .scriv, which will be there once you have the means to buy it, a full backup of all the individual files that were in the .scriv binder, and a sewn together manuscript file. That should be enough to go in whatever direction you require.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:44:33 -0500

"So, does Scrivener provide word processing software, itself?" It provides what most authors need to *write*, yes. It is not a desktop publishing tool, however. You can do the basics; in most cases enough to draw out a rough sketch of what needs to be done later on in a word processor for fancier documents. For example you can place graphics inline, but you can't do complicated wrapping algorithms or arbitrary canvas style placement of it. You can make tables, but formatting of them will be simple. Etc.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:47:43 -0500

cdyard: if the text has a colour applied to it, then it will not be recoloured in full screen. Unfortunately that also means text that has been specifically declared as black (Word does this, for some reason, even though it isn't necessary to do so) will remain black. It's easy to fix though. Just select all of the text and use the text colour tool to "Remove color". That's the little 'A' button in the format bar, or in the contextual menu under "Text Color".

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:05:07 -0500

Also, you can have the inspector open in Full Screen--mouse down to the bottom of the screen and a control panel will pop up with the "Inspector" icon so you can have that open for your document while you work.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DoomMetalDarryl — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:18:56 -0500

Blackswan, you rock. I was projecting my general NaNo panic onto your fine software. Thanks for explaining everything!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:58:39 -0500

In fact, I made a mistake: I wanted to change the color of the PAGE not the background!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sarita — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:41:02 -0500

I love Scrivener so much that I just pre-ordered it today. I was enjoying my trial and originally wanted to wait until December to take advantage of the 50% off deal, but I decided that the software (and company, from what I can see) is so awesome that I wanted to pay full price to try to support the creators of the software. <3

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RosemaryJayne — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:43:34 -0500

I'm guessing that the 50% off won't be available through the Mac App Store, however as these guys lose 30% of their revenue when they sell through there I'll happily pay full price. This program really is fantastic, I'm not planning at all, but it's so simple to create a character page when I create a character that when I'm a little stuck I can go back and fill out the info and boom, 3 or 4 new plot points are jumping out at me! Thanks guys :D

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

originalgradk — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:16:20 -0500

Do you have to use the Nano Template on Trial to be eligible for the 50% discount or is it ok to follow your heart and do 50k as a start, completing the 50k to begin a proper drafting process.?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

SlytherinOreo — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:36:04 -0500

I use Scrivener for both NaNoWriMo and for school research papers. If you are in high school or college and don't have Scrivener, you're seriously missing out. As a senior in high school I've been writing numerous research papers and college essays. I would have given up a long time ago if it wasn't for Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Mokso — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:52:07 -0500

Don't forget project and session targets, which I really love.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:12:35 -0500

As I understand it, you don't even have to use Scrivener at all to be eligible for the 50% discount. All you have to do is be a NaNo winner (50K at the end of november), validated of course.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

catbellatrix — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:54:11 -0500

I noticed in one of the video tutorials that there was a name generator. However, I can't find it in the trial Windows version. Is this something that will be on the fully licensed version of the program? Or is it not included in the Windows version?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

catbellatrix — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:13:41 -0500

Nevermind. I finally found it! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

olorinpc — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:55:38 -0500

To expand on that, all of your writing is safely contained within the projects .scriv folder, in nice little rtf files. (Stiching those back together without the application might be a bit of a pain depending on how much you split things up, but this early in a project it shouldn't be too horrible.) So no uber secret scrambling, or other sorts of nasty locking away to force you to buy. In the event of disaster, delay in purchasing... and you forget to export, it is all safe and you can get at it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

olorinpc — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:58:21 -0500

The different ways of using can be quite creative! Fiction/novel writing of course, but I have seen (and used myself) for other applications. By-laws, article/blog research and writing, genealogy, etc. There is a whole section on the L&L forums dedicated to usage scenarios! :) Enjoy and welcome! http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=19

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

pking36330 — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:43:50 -0500

I'm another one of those people that went out and bought a Mac just so I could use this program. I used Scrivener for Windows last (failed, though not Scrivener's fault), and love the program so much that I started looking at what they had on the Mac side of the house. When it came time to upgrade my computer, I decided I could pay bills, read blogs, and send email on anything, but I needed a Mac to have the best writing organization program around. And now pardon me while I copy and paste this text into my Scrivener novel as something the protagonist says to justify his self-indulgent splurge. But its easy to suspend belief that the protagonist would buy a Mac just to write on...I did just that.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:08:36 -0500

I've just had my first 3 crashes with Scrivener so I'm going to tell you what happened. First, I'm using the NaNo version (0.45 because that's the only one I seem to be able to download) with Windows 7. Until today, everything went fine. I write on my iPhone using QuickOffice and the Text Document option, which saves the file in txt format. I also write using Scrivener. Until today, I opened the txt files with Notepad, copied the text then pasted it in Scrivener. Today, I did differently because my favorite font in Scrivener is Palatino Linotype 14. So, I opened the text files with WordPad, changed the font from Courier New to Palatino, copied the modified text and then pasted it in Scrivener. I must say that, for the first time, there was a special character in the text: the euro sign which is obtained by using the Alt Gr key + E. It appeared on the text file (the original one) but not in Scrivener, where I added it manually. That's when the crashes occured. Luckily enough, I lost the last two words each time. I think maybe I should replace the euro sign by an E, at last for the time being.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kia382 — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:45:06 -0500

Downloaded a beta awhile ago but never got around to trying it out. (: Going to give this a shot with the NaNo Trial version and see how it goes. I'd love to find that I enjoy it enough to purchase!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:55:27 -0500

This does sound like the character-encoding crash that was around on 045, so hopefully all you need to do here is update to the 046 NaNo trial. Try clearing your browser cache and then downloading again from www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php and installing that (over your current version is fine, just make sure Scrivener is closed). You may still find it strips the Euro character, depending on the RTF encoding on that from WordPad, but it shouldn't cause a crash.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cor_stellae — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:00:35 -0500

I use Scrivener on Mac, Windows, and iPad. I did have a few issues when going from Mac to PC and back again, but it was on the first stages of the beta. In the end, my best option was synchronization with the iPad. I use Notebooks, although I also have Index Cards. Notebooks is not the prettiest writing software, but it works because of three things: 1. It syncs beautifully with Scrivener for Mac. All you have to do, once it's set up, is to hit a button. Everything you wrote on your iPad goes straight to your Scrivener project. Index Card is far more complicated. I don't use it much because of all the steps I must take to bring back and forth my information. 2. You can customize how the text and background look. You can choose from a wide variety of fonts, and personalized colors. I've set it to look more or less like full screen writing (some sort of “night view”, with black background). 3. It shows how many words or characters you have written. That makes it a tool for writers, especially if you're on NaNo… I'm also waiting for a Scrivener version for iPad. The problem with Notebooks is that I can't use any sort of formatting (it converts any formatted text into HTML, and it has to remain .txt in order to sync with Scrivener). There are other solutions, but they can't be synced with Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TabithaTodd_79 — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:45:06 -0500

What is the difference between LSB XE and your software. Is there a comparison to the both software pieces? I've been using LSB XE for years. Slightly complicated program that it is. Is yours more user friendly? Does it have project binder capabilities and exporting\importing capabilities? Does it mesh well with Word\Wordperfect or Open Office Suite? If not, do you plan on doing so? What about E-Pub capabilities (not that LSB has this but Open Office does have extensions for E-Pub formating which I use). What about redundancy, grammar and spell check extensions? I love my redundancy extension on OOO. Any bugs that we should be aware of that might drive us nuts (like OOO auto save bug with the newest version that's driving me bat poo coo coo lately). Are you aiming on a portable version for thumb drive capabilities? I like having portability. I find LSB compact but...complicated. I do like the idea of LSB but I don't like the complications of using it. For those of you who don't know what LSB is it's Liquid Story Binder (Oblisque software).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:33:14 -0500

TabithaTodd_79: Keeping in mind that I am not super familiar with LSB, I’ll try to answer a few of your non-subjective questions. For example, I do feel our interface is very intuitive and elegant to use without sacrificing raw power—but there are those that disagree and think it is overly complicated. There are two primary ways of exporting. One is “Compilation” which is a special feature that turns a many pointed outline into a single linear file suitable for final layout in a design program like OpenOffice, Word, WordPerfect, etc. This means you can write in small pieces if you like, piece everything together into scenes and so on, but not worry about having to copy and paste all of that into a single document later on. The other method of exporting is more conventional: just dumping the contents of the project binder out to the file system as normal files. Text files can be transformed—so you could get a plain-text record if you wished—and most meta-data can be exported as well in sidecar files. So that’s also a decent scorched earth backup method. I’m not sure what LSB’s project binder capabilities are like. Ours is outline based. A big hierarchy with three top-level nodes you can’t delete: Draft, Research, and Trash. Draft is the most important one: that is what Compile uses to create the linear final product. You can also create other top-level folders, rename those, shuffle them about. Outside of the Draft, you can store any type of file in a repository fashion, and there is also built-in viewing support for PDF, HTML and many multimedia formats. It does well when it comes to research. What about redundancy, grammar and spell check extensions? Just spell checking. Are you aiming on a portable version for thumb drive capabilities? I like having portability. It’s lower priority right now, but yes. Any bugs that we should be aware of that might drive us nuts Some people get a crash when they try to take a snapshot (Scrivener is an auto-save based program; when you want to put down a milestone you make a snapshot instead of “saving” as you would in most programs); mostly on Vista. This bug has been fixed internally but isn’t in the public builds yet. There are still some performance optimisations we are working on. You won’t notice it on a mid-level computer and up, especially not with a smaller project like NaNo. The good news here is that we’ve made some breakthroughs on overall typing performance and are spending the weekend fine tuning and bug checking that. So this should, as well, shortly be something not a problem. Hmm. Otherwise nothing critical comes to mind, most of the biggies have been squashed.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

JaneoftheJungle — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:46:45 -0500

I just wanted to pop in and say I am really enjoying Scrivener. I decided to go ahead and buy the Windows version on Halloween after trying the beta, seeing as I don't have Word. It is really helpful to be able to see my outline as I am writing. I love making folders for chapters and simply naming them - it is the simplest outline in the world, and so easy to change and switch from scene to scene! I am trying to bully my husband into buing Scrivener for his Mac. It's so affordable; hopefully one of us will win and we can use the code to get it for him. Right now he has place markers in a document that say "Chapter 12," "Chapter 13" and so on - ridiculous! Anyway, thanks, I think Scrivener is great and I am very happy with the price; it's certainly worth more than what I paid for it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BranduinS — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:46:12 -0500

So I started fiddling with Scrivener as I started writing my novel. I figured I'd play with it on a whim, since I've never found an outlining software that I was really interested in using. I expected Scrivener to be much the same, especially after being so disappointed by Write Way just a few days before. Well. Suffice to say that my entire NaNovel is now living on Scrivener and I absolutely plan to buy it at the end of the month. Seriously. Coolest program ever. I've had more fun dragging and dropping the index cards than is probably healthy, and of course, I'm absolutely adoring the full screen mode. I had a blast playing with the labels and the status options! Scrivener is so much fun to play with that I wound up writing down more background information/research/plot notes than I've ever bothered with, and it's been a huge help to have them all close at hand instead of digging through my backpack trying to remember what notebook I was using when I jotted down the distance between Sofia and Prague.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Queen_of_Carrot_Flowers — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:57:44 -0500

This is happening to me too! I'm also using Windows 7. Did you happen to figure out how to make it cooperate?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

kaileydw — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:12:26 -0500

This thing is amazing! And I've only been using it for an hour! The coupon might just be better motivation to finish than getting so say that I finished, haha.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 07:51:10 -0500

I did as you told me to and now I've got the 046 NaNo trial version. I tried to copy/paste the text with the euro sign (NOT in my NaNo manuscript though, in a special test file). It worked fine, no crash. Strangely enough, when copying from Notepad, the euro sign was there, but not when copying from WordPad! In the last case, I added this sign without any problem.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lvngbooks — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 11:14:57 -0500

I've been using it for a couple of days now, and I think I may be falling in love with this. The fact alone that I am now able to shuffle scenes without copy pasting them and I have a complete overview of the chapters, characters and research is SO awesome. But now I've decided that I want to alternate POVs it is even more awesome. SPLIT LEVELS JUST SAVED ME! I can't really put in words how happy I am with Scrivener right now. Will definitely buy me the full program when NaNo is over! Absolutely brilliant :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TabithaTodd_79 — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:16:29 -0500

Much thanks for the reply, this program is looking nicer and nicer. I did download the NaNo version and am seriously considering shelling out the coinage for the registered version. I like the GUI, very nicely done and easy on the eyes. Your software seems much more user friendly (though I am a high end user). I have a high end level laptop (actually all my systems are high level ends, one alienware, one qosmio and a quad core mini system - shoot my geekiness is showing isn't it...gotta tuck that back under the disguise *lol*). Nice smooth transitions from screen to screen and nice load times in windows 7 environment. It seems pretty stable, I haven't tried the snap shot yet, I'll back up my work first before I do and let you know what it does on a Qosmio with Win7. So I can export to OOO and use my EPub extensions there? Very good to know, I'm not only an e-reader fan but I like publishing in E-reader format for those I know out there who have replaced their collections with electronic format (I have too but I kept all my physical books, too pretty to throw away or give away...besides I like the smell of physical books...I'm terrible...I'll even sniff them in stores like new born baby heads *lmao*) Thanks again!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

writinginpjs — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:22:53 -0500

Hello I'm using Scrivener for the first time for this year's novel. I'm having trouble creating page numbers and a few other formatting issues. Where do I go to vet this out? I tried the 'help' menu in Scrivener but 'page numbers' gave me zero results. Is there a tech forum on the program? Niya

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:26:17 -0500

TabithaTodd_79: Thanks! Glad to hear it’s working out well in trial. I do think on the whole most people find it to be intuitive. The level of “it’s too complicated” feedback we get is very minimal, and that is encouraging because there are some fairly sophisticated concepts going on in the software that are unique. But best of all, in my opinion, the interface never feels hampered no matter how adept you get at handling it. It’s simple to learn, but it’s not a dumbed down interface either that ends up frustrating you once you want to take it to the next level. So I can export to OOO and use my EPub extensions there? Sure, or you could use our ePub and Kindle compile formats. :) Now ours might not be as flexible (I’ve never used OOo’s so I’m not sure of what all it can do), but there is a significant advantage in that ours can generate book structure off of the inherent outline structure of your work. So say if you organise scenes into chapter folders, a pretty typical workflow that is encouraged by the templates, you can insert section break and header titles at text file + folder joins and those will turn into entries in a generated ToC at the beginning of the e-book. Cross-referencing, endnote entries, etc. Do be aware that the current public implementation is a bit flawed—we’ve cleaned all of that up and 1.0 will have much better e-book output. I have a Kindle, and I love proofing on it. It’s so much nicer to be able to save all of that paper, and I can jot down notes as I read on the device, then export that clipping text file from the Kindle into my project. So even just for that, having those e-book compilers are great. And yeah, my physical books are going nowhere either. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:30:15 -0500

lvngbooks: You might have already come across this tip, but a lot of authors like to use the colour label to track POV if that is something that shifts about in the book. What you can do is create a label for each POV, and then apply that to each scene as is appropriate. Then use the View/Use Label Color in/ sub-menu to apply those colours to various interface elements. I find icons to be exceptionally useful for this, as you can get an easy overview of POV right in the binder.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:56:51 -0500

OK. Maybe I just don't understand. When I create new documents in the research section, for example (where I'm keeping miscellaneous notes about things as I think of them) the Inspector gives me a chance to either include this document in compile (the default) or I can deselect that box, which would, I presume, NOT include that document in the compile. SO I went through and deselected everything. Then went in and selected only my research note documents for compile. Then I did a compile and sent it to the printer. What I go was everything in the manuscript, which I had deliberately deselected. 1. Am I misunderstanding that little box on the Inspector index card? 2. How can I print out my research notes so I can work with them off line? I'm liking this package so far, but I find it's a steep learning curve.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:56:23 -0500

Don’t worry so much about that checkbox. You rarely need to use it unless you work in a style which mixes note items or old revisions directly along with active manuscript items in the Draft folder. The Draft is what determines what gets compiled. Whether or not something is in that folder is the primary determinator. The checkbox is secondary. If something isn’t in the Draft it cannot be compiled in most circumstances, and so it becomes irrelevant. You have access to this checkbox outside of the draft so that items can be preconfigured if you drag them into the Draft. Useful for template structures you use a lot of. How can I print out my research notes so I can work with them off line? File/Print Current Document. I know now isn’t a good time to be doing it, but if you get a chance to go through the interactive tutorial in the help menu, it will be much easier to pick up the software. The Quick Tour in the user manual is probably enough to do most everything you’d need to do in November though. I wouldn’t worry so much about learning the intricacies of compile. Just rely on the presets for proof prints if you need it and don’t worry about customisation and all that until later.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Byrdie Grey — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 17:36:17 -0500

Thank you so much! I've been eyeing Scrivener in the App Store for a long time, drooling over all the possibilities. And now I get to use it free to try it out? Thank you! I've heard so many good things about it, and I'm one of those writers that writes a little bit of every part everywhere, so the drag and drop reorganizing might help me get over being intimidated by the large document size of a novel...one of the many reasons I procrastinate. I can't wait to see how this will help my productivity.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 17:39:22 -0500

Sigh. I did go through the tutorial, and thought I was doing ok. I'm using the NaNoWriMo template: I THINK that what you are calling "Draft" is called "manuscript" on the template. It came with one chapter (empty) under which I placed some scenes. I would presume that when I create a second chapter, it will be on the same outline level as the first. My confusion is that "characters" (another pre-defined item on the template) is on the same outline level as chapters, but doesn't print when I compile. And I was trying to print out only a few of the character outlines I had done. But for my immediate needs, printing out a single document worked -- although lines wrapped strangely until I narrowed the the document view on screen. Thanks. I think this could be a very powerful tool once I learn how to use it. I'm just in a bad position of not finding this until the first day of the month!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

b8g8 — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:36:49 -0500

Is there something different about the way the Mac version saves a scrivx file versus the Windows? I opened my dropbox file in Mac for the first time, and now it won't open at all in my windows, and I'm getting very worried.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

pewpew — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:38:14 -0500

[quote=ambersense] So you'll be okay for a while, and when 3.x does come out, there will be discounted upgrade pricing for existing users. Certainly no annual fees! [/quote] Doesn't Apple require all updates to be free of charge on the AppStore?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

wyrdbyrd — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:53:14 -0500

Okay, it's official. Now that I've pulled my head out, I love this program. I especially adore the index cards, which I scroll through to figure out what I'm up to writing this time around. I even added in the possibility of a few new scenes. The rough drafts export well to my hard drive. I adore the Project Statistics and Targets reporting. The only thing that would make this program perfect for me is having an iPad version that will synch what I'm using on my Mac. As is, though, it's pretty darned nifty.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

bernie_noble — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:05:08 -0500

I agree. It is gorgeous.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rawiya — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 23:54:24 -0500

Is there a way to create a file that will validate through Nano's word count page? Or is copy and paste to a text file the best way? btw--I love Scrivener! :) Thank you for a great program and sharing it for the month until I can "earn" the coupon.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lumynescence — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:27:14 -0500

Testing it--love it, love it, love it. I will certainly be buying it in December. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

draconigenae — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:43:29 -0600

I have been using Scrivener since NaNo last year and I adore it! I use it plus drop box to bounce between my Linux machine and my windows machine depending on where I am and I have to say it works like a champ! I pre-ordered it as soon as I saw I could and am happily waiting for the official launch. I have recommended it to several friends as I think it is the best tool out there for writers. I love that I can plan out scenes and chapters then write them as they come to me, or I can write then re-organize. I love this software and thank everyone who put the work and time into creating it. You guys are awesome!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 02:52:40 -0600

Thank you morganatica! Much appreciated. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 02:58:23 -0600

Really appreciate your additional support Sarita! Good luck with getting your NaNoWriMo winner's coupon code though. You can always pass it on to a friend. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:07:42 -0600

Hello RosemaryJayne. No, unfortunately, the App Store does not offer us with any mechanism to discount a licence with coupon codes - and the commission rate can actually get up to 40% for certain countries! We still think the App Store is a wonderful sales portal though, bringing Scrivener and other applications to a much wider audience. :-) Glad that you're making the most of your creativity with the workflows available in Scrivener! Good luck. All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:10:34 -0600

cdyard is right originalgradk. All you have to do is get to 50,000 words to earn yourself a NaNoWriMo 50% discount coupon code for Scrivener. :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

davidmj — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:17:41 -0600

Thank you for your kind usage mention SlytherinOreo! We hope that the organisational and research features available in Scrivener aid a lot of students writing papers or dissertations. Good luck with NaNoWriMo! :-) All the best, David Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

supergirlscafe — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:20:20 -0600

I wanted to also thank you guys for the Scrivener trial! I am trying it out now--it's definitely taking some getting used to, since I had to transfer a bunch of information over from the assorted documents I'm using to keep track of my NaNo, but I'm liking it overall. I wish I'd found it before NaNo so I wasn't trying to set it up mid-novel, but I'm definitely planning on also using it to write my research essays this quarter--if it works out, I'll be buying the license just before my finals hit ;) Thanks again!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

JLIvan — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:32:04 -0600

OK...Chris, I just sent you a personal message regarding the software. My late-night brain read this as your own post. "Hmmm, wow. What a talented guy! He writes software, too!" Oops! Please disregard my message. I'll send the e-mail on to the addresses above. YAWN....

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lvngbooks — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:29:51 -0600

Thanks so much for this tip! I already color coded the scenes/chapters, but the colors didn't show up in my binder yet. They do now! I love colorcoding so this works perfect for me :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

FXDaniels — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:52:47 -0600

Just downloaded the NaNo trial version and am very excited to give it a try. I've wondered about these novel writing software programs for years but don't know anyone who uses them, and so have never had a chance to really try them out. But I like the idea. Couldn't let the opportunity for a full month's trial while writing a novel go by--thank you so much for making this happen. If the product is as good as your customer centricity and business approach then I'm sure I will love it! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DMac — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:58:51 -0600

I've been having the crashing problems too. :-( I read the comments here and got all excited about Scrivener and downloaded it on Nov. 2nd onto my desktop (Windows) Yes, OK, maybe I was procrastinating, but in a PRODUCTIVE way! :-D I went through the entire (wonderful, very thorough) InteractiveTutorial, and followed all instructions and tried out everything. I even paused for a biscuit (well, a cookie -- this is America!) and tea, and then some wine. Loved it! Couldn't wait to start! Decided the best way to test all the bells and whistles was to transfer big chunks of my first draft from last year's NaNo novel, because it looks like Scriverner will be incredibly helpful for the revisions. Was going to a writing marathon to work so I downloaded Scrivener on Nov. 4th to my Netbook (uses some open office kinda thing -- Star Office? I'll check if it's impt...) It opened, I imported several chapters from the [open office-type] document -- it all looked fine except one section which replaced quotation marks with skinny little code boxes. Whatever. I kept going.... Labelled scenes and chapters. Made notes on index cards. Cool! Yay! and then.... CRASH! WTF....? Re-opened. Nothing lost. Phew. Kept working. CRASH! So, this kept happening every few minutes. Saved, and attached as an email to send to myself. Opened it on my desktop, was relieved to see the project had survived the email-attachment process intact. All the scenes and chapters I'd labeled were still there (or, here -- on my desktop program.) And then it crashed. So....I returned to this forum to search for answers..... Anyway, I think I'm having the same problem that's been discussed in this thread. Under Help - About Scrivener it says it's Version 0.0.46. (even though I downloaded only 4 days ago) Do I have to dump the versions I've already loaded, and re-load? (This is probably obvious but as you can tell I know just enough tech to be a danger to myself and others, so I've learned I should go ahead and ask stupid questions.....) ;-p Many thanks for your help and your patience! DMac

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sophia0021 — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:19:43 -0600

I've done the same thing with Scrivener and Drop Box...It's so easy is should be illegal! I no longer have the issue of bouncing between my PC and my netbook, hoping that I backed up everything in the right place. I'm definately buying this when I get to Dec 1st.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DMac — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:15:08 -0600

I downloaded NaNo Trial version 0.0.46 [not 45] which I downloaded on Nov 2nd. It started crashing shortly after I cut 'n' pasted text from my Word documents into the Editor. Is this problem just happening with the Nano trial version, or with the Scrivener for Word in general? Maybe I could just ditch the NaNo trial version and avoid these hassles... (actually I suppose I should stop trying to figure out technical issues, put away the Scivener toy for now, and just concentrate on writing 50K in Word so I can get the 50% discount! and maybe by December all the bugs will be squashed :-D) DMac

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TabithaTodd_79 — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:04:04 -0600

Snapshot works on my system without crashing! I tried a few and even loaded the snapshots as well. No crashing so far. If I catch a snapshot crash do you want me to post the system logs on the crash for you? Win 7 64 bit build processor : Intel R Core i7 Q740 @ 1.73Ghz RAM: 6 Gig Video: NVidia GeForce GTS 360M HDD: 2X 500GIG Drives (Hitachi if the drives make a diff for you) Board is an Asus chipset Sound is generic but the camera sound on the snapshot still scared to poo out of me because I wasn't expecting it *lol*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

teacherguy66 — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:05:15 -0600

I just splashed around with Scrivener last year. I used it for planning but not for actual writing. This year, I dove in - and the water's fine. I'm just using Scrivener - no Word - and I'm loving it. I've got my outline, notes, and research easily accessible. I've been adding more, easily organized, as I go. I love that it tracks my word count. I've got a file for each day, so I know exactly where I am. And then periodically, I copy what I've written into scenes within my chapters. I was pretty much sold on it last year, but now it's a definite purchase. I really don't know why I'd try to write a novel in anything else.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TabithaTodd_79 — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:38:33 -0600

I like it so much that I dropped LSB XE altogether and I stopped using the OOO with the faulty save function that's been slowing me down. I wrote over 2k words today without a hitch and took snapshots on a win 7 unit without a malfunction at all. It's motivated me big time and the words seem to be flowing with this software program. I am finally free and uninhibited by software problems and complications. WOOT!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

JLIvan — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:24:21 -0600

The angelic mouse. Super cute. Glad to read a good review on Scrivener. I hesitate to start this year with the program because I don't want to waste writing time trying to learn a new program. I've been using Word for so long now, it's like second nature to me now. How hard was it to get used to working in Scrivener before you felt really comfortable?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

oreannie — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:37:47 -0600

Anyone having problems with Scriviner Trial crashing on them? I have Windows 7 - and it will crash intermittently on me. Is there some kind of fix with this? I love the functionality of the program, but starting to get discouraged by repeated crashings! Luckily it saves most of the things that I have done... Any help would be greatly appreciated! As I mentioned, I am enjoying it...when it works!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lumynescence — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:32:04 -0600

Yes, I've been having a lot of crashings! I'm not sure what is wrong with it...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

magistix — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:51:32 -0600

I love scrivener!!!! The only problem is, i started writing my novel with the beta, and structured it using scrivener, and now i can't decide whether to copy it into word with all the organised bits and wait for the discount coupon, or buy it on pre-order and carry on as i have been doing. SUCH A DILEMMA! :(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tephra — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 21:09:17 -0600

[quote=JLIvan] Glad to read a good review on Scrivener. I hesitate to start this year with the program because I don't want to waste writing time trying to learn a new program. I've been using Word for so long now, it's like second nature to me now. How hard was it to get used to working in Scrivener before you felt really comfortable? [/quote] I took the time to do the tutorial, which took a couple hours, and I'd say I was pretty comfortable in maybe six hours? I loaded my old NaNo stories in (from Word and from plain text) and broke them into chunks and basically got them all set to edit later. By the time I'd finished doing one of them I felt comfortable enough with the software to use it as writing software as well as editing software.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Abzdragon — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:27:52 -0600

Scrivener for Windows seems to have deleted my entire novel. When I open it, it takes me to a blank doc. Is there anyway to recover the 10,000 words I lost?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Hypatiatoo — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:48:22 -0600

I'm new to Scrivener, too, and I'm loving it. All I've been doing is compiling it to an .rtf file and opening in Word, I haven't figured out the project word count feature yet, it's not making sense to me. So unless someone can tell us of a better way to validate that's how I will do it at the end of the month.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Hypatiatoo — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:50:16 -0600

I have XP still, but Scrivener has been rock solid so far.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:17:14 -0600

That happened to me (with fewer words) and I found out that I had inadvertently copied everything over to a non-manuscript section (according to the binder.) Make sure your verbage isn't on another document before you panic. Hope you find it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Abzdragon — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:13:38 -0600

I found the writing after some tears and confusion last night. For some reason the Scrivener project file purged itself of my novel contents but backed it up in the Docs folder as randomly assigned Word documents. I keep having to re-import them if I want to use Scrivener as a writing tool. It's purged itself again twice when I try to auto-open the file.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

b8g8 — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:10:07 -0600

Out of curiosity, are you using both Mac and Windows? I went back and forth and my Windows file poofed while it's fine in Mac.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheCrescent — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:18:33 -0600

Unfortunately, it's been having a lot of problems on my computer. It simply stops responding to the mouse after a few clicks. Sometimes if I click around enough it will start responding again, but sometimes I have to uninstall/reinstall to get it to work. (I have a pretty beefy machine - it's way above the min. requirements.) I just uninstalled/reinstalled it yet again with what I assume is the newest beta, if not the full version 1 demo but it still hates me. I'm on Windows 7. I'd love to switch to Scrivener as it looks like it would fit my workflow better, but I don't know why I'm having so many issues.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Essence_of_Insanity — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:41:17 -0600

Now that I have the full version, I want you to know that Scrivener is amazing. I thought I'd never buy a program just for working on my creative writing, but this has done wonders for my organization, and for pacing myself. You guys really converted me when you put out the Windows Beta. So I pre-ordered it and used my NaNo code. Thank you so much for doing this!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mserick — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:43:10 -0600

I so want to use this program, but the Windows Beta keeps crashing on my Windows 7 machine. I don't know if it is because I tried to import from Word, which is when I got the first crash. So I attempted to just type a few hundred words in and it seemed to be working fine, I closed and reopened and my stuff was there. Then I decided to cut and paste a scene in, and it crashed again. I can't waste this much time worrying whether the program is going to work. Any fixes? I sat through the tutorial, and I learned enough to know that this will be a tremendous help, if it will work.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Windows

Storeetllr — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:07:49 -0600

Thanks, David! So far, so slow, but, if history is anything to go by, this is my usual modus operandi and I will manage to finish on a major adrenaline rush at around 10:30 p.m. PT November 30. I have been having an issue with Scrivener for Windows ~ a pesky crashing problem. It's not a huge dealeo ~ I haven't lost any text and merely have to shut it down and reopen it and it's okay for awhile before it crashes again. The only thing is, my concentration gets broken when that happens, and it's not always easy mend fix it and get back to writing. I went on the website forum on Saturday and saw that this is a known issue, so I haven't been stressing much, but, if there's a fix anytime soon, I will be very grateful. Anyway, if not for that little problem, I'd be in major love with the program. Happy NaNoing! Mary

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

johndunk — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:42:57 -0600

I'm using the Windows Beta 0.49 on Windows 7 and about about to upgrade to 1.0. The people on the Scrivener forums are real good for support, so I'd say hit them up there.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

changeling13 — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:35:11 -0600

Not sure if anyone else has hit this issue; I'm using the Scrivener Windows Beta (NaNo Version), and just found out there's a serious discrepancy (like 5000 words' worth) between the number I get if I add up the totals for the various chapters, and the one that comes up if I use "Project Statistics." Until this evening I had been going by the chapter counts and thought I was comfortably ahead of my daily goal... now I'm not so sure!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Erdewild — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:37:29 -0600

Downloaded a few of these, thinking I was going to test them. Started with Scrivener, and man, I'm happy! I organize by chapter, so this allows me to easily set each one up before I start and bam, instant outline! I'm sure many of the rest of them work the same way, but I'm already happy with Scrivener, and I've heard so many more great things about it from others. I'm hooked. After I win, I'm a payin' customer! (Even if I don't win, I will be, but that's just not in the realm of possibility. So I'm set!) ;)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

changeling13 — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:44:20 -0600

Friend reminded me that I could use Google docs to verify my word count, and the chapter totals were definitely correct (thank goodness!). Has the Project Statistics word count been fixed in the 1.0 release?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:45:46 -0600

Carolf: Yes, the Draft folder can be renamed at will, and some of the templates do so. “Manuscript” is often used in the fiction templates. It’s the same thing though; they are all “the draft folder” underneath their names. Just keep all auxiliary data outside of the draft folder. It doesn’t matter what level it is on, so long as its “parent” is not draft. Outlines work in hierarchy, where A can be 1, 2, and 3 beneath it. Meanwhile B can have 4, 5, and 6 beneath it. So 5 and 2 might be on the same level but they hail from different top-level folders. One is A/2 and the other is B/5. It really works just like folders and files on your computer. The stuff in Documents is not related to the stuff in Pictures, even if you were to look at them both on an outline view like the binder shows, they would be at the same level, directly beneath the top level Documents and Pictures folders. I think this could be a very powerful tool once I learn how to use it. I’m just in a bad position of not finding this until the first day of the month! Yeah! That’s tough picking up a new tool and doing NaNo all at once! Hats off to you.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:49:46 -0600

b8g8: In practical usage, no there shouldn’t be a problem with doing this. Technically speaking, there are probably thousands of differences between how the two save projects, but that shouldn’t be something you have to concern yourself with—it’s just whether or not it works. We have most of the cross-platform problems worked out at this point; but I’m sure there are still lingering difficulties. If you don’t mind; send us a copy at support [at] literaturesandlatte [dot] com, and we can take a look and see why it is failing and hopefully fix the problem for future others as well.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:58:51 -0600

Hi DMac - At this point, with the updates since 046, it's not an issue with Scrivener "in general". The NaNo 046 update fixed some of the issues but further changes were made to address the problems certain characters were causing on import/paste into program, so with 1.0 this shouldn't be an issue any longer. If you want to carry on with the NaNo trial, one other step to try would be changing all your smart quotes/apostrophes in Word to straight quotes and then saving as RTF and importing that. I can't guarantee it will work--there might be other character encoding causing the crash--but that's helped a few NaNoers to carry on crash-free, and it should be fairly quick to try. If you've already done a lot of editing on those documents in Scrivener, however, it might end up more hassle. You'd want to export them from Scrivener first, make the adjustments, and then reimport (and remove your earlier versions from the project so they're not still hanging around being crash-traps). Definitely use File > Backup before trying this, just to be assured you've got a full copy of the project before you start tinkering with things. Other option of course is to try downloading the 1.0 trial. Uninstall the current version you have so you can start with a clean slate as far as settings and such (so it will wipe your preferences, but it won't touch your projects or saved templates or compile settings) and then run the 1.0 installer. You won't need the NaNo template anymore, since you've already got your project started (and templates are just project beginnings, so everything in them becomes part of your project) and if you want the NaNo compile settings, you can download that .ini file from the special offers page. 1.0 will give you 30 days of use, so that will get you through to December.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:03:23 -0600

In answer to the test validation questions, the best method to use will be compiling using the template settings. On a Mac you can use the NaNoWriMo Obfuscated format which will automatically scramble the text for you. You'll have an identical word count, but the file will be unreadable. But the validator takes a plain-text file---so just make sure the "compile for" thing is set to .txt and you should be okay. For absolute purists: choose "Original" format compiling for .txt. That will print just the text and *only* the text. No titles or anything. For those that consider titles to a part of the work, I believe they enabled by default for folders (chapters) in the NaNo template.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:05:55 -0600

Glad you've been having success! The snapshot crash has been eradicated with the release of 1.0, I'm happy to say, so this shouldn't be a problem for any users now. For those who did experience it with the betas (or the NaNo trial), the crash happens after the snapshot is taken, so on reopening the project the snapshot will be there, and if you make sure auto-save runs (the asterisk in the window title bar disappears) before you take the snapshot, you won't lose anything in the crash. A workaround is to just make a duplicate of the file in the binder and stash that somewhere else, e.g. make a folder for "Old Versions" or the like and then make your "snapshot" by duplicating the file in question and moving the duplicate to the Old Versions folder before you begin edits in the original. It's less elegant, but it will work to keep a copy of your work safe before you go at it with the metaphorical scissors and red pen.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CABridges — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:30:22 -0600

The full release is out! I've been waiting nearly a year to use my discount from last NaNoWriMo, and I couldn't tell you the last time I've wanted to give someone money for so long. Ordered!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:42:16 -0600

Carolf - Another tip that may help you to is that you can select collections to be compiled. Collections are basically groups of documents that you create which can come from anywhere in the binder; you can view them and work with them together without having them tied to their binder context. So what you could do is create a collection for non-Draft notes you want to compile, then select that in place of the Draft ("Manuscript" in your case) folder in the compile contents pane and all the text documents in the collection will be available for compile. First, go to View > Collections > Show Collections. You'll see a couple tabs appear at the top of the binder, along with a "Collections" header. Now select in the binder the documents you want to add to a new collection and then click the "+" in the collection header. A new tab will be created for the collection; you can give it whatever name you want. You'll be viewing the collection in the binder now, and you can switch back to the standard, full binder by clicking the "Binder" tab at the bottom of the list. You can drag more documents from the binder onto the collection tab to add them, or right-click the document and select "Add to Collection". Then open File > Compile... and click the blue arrow to see all the options if they're not visible. Select "Contents" from the sidebar on the left and then in the drop-down menu on that pane, which will currently say "Manuscript", select the name of your new collection. The list of documents in the contents pane will switch to show what's in your collection, and you can then compile these (make sure they're selected for inclusion in compile, which you can do in that pane as well--Alt-click will tick or untick the whole list). Just keep in mind that Project Targets and Project Statistics will use the current compile settings when calculating your word count, so after you've compiled your non-Draft selection, you might want to switch this back to Draft to keep your 50K goal (or whatever you've set) on track. One last note--the "Characters" and "Places" folders should actually be at the at the same level as the Manuscript folder. If you click the disclosure arrow to the left of the Manuscript folder to collapse the contents, you'll see the Characters and Places folder line up underneath it. So that's why they're not being included in the default Draft (Manuscript) compile.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ambersense — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:53:06 -0600

Are you using a digitiser or tablet by any chance? We do know of some incompatibilities between graphics tablets and Scrivener. The details of this bug have yet to be fully worked out, so if this does apply to you, try using an ordinary mouse and see if that clears up the problem.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Erdewild — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:02:36 -0600

Oh, and something else just made it the winner, hands down. I just had to write a short script for a couple of friends for a presentation they're giving next week... Scrivener's screenplay template made it easy peasy to put together without having to freak out about how to format it properly. Then it exported to Word easily so I could send it on... Okay, I'm hooked. And I haven't even done any of the tutorials yet. Can't wait to learn all the things to do with this program! Except, oh yes I can... off to shoot off another 2000 words for today!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mserick — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:03:44 -0600

Thanks for the suggestion. I searched the Scrivener forums, and learned enough to try again. This time, I was successful in cutting and pasting my word doc's into Scrivener Windows Beta 0.49. I'm not sure if my previous problem had something to do with Dropbox as the location of where the files were, but once I moved them onto my hard drive, I had no problem copying them into Scrivener. No crashes, and now all 6 days of writing have been imported over. I'm happy! I will be buying this software, hopefully with the discount. I can't wait to learn all of the features, but for now, it is going to be a tremendous help in keeping me organized. Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:35:52 -0600

Project Statistics bases the count on your compile settings, so the first thing to check is how you have that set up. Go to File > Compile... and expand it to show the full options by clicking the blue arrow button. First thing to check is what's set in the Contents pane--are you compiling the whole Draft? Are any of the documents not set to be included (or are documents included that shouldn't be)? Then check in the Formatting tab. Here you'll see different elements marked for each type of file (folder, document groups, and single documents). If you're only set to compile titles and synopses, for instance, you'll be getting a very different count from what you see when working in the editor. If you're still having trouble after going through this, a screenshot of your project showing the binder and the project statistics panel, and another with your compile settings (for the contents pane and the formatting pane) might be helpful in troubleshooting this.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ZeroDraftingGenius — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:01:31 -0600

I'd actually started with Scrivener a couple of years ago but abandoned it, as well as the novel I was struggling with at the time. The problem was two-fold, and very much my fault: 1) I hadn’t read the Tutorial very closely and so missed some key points on how to use/organize files, and 2) I got carried away with color coding, which kept me focused on the wrong thing. After starting NaNo 2011 (my first attempt) I really felt I should give the software another shot, and I'm glad I did. Now that I'm using it in a way that suits my work style, I’m making really progress — much more than I'd be managing if I were having to slog through a single long doc file. The binder and corkboard make it so easy to try out scenarios/arrangements of any number of chapter and scenes. This is very necessary as I am pantsing all the way, just writing whatever scenes come to mind and teasing a plot out as I go. :-) As for the inspector, collections, keywords, etc. I’m sure I’ll try them all at some point on some project. Btw, I found myself sinking like a very happy zen stone into the full screen editor. What a great option when I want to clear away as much visual and mental clutter as possible. I’ll be using Scrivener long after November ends to complete this novel and start on my next one -- the same one I abandoned previously — plus I'm very interested in the possibilities of using it for blogging. I expect it will work fantastically well as I can use the binder to organize a publication calendar for the majority of posts/articles — plus I'll have that handy research folder to keep Creative Commons images, links to salient sites, etc. Perhaps you guys should create a blogging template for the program? :-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

littlewisp — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:02:59 -0600

I'm a silly pumpkin and didn't see this until AFTER I'd purchased Scrivner. . .but in all honesty after going through the exhaustive tutorial I can happily say that I do not feel cheated. I feel I will definitely be able to get my money's worth, neglected e-coupon or no.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

teacherguy66 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 07:56:46 -0600

It wasn't hard at all. Scrivener is mostly intuitive. I'm also comfortable just using it for how I want to use it; which is a strength of the software by the way. It doesn't force you to write in a particular way; it's flexible. The corkboard is cute and all, but I'm happy just using the binder to help me plot and organize my notes and research. And then I'm just writing away. It took a handful of hours to feel comfortable, but I wouldn't say it was hard at all.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Käptn — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:25:11 -0600

Hi, I have installed the Nano-Version of Scrivener and unfortunedly it crashes a lot ! I was using a trial windows version on windows 7 before and it worked well; now the Nano-Version is instable. Does more people have that problem? Can I install back to normal version without loosing my project? Captn

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jerene Minnie — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:08:05 -0600

I got the the generic (Mac) trial version before I found the NANOWRIMO offer here and have been using it all week. I love it too. Anybody know if there's any chance/way of switching so I can take advantage of the 50% deal when I win?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:08:34 -0600

Ok so I downloaded the Linux version which is meant to be still in beta and was marked as free, and it's also mentioned that the Linux version isn't being worked on at all at the moment. Plus, the Windows trial is meant to be 30 days. I installed the Linux version a day or two before NaNo began - and it took a lot of work to get it installed. I just went to open it to work on my novel, and it tells me it expired today and I have to buy the full version. I only have the Linux beta version. I did not download a Windows trial. And now I can't open my novel to work on it at all. Does anyone have any idea how to fix this or convert the files without being able to open them? I'm not impressed at all and I'm fairly sure that once I've managed to convert my file to something that can be opened in another program I probably won't be using it again.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

forgotten_butterfly — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:08:27 -0600

I'm upset and kind of freaking out about my novel right now. I believe I downloaded the Windows Beta Trial the day NaNo started. It said it would expire Nov. 7 or 30 days, and after what I originally read, I assumed the trial would last through the end of NaNo. Currently, all of my work is in Scrivener, and now I have no way to access it to move it to any other program. This highly dissappoints me, after all I was loving the program, but I expect to be given my 30 day trial at least.. to get me through until i could even possibly buy the full version. My Suggestions: Even if the trial eliminates the use of the tools, it should still have an option to choose for compiling. This way people can safely remove their work if the trial ends. [Because of a lack of this option, I'm going to be pushed even further behind in NaNo, not cool.]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

forgotten_butterfly — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:12:33 -0600

Right now, the only thought I have is to contact a nano friend.. or another friend who can try to d/l the trial.. If you trust them, send them your file and have them compile it and send it back. I personally hate the idea of using this process, but it should work.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

forgotten_butterfly — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:15:48 -0600

Okay, slight relief and annoyance. You can re-download the trial. It says about the 30days to use, I don't see any other date mentioned... It let me open up my files again though. This time I may end up compiling every night (or two) just to make sure I don't have to worry about losing my work like I did today ever again.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:34:44 -0600

I'm having the same problem and I don't even use the Windows version. The post clearly says it won't expire. I've spent hours trying to work out how to uninstall and reinstall in Linux and it's still not working which means I'm not only behind on NaNo now, but also on everything else I had to do today. The Linux version doesn't even have all of the features yet. If I had a way to convert the files I'd just get rid of it completely and not bother with it at all anymore. Not impressed.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:37:24 -0600

Thanks. :( I actually saw that a little after I posted, but I'm having trouble working out how to uninstall and reinstall. I'm relatively new to Linux, and I'm not used to tar.gz files in general, but the new one seems to only be available for Debian. I think one friend has the Windows version but she doesn't get online very day and I'm going to get very behind.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

forgotten_butterfly — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:39:40 -0600

It didn't make me uninstall at all, i just re-installed over the old program. I don't know if it'll work the same for you or not though, since we're using different systems.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:43:51 -0600

Glaedr - You can download the 1.0.1 Linux version from here. As the Linux is in beta, there's just a set expiration date (as there was for the Windows betas) rather than a "days of use" setting; this version will last to the end of March 2012. Sincere apologies for the delay--it went up last night, but we meant to have it out earlier so no one would run into a period of not having access to the program. For future reference, all your writing is stored in RTF files within the project folder, so even without Scrivener it's still possible to salvage your work from these. The files will be numbered according to the order they were created in the project, so you may have a little piecing together to do, but the writing will all be there and accessible. With Scrivener installed you can use the compile process to bring all the work out in a single document with the formatting you choose, so that's certainly the ideal way, but you aren't ever locked out of accessing your writing. I'm very sorry you had a bad experience; I certainly hope you'll give the Linux version another go with the new download and check out the community in the forum linked to above, as the users there are incredibly helpful in supporting one another (in fact one of them has generously created the .debs for easy install), but regardless, best wishes for your NaNo novel! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:50:29 -0600

The problem here is that the first post in this thread clearly said it wouldn't expire, so those of us who went by what was written here didn't know anything was installing. Being a NaNo sponsor, L&L obviously know when NaNo runs and we had no warning at all. It's nice that volunteers make files, but I don't use Debian. I use OpenSuse, and installing over the top for me just doesn't work. What is the point of setting expiry dates on things when there isn't even a full version to pay for? I'm hours behind now, and not just on my novel either. It was hard enough to install it in the first place. I can live without the few extra features that the Linux version doesn't have yet. But the program needs to -function-.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:52:51 -0600

forgotten_butterfly - The standard Windows betas all had a set expiration date, Nov. 7th being the last one; 1.0 is now out, so there are no longer any public betas. You can however use the special NaNoWriMo Trial version linked to in the beginning of this thread, which doesn't expire until Dec 7th; you can download it here and install directly over your current beta. Your projects aren't tied to the program or a particular version, so you'll be able to open them in the NaNo trial once you have that installed. You're also welcome to download the regular 1.0 trial from here, which will give you 30 days of use. For 1.0, I'd recommend first uninstalling the existing beta; this won't affect your projects, but it will clear the preferences and toolbar customizations, ensuring that you start with a clean slate for 1.0 and don't have any carryover from the beta settings. With the regular trial, you do get a grace period of an extra day to give you a chance to compile your work should you forget to do so before the 30 days are up. And with all versions, your projects are stored just as regular folders and files on your hard drive, with your writing saved in RTF files, so in a pinch your writing is still accessible. -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tahyer — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:03:04 -0600

This is the best software there is. A must for writers.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

JKLawrence — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:24:05 -0600

I've just moved my document into Scrivener (Windows 30 day trial), as my copy of Word is playing up something rotten. Scrivener claimed I had over 1000 words more than Word said I did! Result - I'm up to my daily target! I now love Scrivener, but probably for the wrong reason.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:02:41 -0600

The first post refers to the Windows and Mac NaNoWriMo Trial versions, which have the extended expiration date; it explains that Linux isn't an officially supported platform and that we release builds ported from the Windows version, but there is no special Linux trial. Although there's no date set for an expected official Linux version, having expiration dates on the betas is still necessary since new releases do come out and we need to ensure that users upgrade to the most recent version so that they have the latest bug fixes and features and don't end up reporting issues that have already been addressed. I'm sorry for any confusion about how the dates worked, and as I said, we intended to have a Linux beta released earlier so there wouldn't be a gap, but the Linux builds come off the Windows version and the Windows 1.0 version wasn't ready until the 7th; Lee did all he could to get the Linux build ready as soon as possible after the Windows build was set. There are Linux users of a variety of distros that post in the forums, so if you're having difficulty with the installation, chances are someone there is familiar with your set up and will be able to help you out.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:05:36 -0600

Heh! Still, word count is word count. ;) If you're checking the count for the Draft (or Manuscript) under Project Statistics, this will use the compile settings, so make sure you have only the documents that you mean to include in your novel appearing in the "Contents" pane of File > Compile... (click the blue arrow button in the compile sheet if you don't see the side bar with "Contents"). It could be you've got some notes or other research files tucked into your Draft that are getting included when they shouldn't be; just deselect "include in compile" on these if that's the case, or drag them out of the Draft folder. You can also check what elements are set to compile in the "Formatting" pane there as well; if you're including synopses as well as text, for instance, your count will be higher.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:32:04 -0600

Thank you, Tahyer! Glad you're enjoying the program. Best wishes for your 50K! -- Jennifer Literature & Latte

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RhiannonG — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:08:08 -0600

I love this software! I'm a "top down" thinker and I have to have an overview of a project before I can work on the pieces of it. I just don't function well unless I can zoom out and see the big picture and then zoom back in. I've always struggled with this with writing. If I can't get it all on one page and see how it fits together, it's really hard for me. (I write a lot of short poetry.) :-) So yesterday I downloaded Scrivener and spent about four hours going through the tutorial and then organizing all the stuff I had written and figured out already, using the folders and the corkboard. OMG it's a friggin miracle! Once I had laid out the whole structure of the novel, it was so much easier to go in and write the pieces that weave it together. Even with the four hours I spent I still managed to write 2000 words yesterday. (Admittedly I was off work.) Now I can jump in and out and work at various levels of depth, move things around, and see how it all fits, at varying scales from the entire project to just one piece of one scene. This is completely transforming my experience of writing. It's so much less of a struggle. I think it will help me with every kind of writing that I do. I can't thank you enough for creating this software. Apparently whoever envisioned this has a brain that works sort of like mine, because it's perfect. There are still a lot of features that I didn't get into, because right now hammering out those 50K words is my main priority, but I plan to play with it when I get into December and beyond. I am absolutely going to buy this software once I get my 50% off coupon. I'm also going to recommend it to my daughter, who's in a grad school program with lots of demanding writing projects. And every other writer I know. Also, thanks for making it compatible with my ancient PowerPC, which I am very attached to and can't afford to replace. I love you Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RhiannonG — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:24:55 -0600

oh yes yes Scrivener for bloggers!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheCrescent — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:19:29 -0600

Update on my Win 7 mouse issue: I do have a Wacom tablet and when I (reluctantly) switched to a normal mouse, Scrivener started working properly. Since my life this month is devoted to work, sleep, and NaNo, I can deal with not using my tablet but I do hope a real fix is in the works. I'm bouncing back and forth between Scrivener and another writing package. Scrivener's workflow better fits me, though the other software has some nice add-ons. With the great discounts, I may end up with both. I'm definitely going to show this off to a friend who's a teacher. I think it'll help her with her research papers. BTW: If you're looking for feature requests, I'd love to be able to make the notecards bigger so I could fit more text on them before scrolling. (I can shrink the text only so much before getting nose prints on my monitor.) The cherry on top would be the ability to put them anywhere I want on the corkboard instead of having them always lined up.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

The Infamous Catbag — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:13:51 -0600

I'm using this to write my novel currently, after making the jump from Word 2010, and it's definitely a huge improvement! I really love the Project Targets window, and I really wish it was implemented in the main editor itself. Put it on my love for RPG games, but progress bars are a huge boost for my productivity! I also noticed that the Session Target would go up if I made notes which aren't featured in the compile itself - it would be great if that got the same tick-box as the Manuscript Target too!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:16:49 -0600

The Infamous Catbag - glad you like it! The Mac version already has a checkbox hat allows you to tell it not to count in the session target anything outside of the Draft folder, so this will be coming to the Windows version in due course (I can't say exactly when though, just that it definitely will be coming). Thanks and all the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Kayembi — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:19:53 -0600

TheCresent - you can already choose how large or small the index cards are. In the footer bar underneath the corkboard, on the right, look for an icon that looks like four small cards and click on it. This brings up a number of corkboard options, such as how many cards should be fitted across, or whether the the number should be calculated automatically depending on their size, and if so, there is a slider for changing their size, and so on. The Mac version already has a "freeform" corkboard mode, so this will be coming in the Windows version, too, although it's a way off in the future (possibly not until version 2.0 - we have to go through the roadmap and sort out what's coming when, and that's a big one). Thanks and all the best, Keith

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

The Infamous Catbag — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:26:59 -0600

Thanks for the reply! I'll be awaiting that eagerly :) How about making the Project Targets window 'dockable' into the main editor? I'd *love* to have it with me as I type, instead of having to drag it into a spot which isn't seeing much screen-use. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

February — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:12:49 -0600

OMG. I am in love. I am so bad with software, learning new software especially, and having multiple disabilities and being I only have partial use of my vision it does not help the situation nor does it make the process of writing any easier (and I just can't dictate, I'm not that kind of writer...) But...SCRIVENER! I'm sorry, I had to shout. And I warn you I'm about to shout again: corkboard...Corkboard...CORKBOARD!!! I am in love with the corkboard. I am in love with the program! This will be THE tool that helps me finally get through revision projects with my limited eyesight. LOVE the typewriter scrolling (now if the keys just made a typewriter noise I'd really be set :~) and the full screen is INCREDIBLE. Everything else just goes away! Just you and your words, beautiful glorious words *swoon*. Between this and my Natural Reader program to help save energy on reading things back to me thus saving more vision time...I actually have a shot now at creating the tight, clean manuscripts I want to without having to hire a team of Jedi to come in and help me (and yes, it is that dire a situation, not just one but a team would be required.) Scrivener is now my new favorite program ever and it's worth every penny. In fact it would be in my opinion worth many pennies more, as that was what I paid for another much clunkier 'professional' writing program a few years ago (sorry Other Software People, you were cool for screenplay writing until now but that manuscript template left a lot to be desired for me personally...) and it just gave me headaches (and eyeaches, literally). Thank you for this program! --still figuring out the bells and whistles but loving it already, ~bru

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

angevine16 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:50:03 -0600

I have used Scrivener for years now (I'm a Mac girl) and believe me when I say that *you need this software.* It is the best way to keep everything organized -- drafts, photographs, maps, lists, research, articles -- and right at your fingertips. Exports nicely to Word for your publisher, too.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:54:45 -0600

I was actually referring to the Linux paragraph: [quote=blackswan] Note to Linux Users Although we don't plan on releasing an official Linux version for some time yet (because we're a tiny company focussing on one platform at a time, making sure we can support each platform as well as possible), we do release unofficial Linux builds ported from our Windows version - essentially [b]the Linux version will remain in "free beta" mode[/b] until such time as we can put the extra love and attention into it to make it release-ready. We don't publicise it widely because of this, but we have a sub-forum dedicated to Linux here: viewforum.php?f=33. [/quote] It's more or less working now, but it took me six hours to fix it, in which time I could have been writing or doing one of the many other things that I have to do. And it's also very buggy.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:55:37 -0600

Ugh sorry there isn't an edit button on here. That was from the first post in this thread, posted by Chris of course.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jenna Kernan — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:31:02 -0600

I've started experimenting with this program in October. The index cards are very helpful for plotting and I can see how the function for moving scenes would be a great help. Still only have my toe in the water, as I am writing in a traditional Word document, and only using the scene index cards as a plotting tool and to remind me what comes next. I split my screen so I can write on one side and check my index cards on the other. I'm becoming more familiar and comfortable with this and think the time invested in learning will pay off great dividents.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Infinitey — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:10:39 -0600

This may have been answered previously, but there are too many reactions to search through the topic. I am playing a bit with Scriviner and I like it so far. I have looked at some tutorials and through the FAQ but I can't seem to figure out how to create a character. What I have done now is right clicking" characters"pick add file, then add text in the file. But is this how it is supposed to be done? Or is there a way I have not figured out yet? I am using the Windows version

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dretzle — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:15:29 -0600

Dear Scrivener, Thank you for helping my novel writing dream come true. I discovered Scrivener in October when I started considering NaNoWriMo this year. I'm not at 25,000 words and I honestly don't think I would have gotten even this far without Scrivener. I'm not a big outliner. I never have been. Why focus on outlining (and the Word formatting issues that go along with it) when I can just start writing. And character sheets were always a pain. But Scrivener made it so easy to just drop in scenes and write in a piece of synopsis. Or attach PICTURES to my character sheets! And my initial outline looked so different than its current form, thanks be to scrivener who makes it so easy to just shuffle the index cards (and with them entire scenes) around to my satisfaction so I've been able to stay happy with the structure and not slow me down to keep on writing for the end. The only reason I didn't buy it the week I noticed it was (a) I wanted to see how the Windows version was in its release form, and it is awesome and (b) I am determined to win this year, and bolstered by Scrivener helping me get there. With it half off I plan on buying a Windows and a Mac copy. Thanks Scrivener! -Dretzle

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dretzle — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:22:50 -0600

Yeah, your Character Sheet is nothing more than a normal text file. The Novel template comes with a Characters folder that you can put them in. Also, there should be a Template folder with a Character Sheet template. You can use that template or create your own and then either copy the text into your character file, or right-click the template and select Duplicate, rename and move your new Character Sheet. Or just write about the character in the file you created. What's awesome about scrivener is it basically lets you work however you'd like. I also found pictures for several of my characters and put them as "underneath" the character sheet. Also, in the Inspector (press the big blue i button on the right) I switch the synopsis (top of inspector) from text to image and drag my character picture there. Helps me to describe them however I want and yet keep it consistent since it's based on the same picture.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Infinitey — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:31:22 -0600

[quote=Dretzle] Yeah, your Character Sheet is nothing more than a normal text file. The Novel template comes with a Characters folder that you can put them in. Also, there should be a Template folder with a Character Sheet template. You can use that template or create your own and then either copy the text into your character file, or right-click the template and select Duplicate, rename and move your new Character Sheet. Or just write about the character in the file you created. What's awesome about scrivener is it basically lets you work however you'd like. I also found pictures for several of my characters and put them as "underneath" the character sheet. Also, in the Inspector (press the big blue i button on the right) I switch the synopsis (top of inspector) from text to image and drag my character picture there. Helps me to describe them however I want and yet keep it consistent since it's based on the same picture. [/quote] Thank you. It really looks like a great thing to write in. I am handwriting my novel this year, but it seems to me Scriviner would be great for rewriting my novel. I am going to try out some more and perhaps I will purchase at the end of the month.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

originalgradk — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:23:08 -0600

I am using Trial version for Windows but am not using the Nano version after deciding to join in Nano on my new Revised Model, hence I am using a normal Trial with an aimed for (!!!) 100k normal Novel length and not the 50k (Novella length good for Novellas). Will I be able to get the 50% Discount if I become an Nano winner? thanks?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DMac — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:32:47 -0600

Sorry, I just found this reply....(I wasn't checking, b/c my NaNo forum preferences are set to send me email of any reply to a post...but....it didn't...;-p So now I know I should just check forums more often) Who knew quotation marks could cause such a mess LOL! Anyway I'll take your advice and download the 1.0 trial version. I write in sections, not necessarily chronologically, and Scrivener is terrific for helping me keep track of various sequences and scenes etc. Thanks for the help! (And congratulations on having written so many thousands of words WHILE you're also answering everybody's questions! ) DMac

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

egyptianprincess12 — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:05:36 -0600

I bought this software on November 2nd. Saved up for it with my allowance and everything. My parents weren't too keen to buy it, since (as they pointed out), we already had Word on our computers. But still I persisted, and they bought it. I haven't regretted it. I LOVE Scrivener. LOVE it. It's so easy to use, and there are so many useful features. I'll never turn back to Word. Thank you, Scrivener, for a fabulous writing software, as compared to just plain adequate.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:37:52 -0600

I'm still using Scrivener for Windows (NaNo version) and still in love with it. The word count of NaNo gives me roughly 100 words less than the word count of Scrivener, which is very reasonable. I'm still writing part of my novel on the iPhone then sending it by email in text format. Then a copy/paste in Scrivener and everything is OK. After that, I write with Scrivener. No crashes but I save in zip format after each session and I send the zip file on my Amazon cloud. Better safe than sorry.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

olorinpc — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:28:36 -0600

Yes, you get a 50% coupon as part of your winner "goodies" - the only purpose of the NaNo trial is it has a longer than normal expiration date (Dec 7th if i recall correctly) so your work isn't interrupted by needing to purchase a license.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rae_Sweete — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:34:53 -0600

Love the software and am waiting to buy it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Cassie Whitmann — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:48:45 -0600

I downloaded the trial for mac when I was in my writer's craft class and I'm pretty sure I can safely say it saved me from failing my final assignment! haha! I absolutely LOVE it. It makes everything so much easier! Pushing yourself to finish a word goal is much easier when you can just look at the bottom of the screen and go 'hey, that bar is still yellow! I got a ways to go!' rather than constantly going through menus and finding your word count. Also a life saver: the name generator! Pretty sure it's named at least half of my small characters, so much easier than wading through a bunch of websites and junk just to find something that sounds right. When it comes to writing I don't use anything but Scrivener, 'cause it's amazing!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:14:06 -0600

Regarding word count, a couple things you could try when you're testing the NaNo counters is to add an extra space before or after em-dashes, en-dashes, ellipses, and hyphens, as Scrivener counts words separated by these marks as two separate words but the NaNo counter will mark them as one, i.e. "two-way road" comes up as three words in Scrivener but two words in NaNo.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:12:52 -0600

[quote=blackswan] Regarding word count, a couple things you could try when you're testing the NaNo counters is to add an extra space before or after em-dashes, en-dashes, ellipses, and hyphens, as Scrivener counts words separated by these marks as two separate words but the NaNo counter will mark them as one, i.e. "two-way road" comes up as three words in Scrivener but two words in NaNo. [/quote] Now, I understand! Because I'm using lots of hyphens and, yes, I know that the NaNo counter counts spaces only. All I have to do is to launch a "Find & Replace" to replace the hyphens by a space: at last with the compiled text file.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:19:29 -0600

I replaced the hyphen by a hyphen and a space. It worked! It added 210 words to my word count. Great!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

samanthagard1 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:48:36 -0600

I'm so in love with Scrivener I've nearly reached 100,000 words amazing really and that is thanks to a great piece of software!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

wyrdbyrd — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:26:17 -0600

Thanks. Unfortunately, I didn't see this before I found out about Index Card for the iPad, which seems to have some sort of deal going with the Scrivener team. Importing from Scrivener to Index Card didn't go absolutely perfectly the one time I've tried it so far, but there's potential here.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

umiyumi — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:16:59 -0600

I need serious help. I cannot for the life of me enter Full Screen mode. It's always grayed out. I'm running 10.7. I'm in document view. It won't let me do anything and it's ticking me off! Here's a screencap: http://i.imgur.com/ItXeA.png I'd love to have full screen mode so I don't get distracted, but nooo. :( Thanks for any help!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

umiyumi — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:12:10 -0600

DISREGARD THAT I WRITE NOVELS Lol, I'm a goober. Figured it out. (We must never speak of this again.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Denverred — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:17:53 -0600

This is my first time using Scrivener and I love it!! I have managed to crash it a few times (I used to serve as an accidental tester back in my tech writing days--I still have the gift!), which I can document for them after November. I'm definitely going to buy this after the book is done.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Emma Rosloff — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 02:03:26 -0600

Just got through the tutorial, really excited about trying this program out! A little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of functions it can serve, but the tutorial was wonderfully thorough. Love the whole cork board feature and all of the various ways to make notes, annotations, things like that. If I can get the hang of it, I definitely plan on purchasing it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

angelcelestine — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:06:28 -0600

I started using Scrivener for my Mac a few months ago, and LOVE IT. Now I've downloaded the free trial for the Windows version (before I knew about the special NaNo trial, dang it)... but as someone else said on the first page, the 50% discount on the full version is motivation to finish NaNo this year! I love this program so much, and these past few days of NaNo, it's been wonderful to be able to write on my Mac AND my PC, with the same program. The first project I ever used Scrivener on was actually a 21,000 word Harry Potter fanfic. LOL! But Scrivener was an essential part of writing it; I can't remember how many times I switched up the order of the scenes, all so easy! And being able to keep every scene separate kept my brain far more organized than it would have been if I'd tried to write it in Word or any other word processing program. Not to mention, being able to just click down the binder to my notes, look something up quickly, and then just return with another click to the scene I was working on at the time... life saver. Onwards! I will win NaNo this year, and have the coupon! :D

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:52:52 -0600

30K tonight. Thanks, Scrivener! Hope I can write the last 20K...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lamplight — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:43:06 -0600

You've given me new motivation to write the full 50K this year. I so want the Scrivener for Windows. It looks brilliant!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tephra — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:44:54 -0600

Scrivener probably saved this NaNo for me. I structured this story around thirteen chapters and jumped a year between each so I could tell the story of a girl growing up and an woman growing old. That I could have done my old way in a single huge text file. However, about four chapters into the story I realized I just could not stand to write the girl as young as I had started her and decided to jump her ahead three years. I was able to easily note on my previous chapters what new age I would have to correct them to match. Then, while writing the next chapter, I realized I needed to move what had been my last chapter ahead of the one before it, and then move that chapter to the very beginning of the story (the chapters are tied to full moons and I had misplaced the blue moon). I think if I were writing in one long text file I would have had a meltdown at that point. Thankfully with Scrivener all I had to do was drag and drop an index card and then go through an once again add notes to readjust all the ages for the other chapters. I think without the quick and easy way to reorganize and restructure the story "on the fly" I would have given up on it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

wyrdbyrd — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 01:55:51 -0600

After a very terrified hour or so, I found out how to access the Scrivener backups. It would seem that I'm going to learn how to use Scrivener and Index Cards through destructive testing. However, I ultimately didn't lose everything I wrote yesterday, so yay! Alas, I spent most of today doing everything *but* trying for a push, but I'm not horribly behind.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Nouks — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:27:08 -0600

I really like Scrivener for writing. I'll absolutely buy the software, whether I'm finishing the 50.000 or not :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

goldengreaser — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:03:32 -0600

I'm in love.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

hknamida — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:28:54 -0600

I'm using Scrivener and loving it. I'll probably buy a copy after I've won.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ginsing — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:26:47 -0600

Oh my god, HOW do you access the backups? Everything I wrote yesterday is gone... I can see the backup and autosave files, but can't open them. Help?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MegaSpook — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:08:47 -0600

Just bought my full Windows version, I'm psyched! Though, I thought there would be a full version that I would need to download. Apparently it's just the trial version, that I "unlock" with the registration number. Soooo, that means the trial version IS the full version and already has all the features it's supposed to?? Hmph. Fingers crossed everything keeps going well!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

echeloniss — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:21:36 -0600

OMG, THIS IS AMAZING AND SO HELPFUL!!!! whoever made this is genius!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

originalgradk — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:07:14 -0600

Hi I am a happy user of Scrivener for windows trial. (Vista home premium OS on Chrome Browser) UK but the word count thing is getting me down. According to my running calculations so long as I aim for 3000-4000 words a day I am headed for victory, but according to Scrivener I only have 9000 words + I am very depressed. This is happening with me aiming to put in about 4 sessions of between 1,500-2000 words a pop spread over the day when despite the fact I hate my Novel my true? word count is abysmally low?????!!! aGggh!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

originalgradk — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:08:06 -0600

I am definitely planning to buy win or not preferably win as that what's I am slogging my guts out for.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

originalgradk — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:09:21 -0600

[quote=MegaSpook] Just bought my full Windows version, I'm psyched! Though, I thought there would be a full version that I would need to download. Apparently it's just the trial version, that I "unlock" with the registration number. Soooo, that means the trial version IS the full version and already has all the features it's supposed to?? Hmph. Fingers crossed everything keeps going well! [/quote] my question too. I can't find Draft thingy. I wish wish wish wish wish there would be Windows Videos on the website for us newly [otherwise entranced] Scrivener Newbies...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

wyrdbyrd — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:29:56 -0600

I'm using a Mac. If you're using Windows, this may not be exactly the same: Scrivener Menu --> Preferences --> Backup (tab) --> Open Backup Folder (button near bottom) From there I got to a Finder window that allowed me access to the back up files. I hope that this helps you get your work back!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Ayesha123Play — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:24:35 -0600

I have a question. I'm currently fourteen, and in high school and would like to purchase Scrivener with the 50% off discount if I win NaNo - am I considered a student? And does the discount also follow to the student price? On that note, how do you verify whether I am a student or not? Do I have to enter in my school or something? Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

February — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:24:10 -0600

Ack-- quick question please-- with my limited eyesight I've spent so long looking to an answer for this already but I'm just missing it somewhere and I hope someone can help me out, please. When you compile a project, do you lose it from Scrivener or does it stay there the way it is, simply creating a new, additional document to export? I ask because I'd like to try compiling what I have so far just to see how it goes but I am scared about losing it as it currently is as a draft in Scrivener if I do. Thanks in advance for any info you can share on this-- much gratitude. ~bru

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheCrescent — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:17:28 -0600

When you compile, Scrivener simply exports a copy in whatever format you choose. You don't lose your project. I just tested it to make sure and, despite my cat's assistance, it worked just fine. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheCrescent — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:24:02 -0600

I found the card re-size feature over the weekend and am a very happy camper. Now I'm using the Scrivener offer as part of my incentive to finish my 50,000 words. (Otherwise I'd have already bought a license.) I also showed the software off to my sis-in-law over the weekend and offered to buy her a license (regular price) if she felt it would help her with her research papers. This is definitely a "wish I'd found this software sooner" deal.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheCrescent — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:28:00 -0600

For Windows, go to Tools: Options: Backup tab, then click on the "Open backup folder." By default, it puts backups in your c:\users\(etc.) folder. The backups are in .zip format.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:19:57 -0600

You can compile to your heart's content without any fear: your project stays where it is, on your hard drive. In fact, that's how you can check with the NaNo word counter. I do it every day (sometimes, twice a day!): I compile in TXT format, save the file on my disk, open it with WordPad, then Select All, Copy, and Paste on the NaNoWriMo site. If you are afraid of losing your work (and even if you are not), I'll advise you to "BackUp Project" (in Scrivener) with the option (Zip file). And then, transfer this file somewhere else.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ginsing — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:43:10 -0600

I am using the Windows version. When I open up Tools --> Options, there is no backup tab. I've combed through all the tabs I can see, I can't find anything. Like I said, I can see the files in the .scriv folder, named "binder.backup" and "binder.autosave" I can open up each one in wordpad or notepad, and I see a bunch of garbled nonsense. When I try to open those files in Scrivener, I get an error message saying the file is incompatible with my version of Scrivener. When I close the error message, I find the file has been wiped. (Luckily, I made several copies to my flash drive first, so I still have the un-wiped backup and autosave files.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

bettielee — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:14:45 -0600

I am in luv with Scrivener. I'm also incredibly poor, and the thought of spending $45 on a program, even this affordable one, is out of the question. But spending around $22.50? Totally worth it. Pg&e will wait. Whoo hoo!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

February — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:42:35 -0600

Thank you, cdyard and TheCrescent! I knew I could count on other Wrimos to help save my sanity (and my eyesight) Much obliged! ~bru

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CDTurner — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:55:04 -0600

Did you make sure all your documents were checked to compile?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CDTurner — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:16:53 -0600

Hm...that may not help if you can't see your Draft. Are you sure your "Binder" icon is pressed? I mean the picture of the notebook under "File".

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

vjalander — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:26:56 -0600

Ah, I wish there was an easier way. I use Scriver for post vomit draft writing now....

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sonya Faugno — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:13:41 -0600

Hi all, I do like Scrivener, for the way it is set up. It's really easy to find different parts of the book, like if you are looking up a passage or want to edit. However, I have a big problem with losing things. When I try to move files around or rename files, they often move on me and I have to fish them out of the trash or find what other folder they had migrated to. Well, today was really frustrating, because, I not only lost the 500 words I typed this morning, but somehow also lost 400 words that I had typed last night. They are not in the trash and I can't seem to find them in any other folders. I was trying to rename my chapters and scenes and now they are gone. For this reason I don't like the auto save. It saves and I can't go back to where I was when I had last saved my work, so now it's all lost. I haven't given up on Scrivener yet, but I'm very frustrated.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:48:38 -0600

Now is a terrible time to do it (being in the midst of NaNoWriMo), but under Help there's an Interactive Tutorial which will walk you through most of Scrivener's features. Take a gander at it in December. But for your Draft question; it's the main folder where your novel goes. It can be renamed "Manuscript", "My Novel", "The Stupid Thing I'm Writing", etc... "Draft" is the easiest thing to call that folder when you talk or write about it. Hope that helps!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:52:41 -0600

Unfortunately, the discounts don't stack. You can either use the 50% off code when you win, or the student discount... not both. You seem to be doing really well, so the student discount probably won't be important to you in the end.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:02:58 -0600

I think you're unfairly interpreting "will remain in beta" with "will never expire". Beta simply means it's unfinished software, likely to have bugs. If you are serious about giving beta software a go, you should take advantage of all the resources offered to you before you give up on it though; and the user forums have a Linux area populated by people who are both experience with Linux and with Scrivener, and if all you want is to be able to compile your work and leave Scrivener behind, then they'll be glad to help.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Infinitey — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:43:06 -0600

how can I set my own daily word count or word count for the entire document?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sonya Faugno — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:13:24 -0600

Yeah, I found them. They were buried two tiers deep in one of my notes folders. I did a word search for a new character name that I added today and it came up. (Plus I remembered that I had saved my Scrivener files to my dropbox last night. Hooray for backup day, but I'm glad I didn't have to use it!) Lessons learned: Using a mouse works way better for moving and renaming files than the laptop scroll pad. Backups are good. Find is powerful and awesome. And on another note, I'm finding that having the project target window open is too slow for typing. With it open, Scrivener can't seem to keep up with the speed of my typing (which is not very fast at all.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:17:45 -0600

[quote=Infinitey] how can I set my own daily word count or word count for the entire document? [/quote] Project->Project Targets. Enter your goals where appropriate, and then watch those bars fill in!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Storeetllr — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:03:36 -0600

I love the compile feature. It makes backing up my complete project to a zip drive each day so easy! Quick question: Has anyone else experienced inexplicable crashes on a regular basis? Mine has been crashing ~ sometimes when I'm writing, sometimes when I'm moving between sections, sometimes when I'm just sitting there doing nothing ~ once, twice, sometimes more than that per session, and then I just click "OK" on the little error message, the program closes, and when I open it again, all is well. I don't lose anything. Except my concentration. Is that a known bug? Is it something I'm doing? Is there a fix? Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:06:58 -0600

It may be too late now, but for future reference, Scrivener has an "Undo." It's the first item in the Edit menu. It has saved my bacon more than once.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:17:09 -0600

For those using a Redhat-based Linux Distro such as OpenSuse: I just converted the new DEB package to an RPM and have posted the link in the Linux support forum here: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=15931

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Skywayseeker — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 01:29:21 -0600

My first nano- my first use of scrivener *windows version) - hope i win nano so i can get the discount (day 15 - 25000 words in so exactly on track) - best feature - bizzarely enough the little project target box - i have it up all the time - its a great motivator

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

samanthagard1 — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:43:24 -0600

Well I can say thank god for Scrivener, I've broken my own record have written 100,000 words! I have again recommended this to budding novelist who wants to write but has not had the chance to. I also mentioned to her about NaNo novel in a month which might get the bum to the seat. She is a teacher and will be recommending this to her students, so even more sales for you guys. Keep up the great work and maybe I should get commission !! Only joking it's a great piece of kit that has really assisted me with sorting out my historical novel. I've been planning it for ages but with Scrivener it has made it so much easier to visualise it. Thank you

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Soverywrite — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:40:08 -0600

Tried the Scrivener for Windows. Very, very nice. The interactive tutorial is fantastic. I love, love, love the cork board's look, and function. Just what I needed. Intuitive, which I appreciate. Scrivener is another reason to finish 50,000 words by the end of November.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ebf-awesome — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:10:13 -0600

First time on NaNoWriMo and 5 days in, I decided to download and switch to Scrivener (trial version) and that was the very best move I made. I am using Scrivener with SimpleNote on my mobile devices and the sync is seamless. I did not realize I wrote in a non-linear manner and so I am writing any part of my story when I feel inspired and can keep things organized, split, move things around, mark sections I need to come back to, read sections together... It is just awesome. I will definitely be purchasing Scrivener at the end of the month and will definitely pass the 50,000 mark to take advantage of the deal!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sprakit — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:26:23 -0600

Scrivener is the greatest tool of all time!! I wish I discovered it earlier when I had more money. I'm hoping I can finish Nano this year and get the code to buy it cheap. Otherwise I'm going to have to wait :-(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cjpalm — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:27:04 -0600

I've been using Scrivner for a couple of years now and I like it a lot for short fiction writing, though when it comes to novels, I have not been able to successfully export text (I have a mac). Because I set or break the novel up into chapters, when I try to export the entire manuscript, all that's grabbed is which ever chapter I'm in. I've done everything, including clicking on to select all chapters and trying to avoid being "in" any one chapter, but it still only exports one, usually the first. That, of course, presented a problem when I had to upload the 50K words, I had to copy and paste each chapter individually into a different program and then do a copy all and paste of THAT into NaNo's word counter. Quite a headache. Consequently, I'm only using Scrivner, which I do think is a nice little program, for short stories and typing this year's novel in MM Screenwriter. If anyone has come up with a solution to this, I'd love to hear it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

GenetheGenie — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:11:39 -0600

kk, feedback (windows version): LOVE: + the layout + Fullscreen mode(!!) + keywords + snapshots + being able to separate and re-arrange scenes (though i guess that counts as layout) + corkboard + screen-split + The whole program in general WHAT THE FRIG?: + can't copy-paste the whole text when viewing an entire folder at once, can only copy each individual section as though you are viewing it and only it. this means that in order to update word count in Nano, you have to export the doc every time, or copy-paste every scene individually into a new scene document (what i did. it's annoying) BECAUSE......... + Word count settings can't be adjusted (as far as I can tell) (eg. count hypenated words as 2 or 1 word?), which means THE SCRIVENER WORD COUT IS MORE GENEROUS THAN THE NANO-VALIDATE ONE. beware, ye all, ok? + No right-click synonyms! i know it's just a little gimmick, but it's the one thing i miss most about Microsoft Word..... mmmk, there's just a few little things that could be improved, but in general, I love the program! :D thanks heaps guys :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:08:52 -0600

It sounds like you have the "Current Selection" set as your "Compile Target". There should be a drop-down for you to chose the entire Draft/Manuscript folder as the compile target. If that doesn't help, go to http://literatureandlatte.com/forum/, choose the section for your platform (Mac or Windows), and then go to that section's "Technical Support" forum. You'll have to register to post a question, but everyone there is very helpful. Or just contact their support email directly support@literatureandlatte.com (though they're really getting a lot of volume right now; the forums will get you help faster).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:13:22 -0600

Also, if you don't want to go to the trouble of compiling your novel into a file, opening that file in a word processor, and then copy & pasting it... just click on the Draft folder that contains all of your novel, and click on the "scrivenings" icon (the one just to the left of the corkboard & outline icons). That will show your whole novel in one long view, which you can then select all (CMD-A) and then copy & paste that. Much faster.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

pking36330 — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:18:12 -0600

[quote=GenetheGenie] + Word count settings can't be adjusted (as far as I can tell) (eg. count hypenated words as 2 or 1 word?), which means THE SCRIVENER WORD COUT IS MORE GENEROUS THAN THE NANO-VALIDATE ONE. beware, ye all, ok? [/quote] Since most seem to agree there is a hyphen disconnect between how Scrivener counts words and how NaNoWriMo counts, all Scrivener users should just take their compiled output on the 30th, perform a Search & Replace in their editor of choice, finding all hyphens and replacing them with a space. Then upload the resulting changed text to NaNoWriMo. Will take about a full minute to perform. That will ensure full credit for hyphenated words, and will leave them intact and correctly hyphenated in the original content within Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ebf-awesome — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:42:16 -0600

When you click on the draft folders tab, you should see the word count for the entire document. Selecting individual documents give you word counts for those alone. I hope this helps.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cjpalm — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:03:21 -0600

Thank you so much! Should have done a lot more digging around but I found the commands and was able to reorganize and export into a single document. I owe you! CJ

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Trying2Write — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:12:36 -0600

I have had the same thing happen. A bit frustrating because of the time I wait for it decide it has crashed, exit and reopen. At the moment that is about the only thing keeping me from purchasing a copy at my job.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Storeetllr — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:10:22 -0600

I hear you! I just hope that, if it's a known bug (and I think it could be), they will fix it by the time I get around to winning NaNo and buying my copy. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sonya Faugno — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:19:12 -0600

Hi angelcelestine, I'm enjoying Scrivener also. You can get the Windows and Mac NaNoWriMo templates on the trial page and just load them into your version. http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php It had a lot of things set up in it that I didn't know about. I thought they did a great job on it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

deysalina — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:03:06 -0600

Hi, thought I'd try Scrivener and it looks superb, just right for what I need. My only question is (apologies if this has been asked before!) I copied and pasted my existing novel into Scrivener in separate chapters. It all seems perfectly fine, except, all the speech marks have disappeared! Is there another way to do this? thanks

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:25:12 -0600

Weird. Try the Literature & Latte forums if this doesn't work, but first.... Try the File->import menu and see if adding your file that way makes any difference. Another option is to save your original as Rich Text (RTF) and then import that after verifying that your punctuation is intact. Once you have it in scrivener, just go to your chapter breaks and use the Documents->Split command to separate things into chapters (and maybe even scenes if you're ambitious).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Faecanuck — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:25:30 -0600

I'm loving this program so far - it's the best I've ever run across when it comes to writing. Thanks for offering the lengthy test drive!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

moviememe — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:07:54 -0600

stumbled on this, just as I was attempting to cut and paste from word and the same thing happened to me. A nightmare if it drops all the punctuation... which it does. Saved as .rtf same results, loss of quotation punctuation. Thank you. You saved me hours of frustration had I started working with this program as the ability to import text is something I've got to have. If they fix this bug, I still may consider it. thank you thank you thank you. Huge bullet just dodged.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:49:06 -0600

Storeetllr and Trying2Write - If you're using the Windows version, this may be a known bug due to imported (or copy/pasted) invalid characters--it sounds about right from the description, if you ever brought in any work from somewhere else like Word. This was fixed for 1.0, so if you like you can dump the NaNo trial and install the standard 1.0 trial from here. Backup your projects, then uninstall the NaNo trial and download and install the 1.0 trial; your "Recent Projects" menu will be cleared, so you'll need to go through "Open Existing Projects..." to access your project the first time around. Your preferences in the Options panel will also be reset to defaults, so you'll have to redo those, but doing all this will ensure that you don't get any lingering gremlins from the pre-1.0 version. This will change your trial period from an expiration date of Dec 7 to 30 days of use, but since it's already more than halfway through November this will obviously be enough for you to clear NaNoWriMo.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:58:57 -0600

This bug was due to invalid characters from the external program's RTF encoding getting brought into Scrivener; it was fixed for 1.0, so you may want to try using the standard 1.0 trial rather than the NaNoWriMo one. Backup your project, then uninstall the NaNoWriMo version on your computer and grab the 1.0 trial from here. When you install that you'll need to use "Open Existing Projects..." to open your project the first time around, as the Recent Projects list will be cleared, but you should have better luck importing and working in your files now. The 1.0 trial doesn't have a set expiration date like the NaNo version but will give you 30 non-consecutive days of use, which will be plenty at this point for finishing NaNoWriMo and having days to spare.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:11:02 -0600

The ability to copy/paste an entire Scrivenings session and perform other formatting options on the whole Scrivenings text will be coming. It's a difficult process programming-wise because Scrivener is displaying for you what is actually multiple documents on your system, so performing cross-document functions isn't as simple as it looks like it should be. Now that 1.0 is out the door, however, Lee's going to be working on rewriting this text-handling code, so this will become feasible in the future. As the others here have said, there are lot of ways to count words and nearly all programs will do it a little differently. Scrivener does count hyphenated words as two, likewise with words separated by an em- or en-dash or ellipsis; all of these I believe get counted as one word by the NaNo robots. Unless you have moral objections, the approach pking36330 recommends is easiest--at the end of the month, compile your full document and on that copy use find/replace to add a space after each of these characters (i.e. replace "-" with "- "). That will be the biggest difference, but you may also want to check out the threads in the appropriate forum section (Rules and Regulations maybe, or NaNo tech? sorry I don't remember off the top of my head) where users discuss how the NaNo robots count and ways to adjust your finished manuscript accordingly so that the count you've been getting in whatever word processor you're using line up decently with the official validator.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

moviememe — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:01:48 -0600

thanks for the reply. The bug I encountered was attempting to cut and paste word 2007 directly into scrivener, which dropped the quotation marks. Then I saved the file to .rtf and encountered the same loss of quotation marks. Thanks for the heads up, I made the decision yesterday to stick with word until the end (I lost half a day due to this) and then try the respective products, yours and writeway, as an editing tool and make my decision from there. Yours has the pretty, and a template or two, writeway doesn't have, writeway is a from the ground up pc product, so no matter how ugly, it works as expected with manuals created by native pc speakers, as opposed to written by people who learned pc as a second language, if you will. Can this program open a file created from either the mac side and pc side and travel back and forth? This is for a different project with a writer on the mac side. Thanks, Gavin

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:38:56 -0600

Hmm. This brings up another question. When come December when we winners (thinking positively, here) and participants cash in our coupons, will we download the corrected version, or will we be keeping what we have. In other words, I'd rather have the latest version with the bug correction, it at all possible. I just don't have a clear vision of how it works once the trial is finished. Thanks.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 17:34:00 -0600

Yes, copy/paste or import would have produced this bug; like I said, it was fixed for 1.0, so if you're trying out Scrivener in December, this should be working smoothly for you. There's an option now as well to have Scrivener either displace invalid characters with a standard "invalid" symbol or to strip them out entirely, so you'll be able to play with that then too. (To clarify, this isn't going to replace your punctuation with those "unknown", but in some cases you might get an additional invalid character as part of the encoding for the punctuation which Scrivener can then strip out for you to keep your document nice and clean like it looked in Word.) Scrivener's Windows version was coded from scratch for Windows--that may not be what you meant, but I just wanted to clarify that it's not just a port from the Mac version but a full Windows-based program. The manual, fairly enough, started in the Mac version but has been (and is continuing to be) rewritten in sections or otherwise adjusted for the Windows version; given that most of it is regarding how Scrivener does things from a user perspective, however--whether the philosophy of the design or the practical "click this button and then this one"--it would be silly to start completely from scratch on the manual as well. As I said, though, the manual is in progress and so has undergone revision since the NaNoWriMo trial version you're looking at, and it's continuing to get spruced up now that we've hit 1.0. If there's any particular part where you're noticing an error or some Mac/PC confusion, please do just let us know so we can correct it as necessary! The Mac 2.0 version is compatible with Windows Scrivener, yes. There are some features that are currently Mac-only which you'll probably want to just not use for this project (inspector notes is the main one), but the programs are designed to let you work cross-platform smoothly.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 17:36:58 -0600

You'll download 1.0. The NaNo trial expires on the 7th and then that's it; since it was still a beta version, it's not meant to be registered and activated with your license. So if you decide to purchase or want to test out the 1.0 version, you'll back up your work, then uninstall the NaNo trial and download and install the latest 1.0 version from our website. That one will let you register, and further updates can be installed via "Check for Updates" inside the program. So you'll have the latest version, definitely.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CDTurner — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:32:37 -0600

Just wanted to let all know I haven't had any problems with the Nano version. I have Vista home edition. Looing forward to the official version!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:24:26 -0600

No. After a lot of trying,I gave up. Then I tried again a couple days ago with the newest version--lo! and behold!: "Scrivener has stopped working and needs to shut down". Maybe one day they will work it out. Until the, I don't feel like being a guinea pig.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:26:04 -0600

Tried it again. Same thing: "Scrivener has stopped working and needs to shut down".

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

moviememe — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:10:39 -0600

I'm running on Vista home 64 bit. I will go ahead and uninstall the NaNo version and install the regular version and report back. I also have a couple of Windows 7 machines, but I haven't loaded them onto these. My motivation is to hack two NaNoMo novels together and possibly work with someone on the Mac side to write a graphic novel. It's easier for me to imagine buying both scrivener and writeway than neither.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Faecanuck — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:09:57 -0600

Odd, I have had no problems at all with it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jitterberry — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:21:34 -0600

I am in love with Scrivener and will be purchasing it win or not (but hopefully, I make it obviously haha) but I'm wondering if there will be a step by step guide for dummies about upgrading from the trial to full version without losing things because I'm kind of worried I'll mess something up and lose it all... I'm not hugely tech-savvy.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

olorinpc — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:08:31 -0600

Actually all of your writing is stored in that project.scriv folder, so no matter what you do with the software the writing project is safe and sound!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

awesome speller — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 02:07:17 -0600

Hey guys I've got hopefully an easy question. What happens when you compile? It's just a separate document that gets exported, right? I know it's silly but I'm just afraid to compile because I want to be able to keep working with it in its current format, with the binder on one side, being able to move around the scenes, etc. (I'm not done with the manuscript yet, just want to put it together to put it through the word count verification thingie near the end of the month.) I have looked around Literature and Latte and can't find an answer, so if anyone can tell me, thank you.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:47:28 -0600

Hi, When you compile, you're given the choice of the format in which you want your document (RTF, TXT, HTML...) and, YES, it's a separate document. You can save it wherever you want. What I do everyday (twice a day, in fact) is this: I compile in text format and save the file on my hard drive: I open the file with WordPad, do a Select All, Copy then go to the NaNo site where I paste the file on the word counter.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

KateJ — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:01:44 -0600

I can't wait for winner verification to open so I can purchase Scrivener for real. I credit Scrivener with a real breakthrough in my ability to plot story this year. I'm at 80k words, halfway through my novel, and can't wait to finish it. From now on all my projects will be Scrivener! Since my husband and I are collaborating heavily on our stories, we're thrilled to have a program that works well on any of our Mac or PCs and shares a nice file format. Call us converts!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

daisymaebelle — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:31:08 -0600

I am using Storyist for this Nano, but was already in the middle of the Scrivener trial. I'm purchasing both. Scrivener was being used for non fiction....and will use storyist for fiction.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

awesome speller — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:57:06 -0600

Oh man, that is a BIG relief. Thanks cdyard, I'm off to do that right now..

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:33:46 -0600

I did it! I did it! 50K tonight (50004 words exactly). Thanks to Scrivener. As soon as the winner verification is available, I'll buy Scrivener. Of course, my manuscript isn't complete yet and it'll need lots of editing but at last I've written 50K words. And I plan to use Scrivener for all the unfinished novels waiting on my hard drive.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jitterberry — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:00:33 -0600

Ooo thanks, that makes sense!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MegaSpook — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:00:42 -0600

[quote=blackswan] You'll download 1.0. The NaNo trial expires on the 7th and then that's it; since it was still a beta version, it's not meant to be registered and activated with your license. So if you decide to purchase or want to test out the 1.0 version, you'll back up your work, then uninstall the NaNo trial and download and install the latest 1.0 version from our website. That one will let you register, and further updates can be installed via "Check for Updates" inside the program. So you'll have the latest version, definitely. [/quote] Yeah, now I'm wondering. I asked this question somewhere on this thread before, but don't remember getting a response. When I bought the official version, I was only instructed to "register" my trial version that I already had. I wasn't prompted to uninstall the trial version, or dl any new official Windows version after I paid. Sooo what's the deal with this?? Was the trial version in fact the official version? Sorry, I'm not super software savvy...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:37:06 -0600

The trial version referred to in the email is 1.0. Having the NaNoWriMo trial out while Scrivener was still in beta was a special case and is understandably confusing matters. Technically the NaNoWriMo trial is still a beta--it was pre-1.0, version 0.46--and so like the other beta-testers you should uninstall that version before downloading and installing 1.0. The "trial" of 1.0 is in fact the full version, just with a time restriction, so everyone always downloads the trial and then unlocks it with their registration information if they have a license. Once you've done that once, future updates don't need to be re-registered (unless something more drastic has happened like you reinstalled your operating system or installed Scrivener on a new computer or the like). So at this point, you'll want to just go to Help > About Scrivener and see what version number is listed at the bottom of that window. If it's 1.0 you're good to go (and in fact you can run Check for Updates to bump up to 1.0.2 if you haven't). If it's anything less than that, you'll want to uninstall and download the latest version of 1.0 from the L&L website here. If you already registered your copy and it's less than 1.0, you can use Help > Deactivate to deactivate that before you go through the uninstall and reinstall process, but it shouldn't matter either way since you get multiple activations for your license. And just for good practice, back up your projects before you go through the uninstall/install process--they shouldn't be affected by it at all unless you've somehow managed to save them inside the installation directory, but it's a good reason to back up and make sure your work is triple saved. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

philbo68 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:42:35 -0600

Hi Keith, I actually purchased the Mac version a week or so back with still eight days left on the trial simply because it was the best software I'd found after about a year of trying just about every Mac and PC writing software around (testing software is a good way to keep from starting a story - I'm a serial procrastinator!). The problem of course is that this was two days before I saw this forum and your discount offer. Is it too late for me to benefit from the offer for the Mac version. I am trialing the Win version but have to say I don't love it as much as the Mac version yet!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

philbo68 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:51:35 -0600

Is anyone else having trouble with the Windows version doing a "Select All"? On the Mac version if I want to paste my entire manuscript into the NaNo word count window I just click 'Manuscript and then Select All and then copy and paste into the word count window. On the Windows version selecting all gives me many sections through the manuscript that aren't selected so instead of getting say 50000 words on the Mac version, the Windows version just gives me say 41000 words.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Silverwords — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:58:53 -0600

Was looking for a new writing software prog as although one I am using atm has been okay, it has annoying habits. Wish I had discovered that Scrivener could be bought via here with a discount - could have bought it cheaper and donated difference to NaNoWriMo. Planning to type next draft of NaNo novel into Scrivener and unlock the joy of a new programme when not trying to write a first draft of frantic verbage. Enjoy discovering software but always take too long exploring it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

moviememe — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:45:08 -0600

I installed the standard version and confirm the missing quotation bug has been fixed on the standard trial. It's a very nice and well structured program.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WriteAway93 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:15:35 -0600

I didn't even think about the fact that you can add keywords so that you can look for scenes or characters that way. I have a lot of flashbacks in this years novel and this is going to really help. No my mind is blown :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WriteAway93 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:36:25 -0600

I have a question regarding this. I made a couple of templates in my NaNoWriMo trial and with what you are saying I am going to have to uninstall the trial and re-install the windows when I buy it. Will that affect the templates that I made? Will I have to do them all over again?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AmyPReed — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:43:12 -0600

I was wondering something. I'm planning on buying the full Windows version after the first of the month when I get my disability check. Anyway, say I buy the full version. Is there a certain number of times I can update to a newer version, or can only update for x number of months/years? Also, I have a desktop as well as a laptop. Would I need to buy separate licenses to run Scrivener on them?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:34:56 -0600

Nope, your custom templates are saved in your user's AppData (or Application Data, on XP) folder, and these user-created files aren't touched in the uninstall process. What will get cleared are your preference settings from Tools > Options..., customizations made to the toolbar, and your "Recent Projects" menu (which will repopulate as you open projects after the reinstallation). For future updates these will all be saved, but just to make sure no gremlins linger in the transition from beta to 1.0, it's better to have these cleared. Your personal word list (if you ever used "Learn Spelling" for instance), custom project templates, and saved compile presets will all stay, and of course your projects themselves and all their settings, though it's a good idea to backup first anyhow.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:41:07 -0600

It's not possible yet to select across multiple Scrivenings in the Windows version, but that's something Lee's going to be working on in the coming months so we should have that working similarly to the Mac version in a 1.x update not too far off--it's one of the top priorities for an early update. It's just a highly complicated procedure, since technically Scrivener is pulling together a bunch of discrete files on your disk, and while it looks like one nice long piece to you, the code has to deal with accessing and writing to all these files simultaneously, which requires some workarounds in the way the programming framework currently is able to do things. With 1.0 out now, Lee will have some time to turn attention to rewriting this and making it match up with the Mac method so that you'll be able to select across multiple Scrivenings and use the copy action, format text, etc. For now you'll need to just run a quick compile and then get your total document from that to paste into the validator.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:47:56 -0600

The license allows you to install and register Scrivener on multiple machines in your house that you own or that are owned and used by family members living with you as well as one additional machine, such as your personal work computer, provided that you're the only person who will have access to the program on that computer. Ultimately, no, you wouldn't need separate licenses for your desktop and laptop. Just download and install the software on each and use the same registration information that will be sent to you in your receipt. The license is for 1.0 and all the 1.x updates, however many there are and however long that goes on. I can't really give a good estimate of the time frame, but figure it's going to be at least a year, likely more, before 2.0 is released. The Mac version was in 1.x for about three years, but Windows might move a little faster. Once 2.0 does come out, which would be a major release (as opposed to more minor feature updates, improvements, and bug fixes), it would be a paid upgrade, but you'd be able to get it at a discount as a registered 1.0 user, and that new license would then be good for all the 2.x updates until 3.0, etc. And that of course is true for all the computers on which you've installed and registered Scrivener. Hope that makes sense! Thanks for supporting Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AmyPReed — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:23:38 -0600

Thank you, Blackswan. That all made perfect sense to me. I'm hoping to get to 50k this year, as I've done the last two years, because I can't find my winner's code from my 2010 win. I did download and install the NaNo trial version yesterday, so that will get me past the first of the month. All I have to do is win again. LOL I'm glad I'll be able to use it on the computers I own, and if worse came to worse, and my HD crashes, I'll be able to reinstall it. Good luck on your own writing. I see you aren't that far from hitting that golden number of 50,000 words!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

philbo68 — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:21:22 -0600

Thanks very much for your advice. I discovered the problem when I was away on a business trip for a couple of days and I hadn't been using the Win version until the night that I was away. After messing around for a few minutes I compiled as you mentioned and I was able to do it that way. It did cross my mind at the time though that imagine that I hadn't actually submitted my novel until 11:45 pm on the 30th November and then didn't have time to figure it out before the cut off time. Unlikely that this should happen but with a couple of hundred thousand people doing NanoWriMo you just never know.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

philbo68 — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:02:32 -0600

Please excuse me if this question has been asked already but this is quite a long forum and I am after all, quite lazy! In the past I have tried syncing to Simplenote from the Mac version of Scrivener and it does work in a fashion and you are able to edit a document in Simple note and sync back to Scrivener but the process is a little clumsy and hardly a see less operation. Ques 1) How well would it work if I wanted to incorporate the Windows version into the process allowing me to do "Cloud" sync between the Mac and PC versions via Simplenote ? I haven't obviously tried it (I did say I was lazy). Ques 2) Any plans to provide Cloud storeage to allow direct Native Scrivener file backup and syncing between Mac and Win versions. I am becoming quite used to this feature with Apps like Evernote which has clients for virtually every OS and tablet as well as use from browser. I'd love to be able to stroll between the two versions and have one project seemlessly synced and backed up. And of course let's not forget about Scrivener Tablet clients (iPad and DROID) !

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AmyPReed — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:03:50 -0600

The post above reminded me of a question I'd forgotten to ask. I read somewhere that you can sync to a Kindle. I recently bought a Kindle and would love to find out how to move my document to my Kindle and also how to move the document, which I might have highlighted parts of that need changing or moved, back to Scrivener? Happy writing, everyone. NaNo is winding down, so get those words written and reach that magic 50k mark. Also congratulations to those who've already reached and, for some, have surpassed 50k.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AmyPReed — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:51:24 -0600

I downloaded KindleGen for Windows and followed the directions to install it for Scrivener to use. But when I tried to compile using it, nothing happened. Is this a bug in the Windows version of Scrivener, or did I do something wrong?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BlackScorpio — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:10:21 -0600

I just have to say again that I love Scrivener! Simply love it! Now, I'd like to admit that I started out this year's NaNoWriMo using the Storyist writing program being offered. Lots of people like it, but I found it annoying...it didn't let me see my writing in chapters, scenes, etc., which is how I plot my novels. Anyway, I said that to say that Scrivener is the best writing software because it organizes everything so easily and efficiently. Great job creating it! Now, I do have a question: I purchased my Scrivener software after using the trial version in 2009. Is there an updated version that I can buy with more features? And, with your windows version coming out, if I use Scrivener on my Mac desktop, can I also create/edit the same Scrivener document on a PC laptop?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WhiteHare — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:09:22 -0600

Quick question. I have verified, but didn't see a code to use for the Scrivener discount. How/where do I get it from please?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheGreatCurve — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:30:48 -0600

According to the "Collect Winner Goodies" page, we will get the coupon on December 5th. Same goes for the CreateSpace deal.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

JohnH — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:35:37 -0600

I downloaded and am using the standard trial version. I'm finding it invaluable, I have a complex plot involving parallel time-lines. As I only started using it a couple of weeks into the month it will last well into December. What I'm wondering is, how should I compile the complete manuscript to give the correct format to paste into the verification window? The special NaNoWriMo trial includes a special compile mode, is it possible to add that to my version?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WhiteHare — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:01:20 -0600

OK thanks. Did see that bit, but wasn't sure if that meant the discount code. Guess I'll just have to be patient a bit longer then! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AmyPReed — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:08:18 -0600

[quote=JohnH] I downloaded and am using the standard trial version. I'm finding it invaluable, I have a complex plot involving parallel time-lines. As I only started using it a couple of weeks into the month it will last well into December. What I'm wondering is, how should I compile the complete manuscript to give the correct format to paste into the verification window? The special NaNoWriMo trial includes a special compile mode, is it possible to add that to my version? [/quote] As far as I can tell, the NaNo compile just takes out the chapter header and all blank lines, squashing it up into a single-spaced file. I just compiled the chapters I had text in and saved it (where I could find it again, of course) as a .txt document. After that, since I like to make my text unreadable, I then copy and pasted the whole thing into a new yWriter project and exported the project with their NaNoWriMo coded text format. Then I did another copy/paste into the validation window in my Edit Novel Info area. Submitted and was sent to the Winner's Goodies page. I hope this helped. Of course, I know NaNo doesn't read the documents, so if you want to skip the yWriter steps, just copy/paste your Scrivener exported .txt file into the validation box. Congratulations again, Winners! And for those who haven't gotten there yet, keep going, there's five days left, and I want to see lots of purple bars! Which reminds me, I was disappointed that they didn't have the winner bar they've had in previous years, with the word WINNER! on it. :(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

samanthagard1 — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 03:44:54 -0600

Yes, I agree I would have like to see winner in the word count bar! Anyway it has been a pleasure working with Scrivener and looking forward to owning a copy once they release the coupon. Samantha

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mutz — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:17:01 -0600

I discovered Scrivener just before Nano 2009. I use it everyday. I write 500 words a day even when it is not November. I can't imagine being without Scrivener, but more and more I find myself grabbing my iPad. Please please please make Scrivener for iPad. Messing around with Index Card just doesn't cut it. And I'm starting to see the allure of other apps (that I won't mention by name) that are able to sync Mac to iPad. But I do love my Scrivener work flow.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:53:33 -0600

Well. Scrivener has rather screwed things up for me for a second time. My wordcount said that I won yesterday. So I took a break today to catch up on another couple of things. I have just reopened Scrivener to write some more before I sleep and... it's duplicated almost an entire Chapter without being told to. I now have two chapter 8s on my file list, one of which incomplete and which was definitely NOT displaying yesterday. After deleting that it now turns out that I only have 45k and am again, very behind. I should have stuck with Libreoffice. :'(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

philbo68 — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:56:10 -0600

If it is the Mac version it is easy: In the Binder Window click on "Manuscript" which will show your entire novel in the main edit window. Simply click anywhere in the edit window and "Select All" and then Copy it and paste directly into the NaNo verification window. I've been using this all month and works well. However, if your are using the new Windows version this does not work properly. When you "Select All" it misses big chunks of different files. If you scroll through the selected Manuscript you will see what I mean. In the Windows version you will need to compile the document "File menu / Compile" and then copy and paste the completed document. I posted this issue earlier in this forum and 'Blackswan' said that this is still under development

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

unicorn27 — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 06:28:44 -0600

I'd always worked in CopyWrite. It had many features I liked, but I was always aware that the program was lacking in many areas. This is my first year doing NaNoWriMo, and thanks to NaNo I've discovered Scrivener. All I can say is, I wish I'd had this years ago. It's simply amazing. Every time I yearn for a feature, a quick check in the manual and sure enough, it has it. Looking forward to using it for a long time to come.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BlackScorpio — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:30:20 -0600

I agree 100%! I use Scrivener for all of my writing... it is the best writing software for keeping things organized and flowing! I tried another software (that one you didn't mention...LOL) and I had to quit it because it didn't do what I wanted it to do - put me 2 days behind, but I switched back to Scrivener and I sailed thru it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

reptile_smile — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:15:49 -0600

[quote=philbo68] I am trialing the Win version but have to say I don't love it as much as the Mac version yet! [/quote] Can I ask why not? What's different? I've used all three platforms now, and hell if I can tell any difference. They all seem the same (ie; donkey-chokingly amazingly brilliant) as each other. What is the difference between 2.0 v 1.02 v 0.35 (or whatever the Linux version is up to right now...?)?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

reptile_smile — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:17:30 -0600

I don't know about syncing to a Kindle, but you can compile to a .mobi and then email that to your Kindle, as well as transfering it to your iPad, iPhone or Android app..?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

reptile_smile — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:18:40 -0600

Works fine in Windows for me. You're sure you've located the .exe file for Kindlegen, not the parent folder..?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

reptile_smile — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:20:40 -0600

Is it possible you might have duplicated it rather than Scrivener, do you think..?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

reptile_smile — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:24:24 -0600

Blackswan, or anyone, can you confirm - as soon as I'm able, I will be biting your hand off to buy this amazing software. I wouldn't write in anything else. I'm a teacher, so can I get 50% off the Education version, or is it 'one offer at a time', as it were. Thanks so much for your amazing product.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:05:09 -0600

I tend to agree with reptile_smile because the same thing happened to me. I wanted to do a copy/paste with the name of one of my characters. It worked fine in my morning session so I did it again in my evening session. But, instead of a name (two words), I saw a huge text appearing. I read it and, at first, I couldn't understant what had happened. In fact, I had forgotten that, as I do after each session, I had compiled the entire manuscript, saved it in text format, copied and pasted it on the word count validator. Scrivener had done exactly what I had asked it to do, not what I wanted! It can happen so easily...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

spawnofthejudge — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:00:43 -0600

I couldn't find the answer to this question, but the thread is so big I may have missed it; apologies if so. I want both licenses (Mac and Windows), and I believe that I read that I must purchase them separately. Can I use my winner discount on both? Or 50% on one and 20% on the other? And how compatible are they, as far as moving the project around to different machines when I go on trips (one of the laptops in the house is a Mac, the other is Windows). Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:49:48 -0600

No, it definitely wasn't there the night before when it gave me the 50k+ word count. I was a little surprised that it had said I'd won at the time, because I didn't think I had written quite as much as 4k in that one sitting, so I actually checked all the files, text etc. several times over to check before closing it for the day and updating my word count on here. I'm fairly good with computers in general too. Mistakes may be easy to make, but in this case, I'm 99.9% sure that one wasn't made. If it had displayed there I would have seen it. The list is right there on the front page, and as I said, I checked everything several times over. Is it really so hard to believe that something still in beta has bugs?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Solarstar — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:51:05 -0600

I've been checking out, though I wrote my NaNo on my preferred software. From what I've seen it looks pretty decent. But I have noticed one odd thing about it (PC demo version) I have noticed that when I compile my project, the last paragraph of my chapters are changing justification from left justified to center justified. When I check the actual scenes, they are okay, it just seems to be during compilation. Is there a setting somewhere I'm missing?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lorata — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:54:14 -0600

You can only use one winner discount per license, but you can use the 20% NANOWRIMO code on the other no problem. I recommend buying one now, before the NANOWRIMO coupon expires, then buying the other after you get your winner coupon on December 5th. Compability is 100% a-okay, as long as you don't use smart-quotes and auto-em dashes -- I regularly move my projects between a Macbook and an Asus eeePC, and the only time I ever had issues was before I disabled smart quotes and em-dashes (quotes, apostrophes, and dashes would disappear in the Windows version).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lorata — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:54:57 -0600

I think I remember from last year that the 50% off coupon was only good for the standard (ie, not education) license, but hopefully someone can confirm that for you.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lorata — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:58:44 -0600

Just download the latest version of Scrivener from the website, and if prompted, re-enter your original serial number. The only reason you have to pay again to upgrade is between 1.x and 2.x in Mac. If you use Scrivener between Mac and Windows computers, you can absolutely edit the same document on both -- just make sure you turn smart quotes & em-dashes off. There's occasionally a bug that makes them disappear in Windows, though I think they've quashed it for now.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lorata — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:00:08 -0600

They've said repeatedly that they do not intend to make an iPad version, no matter how many people ask for it, because they'd simply have to remove too many features in order to make it work, and they would feel bad releasing what's essentially a crippled product. That said, I wish I could have Scrivener on my iPad as well. Ah well.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Grifty — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:27:06 -0600

Any chance of getting a winner code extended from an older win? Say... 2008?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BethCutter — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:32:08 -0600

Some of us will be getting winner codes we don't need because we've already bought our copy, maybe with last year's code. I believe it is kosher for us to pass those codes on to family and friends. Just saying.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Grifty — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:37:15 -0600

Well, then let me put it out there that I do like the software and would surely love a code (and i DID win... just not this year) if anyone ends up with an extra one ;-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carley124 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:15:48 -0600

I have the free trial and I really like the program so far. The only problem is that it keeps crashing. (Something about scrivener.exe not working?) It usually happens after I try to import a web page. Hopefully I can fix it or I don't want to buy it. :/

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

INDIANA-JOANS — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:27:41 -0600

It was doing that for me too. I was told to unistall and reinstall the software by going to the Scrivener website and makeing sure I had the most up to date trial download. MAKE sure that you back up what you have now before you uninstall.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:05:27 -0600

I'm a winner now with 60K, thanks to Scrivener. So, as soon as the coupon is available, I'll buy Scrivener. I downloaded the full Windows version and it works OK. I'm importing the files of my old novels, the ones I've never been able to complete. So, when my NaNo novel is edited, I plan to work on these old manuscripts. Maybe this time, I'll be able to complete them.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

daisymaebelle — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:21:09 -0600

December 5th cannot get here soon enough!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:28:52 -0600

The coupon code comes out 12/5, if I understand properly. I hope it will be available for a while? I will be out of town and off line on the 5th.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Trying2Write — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:32:11 -0600

Thanks, that seems to have fixed the issue. No crashed since I reinstalled.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

quillandink — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:54:37 -0600

I downloaded Scrivener for Windows at the beginning of the month but decided to write in MSWord for this year. Now that I've been validated and am the proud wearer of a purple bar, I'm going to work my way through the tutorial. I should be ready to launch once the coupon offer comes out on the 5th. Then, it's upload and continue the work I started. I do love the program from what I've seen so far. Everyone's comments are helpful for this tech-scared writer. Thanks for all the informative posts.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Reece Foster 2011 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:43:20 -0600

This is my first NanoWrimo win and using the Scrivener software helped immensely! I was able to work through my plot outlines and character sketches in October so that I was ready to write November 1. It has been challenging balancing work, my kids, husband's work and other commitments (like Thanksgiving!) but I'm pleased to say I did it! I will continue using Scrivener--love it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

JohnH — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:45:39 -0600

I had Scrivener crash on me a few times. I was just entering text. I solved it by changing the font. I'd been using an unusual one for one of my First Person narrators. I assumed Scrivener didn't like it. No problems since.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Registrau — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:47:07 -0600

I'll be getting Scrivener with the 50% off too. I used it all through November, and love it :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jeanne the Red Jay — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:22:40 -0600

I would like to use my winner's coupon to buy Scrivener. I used it early in November; then I lost some files; and in desperation I finished my first draft in Open Office on Windows 7 OS. Could I please ask for a couple of Nanos out there, who used Scrivener,to direct to me to the right place to find my coupon? And then, can someone tell me what I need to uninstall before I install the new version? I have everything backed up on Symantec, so at least that should be safe. I hope. Thanks, Jeanne The Red Jay

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jeanne the Red Jay — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:25:15 -0600

Oops! Forgot to say that the answers may be up her, but the list is forever long, and I have half of the last chapter still to finish on my first draft. Jeanne the Red Jay

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:53:00 -0600

It just did it again! Sort of. I've been going back through my novel, correcting typos and generally proof reading. I've -added- a few words here and there as I've rearranged a couple of sentences that looked a little awkward, and yet even after I caught up and re-won, compiled what I had and then -verified- it, it's now telling me that I have just under 47k. There's no WAY that rearranging a couple of sentences removed almost 4k words. Something is very wrong with this program. :(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carley124 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:39:15 -0600

Thanks for the help. I'm going to try these, though I may hold off a few days on the uninstall? I'm worried that it won't let me reinstall since it's a trial program.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:48:23 -0600

I'm afraid I'm repeating myself once or twice here but... I feel like those using beta versions of this software should be aware of the problems that I've been having which culminated eight minutes ago when Scrivener ate almost my entire novel. If I did not keep backups, I would have lost an entire month's worth of work. As it is, I have to copy and paste from the compiled PDF file I made to show a friend last night, which is awkward enough already, and then manually edit each and every line break. And then proof read everything all over again. Thankfully, as a Linux user, I have not yet been charged anything, but I'm afraid my writing is just too important to me, and my time far too precious to have to keep spending hours fixing application files and rewriting everything again and again. First of all the Linux beta that's meant to never run out - did. On November 7th. They put up a new one but almost a day later and it took six hours to make it install so that I could actually open my files. They advertised it in this thread obviously knowing full well that NaNo runs until November 30th, as a version that would not expire. A new version was posted - several hours later. but it took six hours to install and get it working. I had to learn how to make my own installation files. And I, as well as several others, panicked, thinking that we could not get back into our novels. Even after it was fixed, we were all more than a day behind in our writing. If it had been mentioned here, or anywhere at all that was relatively easy to see, and someonehad made an installable version for more than one distro, or at least posted instructions, there wouldn't have been a problem. But they didn't. And I still don't understand how they can say that Linux will be in beta for an unknown amount of time because they're -not working on it at the moment-, at the same time that they're forcing people to update to new versions. How can there be new versions if nobody is working on it? And then my wordcount said that I won NaNoWriMo on the 26th. It was a little bit of a surprise, because I didn't think I had written quite so much as 4k words in that one writing session. But I scrolled through everything to check, and couldn't see anything that said otherwise. So I updated my wordcount, and decided to take a break from writing through the day today to catch up on another couple of things that I'd been neglecting. I reopened Scrivener to write some more before sleeping, and when I finished chapter 8 and went to add and name chapter 9, I saw that it had duplicated almost all of chapter 8 without being told to. I now had two chapter 8s on my file list, one of which was incomplete and which was definitely NOT displaying the day before. - Yes, mistakes can sometimes be made. But I checked every file repeatedly before updating my wordcount because I was so surprised that it was displaying as 50k+ a day before I expected it to. The second chapter 8 simply did not display until the application was reopened. So I copied the contents of the longer one into LibreOffice just in case, deleted the shorter entry and went back to check on the longer one. It was empty. So I pasted it all back in and saved, clicked off and back into the chapter again. It had gone back to being a copy of the older, shorter version that cut out halfway through. So I deleted that too, cleared trash and remade/pasted the contents in. However, it now displayed my wordcount as 46k. Which didn't even take into account the amount I had written the day before. It was a good 2k behind what it should have been, even considering the duplication. I wrote as quickly as I could to catch up again, and I re-won yesterday. I compiled the PDF for my friend as mentioned above, and started to proof read the prologue. This afternoon, I proofread chapter 1. I closed Scrivener for a break and took care of some chores. And then I reopened it again about two hours ago. I proofread chapter 2 and rearranged a few sentences, adding in maybe another 70 words or so. I checked my wordcount to see how many. And it told me I had 46k again. So I opened up my last backup, as well as the PDF and compared the three versions of the novel with each other. It had eaten half of chapter 3 - which I had not yet opened to proof read, and which hadn't been touched since I had finished writing it, - and several chapters had randomly reverted back to older versions of themselves. They were not even as new as my most recent backup. So then I spent an hour or so copying and pasting and correcting line breaks, trying to recreate the files as they were this afternoon. And then I closed Scrivener so that I could back up these files. When I reopened Scrivener a couple of minutes later, I had three chapters listed. Three. One of which was incomplete. It had gone back to an even older version. I copied the backup I had just made back onto my hard drive. But that was the same. I hadn't even backed up at the three chapter stage. I backed up for the first time partway through chapter 5. So I know that older backups didn't accidentally replace anything. I had only backed up twice - the last of them several days before the duplicate chapter problem, at about chapter 7. I haven't yet come across anyone else with this problem, but then it only started a few days ago - and nobody responded to my support request / bug report on the Scrivener site either. Perhaps it is just a problem with the Linux version. Or perhaps it clashes with my particular distro. But I think that people should be aware that this kind of thing could potentially happen, especially if they are spending money on the software. Maybe when it's out of beta it might be worth another look. However, there should be a stage of testing before beta. That's why it's called beta, and not alpha. It has some good features. But good features are only good when they work as they are meant to. And honestly, this whole thing has completely put me off of using it at all. I will most certainly not be using Scrivener again for anything that I consider to be important. I was quite stressed enough this month without adding something like this to it. I now have to spend additional time that I don't have fixing my novel and searching for new software. If it were not for my friend being curious and wanting a PDF of my novel so far, I'd have lost the lot. And that, in my opinion, is inexcusable.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

writingmama781 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:58:20 -0600

I want to buy Scrivener, but I will more than likely be getting a netbook for Christmas. If I download it on to this laptop, will I be able to copy it on to my new netbook? How does it work?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bicicletta — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:12:29 -0600

You can install either version (Windows or MAC) on up to five computers; it's a household license. I have my Mac version installed on three machines, one of them belonging to my fiance. (He's part of the household!) I also have the Windows beta installed on my little Windows netbook. (I haven't upgraded it to the latest version because I usually use my Macs.) If I did decide to get the latest Windows version, I would have to pay for a new license, but I could install that on up to five PC's. So, in theory, with one Mac license and one Windows license, I could have Scrivener installed on ten computers! Not that I would . . .

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bicicletta — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:18:02 -0600

I'm a Scrivener for Mac user and I am very sorry you have had such a horrible time with the Linux version. Have you posted any of this to the Linux forum at www.literatureandlatte.com, so that the developers know what's going on? I suggest you just cut and paste your whole post above, since it's very detailed. If there ever is going to be a viable Linux version, they need to know about your experience. I know it's no consolation to have found yourself in this mess, but I congratulate you on your well-dserved win. You really pulled through!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:54:38 -0600

Thankyou. :) And yes I have been posting things there as they've happened. It's not all in one post there but I have given them all the details. Unfortunately besides a half-hearted attempt to explain the trial expiry (claiming this post doesn't cover Linux, when it has it's own paragraph, which I directly quoted, for example), and a handful of other (non-staff) members suggesting things to help me get it installed, I haven't had much in the way of help there. The staff member who posted here kind of brushed over my first post in this thread on the subject too. Honestly it kind of seems like they think everything is perfect and anyone who claims otherwise is either lying or getting it wrong which seems a little arrogant. :/ Perhaps I'm just reading their words in the wrong way. Either way I'm not going to go through that again, or let it happen to anyone else if I can help it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

bernie_noble — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:55:20 -0600

In re: "You might want to hold out until the end of November, though, because all winners of this year's NaNoWriMo will be eligible for a 50% discount. Winners will receive a special coupon for this on their winner's page on the NaNoWriMo site at the end of November, once their word count has been confirmed." -- I'm very excited about this -- I have a question though: Where is one's "winner's page"? Is that the same as the "edit novel info" page? TIA Bernie

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MarinaMichaels — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:14:53 -0600

[quote=Jeanne the Red Jay] I would like to use my winner's coupon to buy Scrivener. I used it early in November; then I lost some files; and in desperation I finished my first draft in Open Office on Windows 7 OS. Could I please ask for a couple of Nanos out there, who used Scrivener,to direct to me to the right place to find my coupon? And then, can someone tell me what I need to uninstall before I install the new version? I have everything backed up on Symantec, so at least that should be safe. I hope. Thanks, Jeanne The Red Jay [/quote] Jeanne, you will have to wait until December 5 to get the coupon. I don't know for sure, but I think it will be on the winner's page. To get to that page, go to the My NaNoWriMo drop-down menu, then click on Collect Winner Goodies. And congratulations on finishing your novel!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

burninglady — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:23:32 -0600

I used the Windows version for Nano this year. This is the first year I've won, and I think Scrivener played a huge part in it! Now I use it for everything: articles, essays, journals. Simply the best writing software I've tried. My mother-in-law has a PhD in Journalism and she called me "spoiled" for having such a wonderful tool. Thank you Chris! *big hug*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:26:45 -0600

I downloaded the Windows Beta version of Scrivener this year, two weeks before NaNoWriMo. I discovered that it was exactly what I wanted for my NaNo because I could develop the various scenes without writing a single sentence of the actual manuscript: for this, I used the Inspector and the index cards. When it became available, I downloaded the special NaNoWriMo version for Windows. I had a small problem when Scrivener crashed because I had imported a text with the euro sign in it. Scrivener crashed after having imported the texts and my files were still OK. Now, I've downloaded the full version of Windows. I must say: Scrivener has always worked fine for me (apart for the small problem with the euro sign). I never lost a file, my manuscript is here, complete, awaiting editing. I've got Windows 7 and I write either using Scrivener or my iPhone (QuickOffice or Simplenote) and then importing the text in Scrivener. I'm really satisfied with this program and I intend to buy it the 5th of December.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Soverywrite — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:19:24 -0600

Thank you, Scrivener, for being a NaNoWriMo sponsor, and for the chance to test drive your program. I wrote my NaNo 2011 using Word, but I gained a clearer idea of what to write because of Scrivener for Windows. Now that I've reached the 50,000 word goal, I will be writing my novel using Scrivener. The Binder is fantastic, with a clean, uncluttered look, and how easy it is for me access various elements of my story, rename them, and to move those elements around. The Inspector is a wonderful tool, and I love that with a click of the "I" button I can view additional information, and then move it out of sight on my work area. I no longer have to spend a lot time flipping through, or searching for, various documents and notes related to my novel. With Scrivener I am able to keep everything together, and adding additional notes and research is easy. I transcribed the last of my numerous notes on various pieces of paper to Scrivener. I now have more clear floorspace, and I no longer have to nudge my cat out of the way to search through my handwritten notes (a pile of papers on the floor at my home is a cat bed). There's a lot to love about Scrivener. I think the most helpful part is the interactive tutorial. I don't have to be on line to use it. The interactive tutorial is a wonderful learning tool. Many times learning a program involves reading text, looking at static images, and then trying to duplicate the instructions elsewhere in the program -- a lot of hopping back and forth. The tutorial allows me to practice new skills while in an actual Scrivener document (my tutorial), without worrying about hitting the wrong button. My favorite part of Scrivener is the cork board. I was planning on buying a cork board, but now I don't have to because of the one in the program. The ability to color code the index cards and/or the pins is a great way for me to see where I am with the story in a glance. I like to lay out the major points of the story on the Scrivener index cards, and move them around, or edit them, as needed. Plus, I just like to stare at a cork board while I'm thinking. Thanks again! Is it December 5th yet?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

nancymo — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:11:43 -0600

I'm having problems as well - I trouble shot the issue and it says it's not compatible with Windows 7 - ugh!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

moviememe — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:20:08 -0600

Hi, just a couple of notes, I too ran into a bit of trouble with one of the fonts on the windows platform too, it doesn't seem to like mixing blocks AKA scenes, but I was using the NaMo version at the time. Not a deal-breaker, but a bit of a scary, none the less. That said, since the possibility does exist I may have to work with someone that believes a device lack both a delete and a backspace key and a right-click is something other than a crippled writing device, AND it was written from the ground up for the pc - good luck my linux friend, this is the one I'm going with. The PC side is missing some important features, - no short-cut or right click for new character or new setting, no floating windows, - more than a little unforgivable for starters - the missing feature list is actually quite long and tethering it to the Mac side will no doubt lead to some functional crippling of its future feature set, overall it's a nice and worthy 1.0 program at a reasonable price-point. For the "you are worthy" discount offered here, I think it is a wonderfully generous and most appreciated incentive to abuse my wrist in a way they haven't experienced since high school. I think for the editing portion, I'm combining two NaNo's, basically insane in word, and using a scriptwriting program for a novel, seems wrong somehow, and Scrivener makes sense structurally and creatively. So thanks, Gavin

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Erdewild — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:55:17 -0600

I finished my 50k in Scrivener and that was without the manual or tutorial. I cannot wait to get my coupon, get the full version, and finish this novel and any other future writing in this program!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Maralya — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:57:42 -0600

I'm not sure if I can get an answer here, but how much time do I have to purchase the discounted version? What happens if I purchase it after December 7th when the trial license expires? Will I be able to retrieve my novel after I download my full version? I'll be away on vacation until December 12th so I won't be able to it until then. Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:03:45 -0600

As Lorata says, the coupon is only good for the standard version, so you can either use that or the educational discount, not both. Thanks for buying, and congrats on your 50K!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:09:13 -0600

You do need to purchase separate licenses, but you can apply the 50% coupon to both if you purchase them in the same transaction. Additionally, just FYI for everyone, the 20% coupon code lasts to the end of December, so those who didn't make 50K still have the option of buying with a discount. The Mac 2.0 and Windows versions are compatible. The em-dashes, etc., that Lorata mentions were only an issue due to a bug in the WIndows NaNoWriMo beta, so that has been corrected with 1.0. The main thing is that you'll probably want to avoid using some Mac-only features for cross-platform projects, since you'll have limited to no access to them when working in Windows. Stick with inline annotations and footnotes, just use one page for project notes (where the Mac lets you have multiple), etc. These are some more advanced 2.0 features that just aren't in Windows yet, but nothing that would hamper your regular use. Thanks for your interest and congratulations on completing 50K this month!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:11:34 -0600

The codes are just for that year, but as BethCutter says, it's perfectly fine for people to pass on codes to friends or whomever if they're not using them! In fact there's usually a thread in the forums here that goes up around the 5th or shortly there after for people to share coupon codes.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:15:42 -0600

If you're on a version earlier than 1.0.3, I do recommend upgrading, as there have been a couple crash-related bugs fixed since the NaNoWriMo trial (and earlier 1.0 releases). If you're on 1.0 or higher, you can use Help > Check for Updates to get the latest release; anything earlier and you'll want to do a complete uninstall and reinstall. Do back up your projects first, just as it's good form, and then after uninstalling you can download the latest 1.0 version from here. Save that and run the installer from Windows Explorer (rather than from the browser) and you should be up and running quickly. For users on the NaNoWriMo trial, going to the 1.0 trial will give you 30 days of use (non-consecutive days, so if you only use the program twice a week the trial will last fifteen weeks). If you're already on the 1.0 trial, upgrading won't affect how many days left you have on the trial.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:17:30 -0600

Once they get the code up on the winner's page, it will stay there until they wipe the site in preparation for next year's NaNoWriMo--this usually happens at the beginning of October. I'd recommend copying the code and saving it somewhere yourself when you get a chance, just so you don't have to rely on the NaNo servers, but that's how it's worked in the past.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:36:26 -0600

When I had to reinstall the newer trial version, I still had my novel files, so I think they should still be there. Of course then the program ate the whole thing. But that was the Linux version. You should be ok as long as you keep regular backups.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

writingmama781 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:46:09 -0600

Thank you!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

jrberry63 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:15:33 -0600

LOVE. SCRIVENER.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:51:22 -0600

The winner's coupon code will be posted here probably around the 5th and will be good until sometime in the spring--sorry I don't have the exact date on hand, but you'll have a number of months before it will expire. You can download the 1.0 trial at any point and have 30 days of use from that, regardless of whether you buy a license; that count is separate from the NaNo trial's expiration date. Your project is just saved on your computer in whatever location you specified when you created it, so it will just continue sitting there even if you don't have Scrivener installed at all, and if you do later install 1.0 you'll be able to access it. I'd made a backup of it, of course--it is your novel, after all!--and also be sure to compile your entire draft before the 7th, if you don't think you'll be getting Scrivener for a while; that way you'll have your full manuscript to work on elsewhere. You can also use File > Export on any selected binder items to export copies of those if you want to make easy-to-access copies of any of your research, images, etc. for when you're not using Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

101wuzup1 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:11:40 -0600

How do we get the coupon code for the winner deal? And does it combine with the participant deal or do we choose one or the other?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Maralya — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:48:27 -0600

Thaks a lot!!! Of course I have LOTS of backup in different places, so I should be good. :D

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

reptile_smile — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:03:30 -0600

Are you using some kind of cloud-based storage? Dropbox or similar is the only thing I can think of causing issues like this, such that it's opened on more than one computer. The free Linux Beta has always been time-limited, as far as I know - not in the same way as the paid versions, just to improve the update workflow.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheCrescent — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:06:30 -0600

5 December is what I've been hearing for when the coupon will appear. I suspect that you can only use the winner coupon of 50% off *or* the participant coupon of 20% off. I have a question as well: I'm definitely buying Scrivener for myself when the coupon becomes available, and I was considering purchasing a copy for my sis-in-law. Would I be allowed to use the 50% coupon to buy 2 copies?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:04:27 -0600

It might well have always been time limited. But when advertising to Nano writers knowing full well when nano ran, we should have been TOLD that. I only found out that it was limited after searching in a panic for about an hour on their own forums. It was not easy to see and the first post on this thread -in the Linux-specific paragraph- says that it will not ever expire. And no, I've never used Dropbox or anything like it. I save to my harddrive, and then backup to an external harddrive that plugs in to two USB ports which I've never had any other problems with. I only use one computer to write on.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

unicorn27 — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:41:07 -0600

Looking forward to getting the 50% off coupon. I'm so impressed with Scrivener, that I'm almost embarrassed about only paying 50% for it. If I wasn't so hard-up at the moment, I would just have bought the full version at the beginning of November. As to whether you can buy more than one copy with the same coupon, well that probably goes against the spirit of the offer. But I suppose it depends whether or not winners get a unique code each. If they do, then it's possible you could find a winner who doesn't want/need their code and may be willing to donate it. Not me, though.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:29:55 -0600

Please note, folks; if you have a BLUE BAR, you will not receive your special offer codes from this sponsor. It's not too late to validate, even though validation tools have been disabled because the event is over. time is of the essence, so if you want your special offer codes and you have not validated your winning novel, you'll need to go through our late novel validation process as outlined in the Tech Help forum. If you do NOT validate your novel before special offer codes are distributed, you WILL NOT receive a code, as we receive codes based on how many winners we have, and no more will be issued one we've received them from our sponsors.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

kaizoman — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:13:59 -0600

When you went to the Scrivener site and dug through the forum with things like: "Scrivener for Linux is not a supported platform currently. Scrivener for Linux will keep its beta status until we worked out how we are going to support this platform moving forward." And in this thread it says: "essentially the Linux version will remain in "free beta" mode until such time as we can put the extra love and attention into it to make it release-ready." Again not declaring that the version would never expire and would be free from technical issues. I appreciate having issues/trouble with beta software. I've been testing and submitting bug reports for the Windows version for more than a year now. Sometimes it breaks/doesn't work right/fails to save right. That is the cost of beta software that you didn't have to pay anything for. It was plainly advertised what the Linux version was. So you and everyone else that is complaining about issues with the Linux version, quit it. Your choice to put your blinders on and click through links without thought or pause isn't our problem, it's yours. If you have legitimate technical issues, please head on over to the Scrivener Linux form read through it and post a question if you don't find an answer and the community there will likely help you. http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=33 PS. Scrivener guys love ya. Look forward to installing Windows 1.0.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WestWinds — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:22:58 -0600

Where do we receive the codes?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Glaedr — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:31:32 -0600

There is no need to be rude. We were not told that it would expire a week into NaNo. The dates of NaNo should be well known to a sponsor, especially when it's on every page of the site they've posted their ad on. Some bugs are to be expected, yes. But not this many. Not something that will delete almost an entire month's work with no explanation. I have been posting on their forums and following advice, and I have been reading up on as many things about it as possible. That doesn't change the fact that the bugs have cost me a lot of time and stress. They ARE legitimate issues. And in fact I have found another bug since posting this. I am not posting here to complain. I am here to warn people - because the makers obviously won't - that there are serious issues with the Linux version so that they are not affected in the same way I was. Being put so far behind so many times during the month would have put many people off of writing altogether. There's meant to be a stage of testing BEFORE beta and for this particular version that testing was not as effective as it should have been. If it works for you then great. But don't assume that everyone who ever has an issue with something doesn't know what they're doing. The fact is there are Linux software packages that are free, will remain free and will not delete work at random intervals. And in my opinion it's better to use something that works properly for something as important as NaNo. Scrivener has too many flaws to be usable in my opinion.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sphärenspringer — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:07:54 -0600

Hi, i´d just love to buy Scrivener for both Mac and Windows, but i never got a code or somethig. I won, though, validated 62670 Words. How do i get Scrivener with the 50% off-bonus? Bye, Sphärenspringer Germany

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rayzold — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:50:33 -0600

September the 2nd finally! Waiting for the 50% discount ! Can't wait to start writing with it :D A quick question! Those that buy scievener after December 1st, are we going to be getting a free update to scievener 2.0 when it's out for windows? I wouldn't mind a beta either to be honest!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ZeroDraftingGenius — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:26:06 -0600

Are Scrivener codes coming out today (Dec. 2) or Dec. 5??

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

DrDNA — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:49:29 -0600

According to the information on this site, Scrivener is supposed to have a "Winner's Circle" page on their website on December 2nd. I don't see it. Did I misunderstand something?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CarvingCarver — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:14:14 -0600

It said something on their site about seeing the code on your "I Wrote a Novel, Now What?" page on the NaNo site. I don't see that page at all either...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

unicorn27 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:51:43 -0600

The codes will appear on Monday (5 Dec). It says in the "We Did It!" posting, under Breaking News on the Dashboard: Come Monday, the “I Wrote a Novel, Now What?” page will be posted, with advice for how to take the next step with (or without) your November novel. And if you’re a winner, be on the lookout for the Winner Prizes page as well. (It’ll live where the Procrastination Station is now.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ZeroDraftingGenius — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:03:32 -0600

Thanks, unicorn ... but it would be nice if someone official from L&L would answer this question. At this point, people are just quoting statements from all over the forums/nano pages about what's supposed to show up when and where. Depending of what you read where, codes have been promised on the 2nd, on the 5th, in the L&L forums, in the Nano forums, on our Winner's Goodies pages, etc.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

unicorn27 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:53:11 -0600

To be fair, I think the time scales are as much in the hands of OLL as L&L. But I know what you mean about the plethora of conflicting information. I did read somewhere that once the contest is over, OLL have to apply (with the correct number of winners) to L&L for the vouchers. But I can't now find where I read that. I probably imagined it. But this is only my first year doing this, so I'm completely unfamiliar with the mechanics of how things happen here.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

bettielee — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:22:43 -0600

want want want want want sorry.. I'm not helping. I am just dying to actually own the darn software.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

James203 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:50:42 -0600

I know exactly what you mean. The autosave didn't...save. Which meant four and a half thousand words down the drain. Also, when I converted it to word, it came out as coding and the original file died. I had a hard copy, but now I will have to re type all of my (embarrassingly, only) 27 k words.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lamplight — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:29:13 -0600

Ditto. The waiting is driving me to distraction. Maybe working the tutorial is a good way to mark time.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:51:50 -0600

Every year, the winner prizes are distributed via the NaNoWriMo.org website, especialy where Scrivener is involved. So the official word is from NaNo, not Lit & Lat, and that official word can be found on the NaNo home page, or here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/breaking_news/through-the-rabbit-hole.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ZeroDraftingGenius — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:39:31 -0600

I feel the same way ... which doesn't even make sense because it's not like I don't *have* the software. But I want to own it. And I feel like I earned it. So it should just be mine, zippety-zap! Silly, I know.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ZeroDraftingGenius — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:41:58 -0600

Thanks. Somehow, all month I totally ignored irritations (and errands and housework). Now, the slightest bump, and I'm all the Princess and Pea, lol.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:41:13 -0600

As BetaWulf says, the code distribution is all handled by OLL. They'll get a count of all the winners (those with purple bars, so as DragonChilde posted above, if you weren't able to validate your 50K due to technical reasons or what have you, make sure you go read this post and get that taken care of before the 5th), then will get exactly that number of coupon codes from eSellerate, the company that processes our sales transactions, and will make them available on the winner's prizes page when that goes live on Dec 5th. You'll need to be signed into your NaNo account in order to see the code, and I recommend you copy it out and save it somewhere. (It should stay up on the NaNo site until they clear everything next year in prep for NaNo 2012, but better safe than sorry.) Once you have that, you can purchase your license for either the Mac or Windows version at 50% off--or, if you buy them in the same transaction, a license for each. (Note that they'll both be registered to you, so if you're buying one for a gift be aware that it will still be using your name as the serial name; you can email sales@literatureandlatte.com and David should be able to update that for you.) Congratulations to everyone who wrote words this month, and thanks for giving Scrivener a go!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:50:31 -0600

You'll be purchasing a license for 1.0, so you'll get free updates all through 1.x. When 2.0 is released (which probably won't be for a couple years, though I don't have any kind of date for this--the Mac was in version 1.x for about three years, to give you a rough guideline), that will be a major update and will be a paid upgrade, but there will certainly be a discount price for registered 1.0 users. Hopefully that doesn't seem too unreasonable! Meanwhile, up to the 2.0 release, version 1 will continue to have bug fixes and enhancements, and of course all of that you won't pay for. Since the NaNo trial is a pre-1.0 beta, you'll want to back up your projects and then uninstall that before downloading and installing the latest 1.0 release from the L&L website. Your projects will open fine in it, but this way you'll be sure to clear out any beta settings and have a clean install of 1.0. You can go ahead and do that at any point, incidentally--you get a 30 day trial before you need to register, so even if you're waiting on the 50% discount code, you can upgrade to 1.0 and get working if you want, then just register once you've got your license. Thanks for supporting scrivener and congrats on your word count!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

frommyfriends — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:22:34 -0600

I am as well, Please, somebody help us out! :(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sphärenspringer — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 04:53:15 -0600

No, but they write on the "Winners Goodies Page", that they sell Scrivener with 50% discount at December 5th. I missed this Information too ...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 11:55:06 -0600

HELP I'm traveling. I usually use my desktop, but am using my lap top now. I brought my manuscript on a USB thumb drive. Unfortunately, when I opened my project, my computer somehow flashed to the last time I used my laptop (towards the earlier part of the month of Nov) instead of to my complete manuscript. In the process, it appears to have replaced my 101KB file with the earlier version -- no where on my thumb drive or hard drive -- at 26KB. What's going on. Is there a secret to using thumb drives between computers with Scrivener that I fail to understand? The drive has the entire scriv folder, in which is the project.scrivx document. I tried copying my entire scriv folder to my desktop, and going to my latest backup, which I renamed project. The same thing happened. Using the nanowrimo trial on Windows XP. (Tried to post on the Scrivener support forum, but I don't have access to my email to get the confirmation of my registration. Thanks)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:24:35 -0600

CORRECTION--if you do buy multiple licenses in one transaction, the name cannot be changed. Sincere apologies for my mistake there.

Thank you, Scrivener

daisymaebelle — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:54:29 -0600

I downloaded the Scrivener software a while ago to transfer some other projects and was a tad frustrated with the learning curve. The tutorial is just a wee involved, but I stuck in there and love Scrivener. I used Storyist for this Nano so I could compare the two and while I also enjoyed using Storyist I don't need to own both, so will stick with scrivener. On the 29th I saw the entry form for Writer's Digest Short Story Competition with entry due on the 1st. On the 30th, I decided to enter. I wrote the short story on Scrivener and had it in with five minutes to spare. I would not have attempted it if I had to write and format the thing in under 36 hours. I doubt my story is award winning, but I was tired of saying, "I'm going to finish ______ and submit it." I was ready to submit something. I would never have made it if I didn't have Scrivener to do the nitty gritty so all I had to do was be creative and put words to paper. (words to screen?) I am buying as soon as I have my code.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rayzold — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:35:21 -0600

Oh okay! I am almost thinking about trading my ipad 2 for a mac book in order to be able to use Scrievener 2.0. I hope Scrievener 1.0 isnt lacking too much of the features in the Mac 2.0 version, or is it just the Mac 1.0 version? Any plans on an ipad scrievener app? I already have a keyboard for my iPad 2 and I was considering that something like that would be sweet! Thanks for the information :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

00Marx — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:25:02 -0600

I absolutely love this program. I have several projects that have gotten way too big (120k+) to manage easily in one writing doc and now I can break it apart and organize without pulling my hair out. Thanks so much. I didn't use it for NaNo this year but have downloaded the Mac version after I saw a friend at a write-in and saw what it could do. It's like what I've been trying to do unsuccessfully in my folders and binders in stacks on my writing desk - but it actually works. Thank you for making this program. I feel now that I can go back and polish my big monster projects up and get them sent off finally.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Hypatiatoo — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:17:06 -0600

Thanks for that suggestion. I'm looking forward to Monday (or is that Tuesday Australian time? ;)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Per Fischer — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 05:08:30 -0600

Hi, Will there be a link to the "winner's prizes page" when it's live? On the front page? On your profile page? Per

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TribalCat — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 09:23:41 -0600

I've enjoyed using Scrivener during the trial, and I'm looking forward to buying the registration on Monday :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Snoopyfan — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:26:23 -0600

I don't know what I would've done without Scrivener. It was a gem to write on, and I love my novel all the more for it. Can't wait to edit and polish it up. :) Can't wait even more to own it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

plantman — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 11:40:17 -0600

Can I still receive the 50% off for WINNER's this year. I won last year as well. If so where do I find the coupon to make the purchase?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MySerenity2 — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 11:58:57 -0600

I also used the NaNo trial version this year and will be buying the full version on Monday. I can't wait! The way it organizes everything for your story into one file is wonderful. I had files all over the place before. It is a real time saver. I also love the way you can save your work into lots of different formats. I will be using this software for all of my work from now on.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

plantman — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:06:10 -0600

"On December 5, sponsors Scrivener and CreateSpace will also be distributing a special treat to all winners. These goodies will be available via the Winner Prizes homepage block."

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

plantman — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:06:21 -0600

"On December 5, sponsors Scrivener and CreateSpace will also be distributing a special treat to all winners. These goodies will be available via the Winner Prizes homepage block."

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Storeetllr — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:03:01 -0600

Loved using Scrivener for Windows and credit it for my getting to 50k words this year. A couple of questions: If I understand correctly, I will need to remove the trial version from my computer before installing the full version. Also, I've had a problem all month with unexplained crashes, where for no reason I can tell the program stops working and then I get an error message saying it stopped working and must close. All I've had to do is reopen it, and it works fine until the next time it crashes, and I haven't lost any text, but it is annoying. Has this little bug been fixed in the full version? Thanks, and thanks for the 50% discount on this wonderful program!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

rinib — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:15:45 -0600

Thanks! I don't have mine from last year either.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:02:14 -0600

Storeetlr - Yes, there were a couple crash bugs identified and fixed between the NaNo trial and the 1.0 release, including one that behaved as you described--it had to do with certain invalid RTF characters coming in via import or copy/paste, which would cause Scrivener to crash when you were working in the document. That's been fixed, along with a couple other less "random" crashes, and then some other bug fixes and improvements (including automatic backups). We do recommend uninstalling the NaNo version before downloading and installing the latest 1.0 version, so just backup your projects and then run Scrivener's uninstall.exe (or use the Windows Control Panel to do this), and then download 1.0 from here. Choose to save the download and run it via Windows Explorer instead of straight from your browser. Once you've got that installed you'll be able to open all your projects as before and just keep working. There will also be the standard trial message when you launch Scrivener, and from there (or from the Help menu) you can choose to register once you have a license. Thanks for supporting Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

LadyLuck — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:54:27 -0600

Hi, first of all, I can't remember if I already said so in this forum, but I love Scrivener! I don't know how I was ever satisfied using Word, but one thing's for sure - I'll never go back! Scrivener for ever! One question - I assume the default spelling dictionary is American English since it keeps wanting to change it when I spell things with an 's' instead of a 'z' (like recognising, for example). I've been dutifully telling it to learn spelling this past month, but there are a lot of differences and I'm getting a little tired of it! I looked for a way to change to British (or New Zealand) English, but couldn't find it. Am I being blind, or do I truly need professional help? Thanks in advance :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Hypatiatoo — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:54:30 -0600

Thanks for your offer - I've downloaded 1.0 and I'm just waiting for the licence. I loved the NaNo templates which came bundled with the NaNo version, will they be made available again somewhere? Thanks again

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheCrescent — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:23:29 -0600

On the PC, you can go to Tools: Options: Auto-Correction. There's a dictionary option which is set to English (United States). If you click Select, there's an option for English (UnitedKingdom). I'd assume the MAC version has it as well but I'm not sure where the option is located.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

LadyLuck — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:49:27 -0600

Hmm... I don't have a tools menu on my mac version. I tried looking for auto-correct in the help menu but it came up with nothing. ?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TribalCat — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:20:05 -0600

*waits patiently for code* Yes, I know it's not even the crack of dawn yet here on Monday, but I'm up an working on my novel...still. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

indica — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:37:32 -0600

Go to Edit--->Spelling & Grammar--->Show Spelling and Grammar. A window will pop up. At the bottom there will be a drop down list. It will probably say 'automatic by language'. Click this drop down and select British English. Close the window. That should do it! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Zombie_Plan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:37:51 -0600

There's three hours left of my Monday, and I'm still waiting ;_;

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

unicorn27 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:45:23 -0600

Yes, I'm in the UK and I was naively hanging around the site at midnight GMT hoping they'd appear. It's still very early AM for OLL in California, so I'm guess it's going to be a number of hours yet. I think it's going to closer to Tuesday before I see the codes. And I think it'll definitely be Tuesday for you, Zombie_Plan.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

unicorn27 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:51:58 -0600

Thinking about it, I wonder if OLL should have done a staggered release of codes to the regions. With so many people waiting to pounce, I wonder if the systems will cope with so many people trying to buy at once?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AuntySocialite — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:22:18 -0600

I just wanted to add my 2p - I absolutely love Scrivener as well! So great too that the UK spelling feature is default (for a change) and it doesn't suddenly switch mid-page to US spelling. Kudos to the developers!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Zombie_Plan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:31:22 -0600

It had better, or I'll cry!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Zombie_Plan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:31:32 -0600

Well, that sucks.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TribalCat — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:16:38 -0600

It's only 5am here in California, and I doubt they're up and about yet :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dwilder — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:23:02 -0600

It took some getting used to (the nice kind, actually) and I'm hooked on the trial version. So... I'll wait to get the code and order mine.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Silver_Dragon52 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:41:08 -0600

Hi everyone, I've read some conflicting messages about when the winner's coupon will be available and don't want to miss it. I've won and can't find mine on the Winner's Goodies page or anywhere else...just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed it. Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Smitty2377 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:29:46 -0600

The Scrivener discount was the main incentive for me to do Nano this year. I like the idea of converting my work to eBook format from the software it was written in. Need the code or my next story will be about a jaded contest winner. ;-) (just kidding)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sphärenspringer — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:31:34 -0600

yes, the conflicting Information about when it´s gonna rain codes for Winners is everything but optimal. At this Moment i see that alsost 30000 People are on Nano´s Page right now, so let´s hope the Site won´t crasch as soon as the site will be updated ...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

JoGirl — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:35:04 -0600

Where do we find the code when it is posted? Forgive me if this is a no brainer.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lovechris — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:38:41 -0600

Well, I'm in California, and have been poking around since 4:30am... still waiting. Are there only a limited number of discounts available? Is today the ONLY day to purchase for winners? I loved using Scrivener. Actually, I just wrote and produced a cookbook earlier this fall, and really could have used the Scrivener template and organization binder! Will certainly use it for the next one! Ok, another five minutes, still no code. keep smiling, we're still WINNERS!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WriverWriter — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:30:47 -0600

hi, Just found the offers here. http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/offers

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WriverWriter — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:31:56 -0600

That was all the offers not just scrivener http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/offers

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

SunsetSam — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:35:42 -0600

Yeah, but the code isn't there yet. :( I'm waiting, too!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Steampunk Scribbler — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:06:55 -0600

And I thought I was missing something.... can't wait to spend my money on this!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

coppertoe — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:07:41 -0600

I've been fiddling with the NaNo trial version and can't wait to purchase Scrivener for PC as soon as the Winner code is posted! I think I'm getting hives from waiting. It's been Dec 5th here in Sweeeeden for 17 hours and I still don't see the codes. *scratches*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Faecanuck — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:26:51 -0600

This is definitely frustrating... the anticipation is killing me!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Meanderingmuse — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:36:27 -0600

Still waiting here in the UK too :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

raenboe — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:52:15 -0600

I hope they are prepared. I think we are going to blow up the computer as soon as they release the code. I really want that full version.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rayzold — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:09:50 -0600

Guys relax, the offices are in San Francisco, so it's Still pretty early in the morning here. I bet it will come up pretty soon tho!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

indigo_room — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:10:26 -0600

I'm passing the time until the winners' purchase code is released by going through the full Scrivener tutorial, which I never actually did. I recommend it. Without the tutorial I've been able to do what I needed to do with Scrivener, but now I'm discovering more efficient ways to do things, as well as a few new tools to try.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

buzzword52 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:24:54 -0600

I agree - I didn't know about Scrivener until I started NaNoWriMo and I found it brilliant. For some reason, I noted that the full version would become available on 2 December and I started to panic thinking I've missed it. Very comforting, guys, to know that you're all waiting for it too! I've already created an ebook version of my novel (just to see how bad it really is ...) and it's going to be fun doing some editing soon. *taps the keyboard thinking of something else to write while waiting for the Scrivener code to appear ...*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

00Marx — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:47:33 -0600

Why do I get the sneaking suspicion that someone is procrastinating getting that discount thingy up on the website? I've been checking every hour since midnight. Arrrrgh!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sacherjj — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:17:58 -0600

My feelings about all this: It will happen, when it will happen. In the mean time, I just uninstalled the Nano version and installed the 1.0 trial that is good for 30 days. And life goes on.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:21:51 -0600

[quote=00Marx] Why do I get the sneaking suspicion that someone is procrastinating getting that discount thingy up on the website? I've been checking every hour since midnight. Arrrrgh! [/quote] I've been checking too, using the iPhone then the PC then the iPhone... See what I mean? I'm getting crazy. :-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

PatriciaShaw — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:22:35 -0600

Oh good, I thought I was doing something wrong, but it's just not up yet!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:33:56 -0600

Uninstall the NaNoWriMo version (I don't think the license code will work with it anyway), then install the full version from the literature and latte website. Then you'll have thirty more days to play with it. The discount will be good for at least a month, probably two, so there is NO NEED TO PANIC!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:37:32 -0600

Folks, I'm going to ask you to please have patience. The code distribution is not an automatic process, and it's still morning in CA. The Winner's Prizes block is going to appear on the front page, in place of the Procrastination Station. Please have patience, as it will likely be later in the day California time, as we have a few loose ends to tie up before we're ready for them to go live.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mistaken hat — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:42:53 -0600

I have the patience, and another fortnight to go in the trial version, but I have to say I think it is rather nice that there is so much enthusiasm for Scrivener -- an enthusiasm which I share. It's not often that I get impatient about handing money over for something but here it is. Well done to the folks behind Scrivener -- it's a great product.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Firewolf — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:42:59 -0600

Sounds awesome! Thanks :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

janewoe — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:50:11 -0600

Scrivener is indeed the best project-writing software I've ever worked with. I also want to say THANK YOU SCRIVENER DEVS FOR THE WINDOWS VERSION!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

coppertoe — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:15:42 -0600

The "impatience" seen on this thread is really only enthusiasm for the product, in disguise. Yep, we can uninstall the NaNo version of Scrivener and download the free 1-month trial while waiting for the code to buy it, but that doesn't lower our level of enthusiasm for Scrivener. We're like kids on Christmas morning. And, like on Christmas morning, the more enthusiasm, the more fun. DON'T CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM! =D *bangs head on wall--enthusiastically--while waiting for the Scrivener code*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

brangwy — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:36:31 -0600

I didn't even realize there was a discount until after I paid my $40.00. Well worth that $40.00 too so I don't care about the discount anwyay. Fantastic program!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Clairabel — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:09:00 -0600

I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this software - without it, I don't think I'd have got my novel done, so thank you to Literature & Latte for this awesome program!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sphärenspringer — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:10:10 -0600

The waiting somehow frustrates me a bit, since its getting quite near the end of monday here in Germany, and i guess it will be tuesday evening, when i find a few minutes to look for my discount code. I know it´s America´s National Novel Writing Month, but you all know it´s worldwide by now, don´t ya? Thank God the new "Papyrus Autor 5" is out today too, i bought it right away! It´s a great piece of software for Writers (if you speak german, that is ...). I want to switch my celtx for scrivener (i did the 1st-Drafts with celtx until now, and all the Editing in the perfect Papyrus Autor), an can´t wait to buy it! Thanks, NaNo, thanks. L&L! You´re both awesome!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

00Marx — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:17:45 -0600

[quote=coppertoe] The "impatience" seen on this thread is really only enthusiasm for the product, in disguise. Yep, we can uninstall the NaNo version of Scrivener and download the free 1-month trial while waiting for the code to buy it, but that doesn't lower our level of enthusiasm for Scrivener. We're like kids on Christmas morning. And, like on Christmas morning, the more enthusiasm, the more fun. DON'T CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM! =D *bangs head on wall--enthusiastically--while waiting for the Scrivener code* [/quote] LOL Exactly like Xmas morning! It's like someone preventing me from opening the presents because they are looking for the camera. Arrrgh

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dux — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:29:51 -0600

I did validate my novel prior to Nov 30 and still have not been able to find out how/where to get my Scrivener's code.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ornitorrinkko — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:35:43 -0600

Good to know that I'm not the only one checking and rechecking every hour going from iPhone to iPad to PC...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:36:15 -0600

The codes will be available on the Winners' page (I think the "So I Wrote A Novel, Now What?" page) once the OLL staff gets that up--you'll see a link in the bottom left of the main NaNoWriMo page, where the "Procrastination Station" has been. When you go to that page, if you're signed in with your NaNo username, you'll see your discount codes. Scrivener's coupon code will be good until sometime in the spring, so no, you absolutely don't have to rush and purchase it today or miss your chance! I recommend copying your code off the page and saving it somewhere on your own drive or writing it on a post-it you won't lose or some such--it should still be available on the NaNoWriMo site until they clear everything for next year's novel-writing party, but it's good to have it saved somewhere else as well.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

LadyLuck — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:41:46 -0600

Wicked! Thank you :D

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WriverWriter — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:45:36 -0600

Yes I read it too fast. I'm sorry. I never saw that limk before so I thought it was a new one.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:55:06 -0600

[quote=Sphärenspringer] The waiting somehow frustrates me a bit, since its getting quite near the end of monday here in Germany, and i guess it will be tuesday evening, when i find a few minutes to look for my discount code. I know it´s America´s National Novel Writing Month, but you all know it´s worldwide by now, don´t ya? [/quote] We know that. :) But unfortunately, we operate on US time... which means that it's not really possibile for us to expect HQ to get up in the wee hours of the morning (when they won't get paid!) to distribute the codes. They'll be here in due time. :) There's still many hours in the day left, and there may be unforseen delays, so please have patience! (And thanks for supporting our sponsors!)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sphärenspringer — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:01:31 -0600

Oh, don´t misunderstand me, i´ll be patient ...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

StrictlyTopSecret — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:25:28 -0600

My father in law wants to buy this for me for Christmas. Will the code (when it is placed on the site) be usable solely by the "winner" or is it just general?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RhiannonG — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:39:30 -0600

Waaaah I want my Scrivener! I am SO ditto that the impatience is because it's such excellent software. Okay, I have a question too: First, once I buy my license, how many computers can I install it on? I'd like to install it on both my Mac desktop and my Mac laptop now, but in the coming year I hope to be able to replace one or both of those (they're antiques) and then I will want it on the new one. Also, once I buy my Mac version I will be wanting a Windows version for my Windows desktop too. I don't mind paying full price, but if there's any kind of discount I'd like to know. And once I have both, is it possible to share files between the Mac and Windows versions? Thanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:49:44 -0600

[quote=StrictlyTopSecret] My father in law wants to buy this for me for Christmas. Will the code (when it is placed on the site) be usable solely by the "winner" or is it just general? [/quote] It's not linked to your account, if that's what you mean. Scrivener (and for that matter, all our sponsors) doesn't know what account the code is distributed to. If you choose to give it to someone else, that's fine.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:55:21 -0600

[quote=RhiannonG] Waaaah I want my Scrivener! I am SO ditto that the impatience is because it's such excellent software. Okay, I have a question too: First, once I buy my license, how many computers can I install it on? I'd like to install it on both my Mac desktop and my Mac laptop now, but in the coming year I hope to be able to replace one or both of those (they're antiques) and then I will want it on the new one. Also, once I buy my Mac version I will be wanting a Windows version for my Windows desktop too. I don't mind paying full price, but if there's any kind of discount I'd like to know[/quote] You can install it on multiple computers, although you'll need a separate license for each operating system (the Mac version license doesn't transfer over to the Windows version) http://literatureandlatte.com/support.php#section-multiplereg [quote]. And once I have both, is it possible to share files between the Mac and Windows versions? Thanks![/quote] Yes! I've been successfully using it on both Mac and Windows since last year. Keep regular backups, though; sometimes things can go wrong. If you use Dropbox, you can actually sync it between them both without having to transfer. I usually write on my Mac, but often take my windows laptop to writeins.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:07:14 -0600

Dragonchilde answered most of this, but I'll add that you can use the 50% winner's coupon to purchase both a Mac and Windows license if you buy them at the same time.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CarvingCarver — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:29:09 -0600

Where are the discount codes? It is 5:28 pm on the East Coast. No codes...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CarvingCarver — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:31:40 -0600

My browser didn't update the forum. Sorry. GAH!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Iponder — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:49:15 -0600

It's december 5th but I can't find the discount code... the winner

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:17:57 -0600

Carolf - Just a quick check in - it looks like you did get this posted over on the L&L forum and have a thread going over there about it, yes?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Thanis_Voyant — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:19:00 -0600

Can I buy the educational licence for both, the Mac and Windows version and still get 50% discount on both? Or does it just work with the regular licence?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

remabulous — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:29:21 -0600

Hi Keith! I loved using Scrivener for NaNoWriMo, and am ready to purchase. I did win and completed my 50,000 words, but have checked my winners goodies page a few times and have yet to see a code for anything other than the 20% off for all NaNo participants. Am I not looking in the right place? I have been looking at the Winner's Goodies page and haven't been able to find another place connected to NaNoWriMo that connects with Scrivener. Help! Caroline

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

novelist132 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:43:14 -0600

For this, do we have to pay for the Nano version posted on the Fun stuff/ special offers page? If so, where do I find this page, because, it just lead me to the downloading spot. If not, how long does the Nano version last?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

durich100 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:44:19 -0600

Me too !!! hahaha I wonder why so much impatiance for getting this software! I haven't had this for a long time. Oh, I know! It is because Scrivener is an AWSOME software!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Zombie_Plan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:45:51 -0600

I apologize if my enthusiasm is mistaken for impatience. I am just a little bit impatient NOW, I must admit. I understand that it's still morning or maybe even afternoon by now in Cali, but given that this is an international event that some steps would be taken for this sort of thing. This could have been working out a way to get the codes out to people in different regions at the right time, or by simply saying "See when you'll get your code" and listing approximate times (If it had of said "December 6th" for Australia I wouldn't be in this situation. Just some thoughts.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

jademortel — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:49:16 -0600

As my father would say, waiting "builds character." ;) I'm sure they're doing the best they can. Is it messy right now? Sure. And I understand the impatience of our international writers. Relax, go have a drink, watch a movie. Maybe write or edit a bit -- you already have the program. Let's all take a nice deep breath and be thankful for what we have. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sidhekat — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:56:20 -0600

I find it interesting that some of the people complaining that the discount code isn't available yet, never took the time to donate to the cause that made the discount possible in the first place.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

indica — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:10:34 -0600

It's entirely possible that some of the people "complaining" have helped NaNo via GoodSearch or eBay Giving and have therefore donated.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Anahlynn — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:24:32 -0600

I find it interesting that you're assuming that the people who have complained never took the time to donate. You don't know their circumstances. Some are unemployed, some don't make enough money. Some aren't even old enough to donate! Don't assume that halo on your head some how makes you superior.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AkiKaza — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:14:20 -0600

Jeez, no need to be so harsh and judgmental, lady...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AkiKaza — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:15:04 -0600

GAH! I keep forgetting that it's still like early evening in Cali :D (that's where you guys are, right? I think! ^^;) so it's all dark over here and I'm like "OMG WHERE IS IT" and then I remember ^o^; haha

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

dwilder — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:29:01 -0600

As you can see by my halo, I've donated. In fact, I donated twice. The first time was anonymously. I didni't get a halo to wear for that one. The second time was not anonymously. And I now have a halo tipped rakishly over one eye.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Harper Jayne — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:40:48 -0600

I've donated. And I went to the NOWD, which means at least $260. I'm still not better than anyone else on this site. We all have to make choices in life. If someone decides that the limited money they have needs to go to furthering their writing career by purchasing software so that in the future they can donate to OLL, it seems like a damned good choice to me. Particularly because the whole reason there are sponsors is because they rely on people using those codes to spend money on their products, thus recouping what they helped pay for NaNo . . . A far better way to write something regarding donations might have been: "It's awesome that so many people are excited about this super program! Sure is cool of them to help out the OLL. If you're antsy waiting for the codes though, you could always kill some time buying something from the OLL Store, or even hitting the donation station. I know I've been coveting the USB "My Novel" wristband!"

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

hjmiii — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:46:18 -0600

Um, explain again how donating makes a corporate sponsor's perk possible? They're giving this out to drive their own sales, and Scrivener is a donor in their own right. I've got a halo and this comment still doesn't make sense. Albeit, if more people donated maybe the OLL could hire some more tech staff to get it all updated faster, but I'm just patiently refreshing every 30sec and not complaining. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

FenixPheonix — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:52:41 -0600

Yeah, it's 5:50 over here. Still plenty of time. Don't worry about it, guys. You'll get it eventually. While it would be pretty cool to have the software, it's not exactly a necessity.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Harper Jayne — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:18:30 -0600

"Sitting in the office with Dan, listening to the Stones, eating oatmeal cookies, and raising the Winner Prizes page from the HTML depths." From Chris Baty's twitter feed, as of about a minute ago.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

kstine — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:21:44 -0600

Hooray, I was about to post this, too, Harper! Haha :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

nicawaters — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:23:14 -0600

I too cannot find the code - I won NaNo and want to buy Scrivener - and I;m worried that my story will disappear from Scrivener on December 7! Help!!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:26:17 -0600

[quote=Zombie_Plan] I apologize if my enthusiasm is mistaken for impatience. I am just a little bit impatient NOW, I must admit. I understand that it's still morning or maybe even afternoon by now in Cali, but given that this is an international event that some steps would be taken for this sort of thing. This could have been working out a way to get the codes out to people in different regions at the right time, or by simply saying "See when you'll get your code" and listing approximate times (If it had of said "December 6th" for Australia I wouldn't be in this situation. Just some thoughts. [/quote] The codes aren't distributed this way. It's not an automated process, and it's not about time zones. This doesn't work the way winning and the event itself does. :) Basically, it works like this: 1) We gather our final winner numbers 2) We send those final winner numbers to our sponsors. 3) They send us back a set of codes based on the numbers we provided. 4) We prepare the winner page with the appropriate code to give ONE code per account. This is not automatic. 5) The codes are all distributed at once. This isn't about time zones or where you are. We just ask that you please have some patience, as there can be delays, hangups, coding issues. Our sponsors adore you for your enthusiasm, but these codes are good for months. One more day won't hurt, and you can still use the trial version in the mean time to continue writing. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:26:47 -0600

Hang in there, folks. It's still being worked on. :) This isn't a simple process (as I explained above) and these codes are good for months. You can continue to use your trial version if you need it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Gauss — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:30:44 -0600

But... but the trial version eats every quote and double-quote I type on the Mac version! :-( Glad to see progress being made though. :-) I can see the page where the code is supposed to be, but not the code.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

pking36330 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:32:37 -0600

Does anyone know if the NaNoWriMo version of Scrivener will WORK on the 7th? Or does it expire on the 7th (i.e. work through midnight on the 6th)? I know that I won't lose anything if it expires before OLL gets the purchase codes posted and I'm able to purchase a copy. I'm just curious if I need to plan a mini-vacation while they work through the technical difficulties.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Registrau — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:32:51 -0600

Same here, I see the page, but no code! :(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mistermeyer — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:33:10 -0600

I guess there is a bug or two left to be flattened. The page is there for me but, alas, no code is displayed below the paragraph that teasingly tells me that a code will be displayed. The good news is that I already own Scrivener on my Mac, so I'm not entirely without a licensed version. What was it that Tom Petty said? Something about the waiting?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:33:13 -0600

Just PLEASE try to have some patience folks; they're working on it. This code is good for months. It won't expire while you're waiting. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mistermeyer — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:34:48 -0600

I'm having Scotch. I may run out of patience, but I'll never run out of Scotch! :-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Registrau — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:35:25 -0600

You are right Dragon, thanks, didn't see your other message up there :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

WintryGooseball — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:47:02 -0600

There's a block on the bottom right of the dashboard that leads to a page specifically for Scrivener and CreateSpace. One of the paragraphs says it should have the code listed after it if you're a "verified, signed-in winner" (which I am) but I'm not seeing anything... so I don't know.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

juliaindigo — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:57:26 -0600

I'm a winner, but no code! And I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow, and need to DL it before I go!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:58:18 -0600

Folks, please stop posting in this thread to ask the same question over and over again. I know you're excited. We're working on this as hard as we can, and asking the same questions won't help them get up faster, and it makes it harder to find official answers. The process is not yet complete. Just sit back, relax, and wait. It'll come eventually. These codes are good for months, and they'll still be good tomorrow. :) We do appreciate you supporting our sponsors so enthusiastically.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

juliaindigo — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:03:56 -0600

And I'm wondering where my halo is, as I've donated. Hmmm. Whatever! I'll get the software when I get it.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:04:44 -0600

[quote=juliaindigo] And I'm wondering where my halo is, as I've donated. Hmmm. Whatever! I'll get the software when I get it. [/quote] If you're missing halos, you'll need to contact the store. :) this thread is for discussing the Scrivener special offer.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

pammersw — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:21:52 -0600

The CreateSpace code just showed up for me, so I'm sure the Scrivener one will shortly. Thanks NaNo Tech Guys for working so hard behind the scenes!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rayzold — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:28:37 -0600

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/winnerprizes there you go~

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Gauss — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:41:07 -0600

Just got the Scrivener code. Thanks for all your hard work guys!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:42:07 -0600

The discount is only applicable to the full license for each, so it's an either-or. Go with the 50%. ;)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

PiratePreacher — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:49:11 -0600

Just got my code too. It looks like they are working now. Thank you NaNo Tech Team for all your hard work to make this NaNo great.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheGreatCurve — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:50:43 -0600

Got my code! Thank you to Scrivener for a great product and to OLL for all their hard work!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:50:47 -0600

The NaNo trial version expires on the 7th. If you're using the Mac version, you can just purchase your license and register that copy that you have installed (and then update to 2.2 if you like, via Scrivener > Check for Updates). If you're on Windows, the NaNo version was still a beta, so you'll want to backup your projects, then uninstall the trial version and download the latest and greatest official release from here. Save the installer .exe and then navigate to your download folder in Windows Explorer and run the installer. (Please make sure you uninstall and download the complete installer rather than trying to check for updates from within the program--the updates won't replace all the files and it's important to get the whole clean 1.0 version installed so you don't have any lingering beta settings.) Once you have that done, it will be in trial mode and you can use it for 30 days and enter your license at any time either via the "Enter Licence" button from the trial window or from the registration option in the Help menu. Congratulations to all the folks who wrote novels this month, and thanks for supporting Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

LoverDove — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:50:59 -0600

WOO HOO!!!! My promo code showed up!!! Thanks for everyone's hard work at getting it up! I knew if I started asking questions and hounding you guys that I'd jinx getting my code in some way!!! Thanks so much to the people of Scrivener for making my first year of NaNo so amazing!!! :D I won't use another word processor again!!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:53:57 -0600

Backup your projects and then uninstall the NaNo trial and download the latest release version from here. You can install that and work with it in trial mode for 30 days before you need to register, so you'll have plenty of time to get your code and purchase a license. And it has a bug fix for the quote issue. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:59:37 -0600

As mentioned above, you can download and install the official trial version at any time and use that for 30 days while you're waiting on getting your license. Back up your projects and uninstall the NaNo trial, then download the standard trial from here and install that to keep working.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

FenixPheonix — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:00:05 -0600

Thanks, Chris Baty. I think it's a great thing you're doing here. We all appreciate it. Scrivener's a great program, I enjoyed using it during NaNoWriMo, and I look forward to being able to work with it more. And, of course, thanks to the NaNoWriMo staff for putting all of this together. You did a great job. It was a blast, and I hope to see you again next year!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TribalCat — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:07:04 -0600

Yay, I got it! Thank you! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

00Marx — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:19:44 -0600

Xmas finally arrived and I'm now the proud owner of Scrivener. No wrapping paper was harmed

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mistermeyer — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:24:58 -0600

Yay! Everything works, and Scrivener is now activated. Thanks Literature and Latte!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

elegantlion — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:26:08 -0600

I'm tired, not super techy, and paranoid. Do I have to uninstall the Nano version before installing and buying Scrivener? I'm using a Windows version. I won't lose my novel right? Will I have to do anything to get my existing novel into the new Scrivener? Can I register from the existing Scrivener on my system?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Harper Jayne — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:45:11 -0600

They suggest that you do uninstall first. If you are worried, backup your novel first, but I just did the uninstall process and it was smooth. A simple reinstall of the new trial and I activated with the code I was mailed after purchasing with my promo. 20 bucks for an awesome program makes up for a lot of writing trauma throughout the month!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

elegantlion — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:48:08 -0600

[quote=Harper Jayne] They suggest that you do uninstall first. If you are worried, backup your novel first, but I just did the uninstall process and it was smooth. A simple reinstall of the new trial and I activated with the code I was mailed after purchasing with my promo. 20 bucks for an awesome program makes up for a lot of writing trauma throughout the month! [/quote] Thanks for your help.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Learned — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:59:01 -0600

Does backing up just mean that we save our Scrivener file to our computer? Excited for my code!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Pine Cones of Happiness — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:11:16 -0600

Me too! I've been lurking anxiously since yesterday morning, Spanish time. Woke up at 5 this morning, read thread, went away to make a cup of tea and a back-up from my trial version, came back, and ta daaah! Got code! Thank you team! Dragonchilde & blackswan - go to bed now!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Pine Cones of Happiness — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:15:13 -0600

Hey tired, not super techy, and paranoid - and I thought it was just me! It's reassuring to see Harper Jayne's info, but I still cut & pasted mine from trial to Word just in case everything fell over. Maybe I should go back to bed until sunrise...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:17:44 -0600

Either use File > Back Up within Scrivener or right-click the project's .scriv folder in Windows Explorer and then choose "Send to / compressed (zipped) folder" to make a zip backup of your project--which you can save on your local drive or in Dropbox, an external drive, etc. It will be a full copy of your project that you can look at, restore from, etc. in the future should you want or need to. It's a good idea to make backups of your work regularly and save them somewhere off your local machine for safety in case your hard drive fails or some other unspeakable disaster strikes. Much better to have too many backups than too few!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MystShadow — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:27:57 -0600

Woohoo Scrivener is mine *cackles*. Seriously though, when i decided to give NaNo a try, i decided to try out a new program as well, mostly in the hopes that something different might make it easier for me to keep track of my work. Best decision i ever made! Thanks team!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:55:36 -0600

First thing after walking the dogs: go to the NaNo site using the iPhone. No change. No change? But, wait a minute, I didn't refresh the screen. So, back to Google, back to NaNo and... YES! So, fire up the PC and aaah. Now I'm another proud and happy Scrivener's owner, not just the user of a trial version. Thanks, folks.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Meanderingmuse — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:10:21 -0600

After whining it is only fair to say a massive THANK YOU for all your hard work and patience with us impatient souls - another, now, proud owner of Scrivener - mighty thanks to all concerned!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BritishHobo — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:22:15 -0600

I guess it was to do with time zones, but the code's up now. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

laurentlia — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:44:47 -0600

It's there! It's there! It's there! THANK YOU! xD -another proud owner of Scrivener. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

AmyPReed — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:06:29 -0600

I am now also a proud owner of Scrivener for Windows! A big THANK YOU to all the NaNoWriMo folks at Letters and Light who worked so hard to make this NaNoWriMo flow smoothly. At least for the most part. LOL You can be sure I'll be back next year for another mad month of murder and mayhem (or whatever I decide to write). If I don't make it back, you can be sure that either I'm dead or without internet (which is almost the same thing). LOL Have a great holiday. You all deserve it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Sphärenspringer — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:40:56 -0600

YES!!! Now i´m just one more proud owner of one of the finest pieces of software ever made! And the Code worked for both Windows AND Mac-Version, wich saved me loads of Money! Thank You so much L&L, and thanks again to NaNoWriMo, without You my Computers would be still jealous being connected to all those fine, Scrivener-supplied Computers ... So, thank You, Folks, and have a great holiday and a good start in 2012! See Ya all next Year, Novembre 1st!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MingLin-Hong — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:02:29 -0600

I'm a proud owner too! Thanks to Nightwings for giving me her code! :D *dances with joy*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

coppertoe — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:08:01 -0600

Well said! You weren't harsh. Truth sounds harsh to folks who prefer fluff. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:11:18 -0600

[quote=BritishHobo] I guess it was to do with time zones, but the code's up now. :) [/quote] It's not time zones. :) It just takes time to distribute the codes. It's not instantaneous. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

coppertoe — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:11:58 -0600

You know what? The really impatient folks seem to be the ones telling the excited ones to calm down. Life is like that; often the opposite of what it seems. THE CODES ARE HERE! WHEEEEEEE! *does the happy dance*

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

bossfarm — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:53:28 -0600

Here it is December 6th, the NaNoWriMo Scrivener trial runs out tomorrow and no coupon yet. Is it going to go up today?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

KateJ — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:21:09 -0600

I used my code to buy both versions, now I can work on any of my computers that I feel like. Scrivener is so amazing. My work in progress is at 120k words and growing and I would not be able to manage this as a Word document. As a software engineer I've thought before about writing my own novelling tool. Now that I have Scrivener I don't have to do that! It does everything I'd want my own tool to do!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sacherjj — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:23:45 -0600

Did you bother reading any of the posts up 6 hours before yours about the code being there? http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/winnerprizes

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:53:50 -0600

If your code isn't yet displaying on the winner page, I'm sure the industrious OLL team is working on it. Meanwhile you're welcome to switch over to the standard Scrivener trial, available here. Backup your projects and then uninstall your current trial and install the regular one, which will give you 30 days of use--plenty of time to keep working while you await your code.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

buzzword52 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:07:59 -0600

Thanks - I now have the full version of Scrivener loaded and am happy! I think I wouldn't have been so edgy about it if I had realised that the winner code is valid until next October. I must have missed that somewhere! Now back to editing ... :-)))

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

a.j.d — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:45:07 -0600

Thank you NANOWRIMO!! For an awesome first-time experience, and for introducing me to Scrivener. I just bought my winner's copy. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

zDave40 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:33:25 -0600

I've been waiting and watching for the code. It's December 6, 11:33 AM, and I still don't see or have the code.Where is it and what do I do if I don't get it?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:38:06 -0600

[quote=zDave40] I've been waiting and watching for the code. It's December 6, 11:33 AM, and I still don't see or have the code.Where is it and what do I do if I don't get it? [/quote] Have you looked in the winner prizes block on the dashboard? The link is there.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

zDave40 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:38:08 -0600

I'm not replying to the previous post, but I want this to show up. It is now almost noon on Dec. 6, and I have not received a code yet. I have watched and waited for it. Apparently, others are in the same situation. We want to buy Scrivener at the discount for winners, but we aren't able to do so. Please tell us what's happening and what we can do!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sholden — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:40:02 -0600

I need help! Before I switched from the trial version of WIndows Scrivener to the NaNo trial version, I backed up to a USB; but my data wouldn't move into the NaNo version in a very readable format. Another Wrimo did something, and then it was fine. When I try to open the Scrivener project zip file now from the USB, I get a box labeled "Location Access Error", saying : "Cannot access .......Scriv/Project.scriv. File is not writable. Access is denied. Auto-saves need write permission to your project." I haven't a clue what this means, or whether my backup will transfer my data from NaNo trial to paid version of Scrivener. I know I lose the NaNo trial version today or tomorrow, and I don't know how to do the transition and ensure I still have everything. This is probably something basic, but I haven't a clue... I don't understand computer jargon or much of anything else about this virtual world and its machines, except how to use MS Word and the Internet.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ebf-awesome — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:42:48 -0600

THANK YOU! You must be so tired of us all but using Scrivener made quite a few of us feel that we can do the impossible. Some of us were about to make ourselves ill, checking back every few minutes. Signed, Another very proud and happy owner of Scrivener.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sacherjj — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:57:03 -0600

Copy the whole project directory to your local hard drive and try again. (You should really do this first, as you should never open your backup live.) You most likely have read only attributes set on the files. Right Click on the main folder and select properties. Make sure Read Only is unchecked and click OK. Should be good after that.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

quillandink — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:58:18 -0600

Happy dancing now! THANK YOU Black Swan and the folks at Literature and Latte for this fantastic offer and program. I am now the proud owner of Scrivener for Windows. While I didn't use Scrivener for this year's challenge, I did download the trial version and have been working through the well written tutorial. Now that I own the official version, I plan to transfer my work and begin, or, rather, finish what I started. Thank you again.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheCrescent — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:15:46 -0600

Can you copy the file on the USB key back to a computer then try to open it from its new location? It sounds like you might have saved to a location that has somehow lost some permissions or you copied the project to the USB key while using one account but tried to access the information while logged in as a different user. This won't solve the bigger problem of why your USB key is saying there's a permissions issue, but I think it would be useful to make sure the data itself is good and work from there. If that does work, what happens if you copy a file (like a Word document file) from your computer to your USB key, make a change to the file, then try to save it so it overwrites the original file on the USB key? If that works, what happens if you try that but save it in the Scrivener folder? If it works in some locations but not the Scrivener folder, then it's a permissions issue on the Scrivener folder. I think I can walk you through fixing that if it is a permissions issue on the folder on your USB key. If that doesn't work, can you just copy your current Scrivener project which is still on your computer to a different location on that computer and see if you can open it from its new location? For example, create a folder on the C drive called scrivenerbackup, copy the Scrivener project there, then in Scrivener go to File: Open Project, and direct to to the c:\scrivenerbackup\Project.scriv folder. That would at least give you a backup of the project on your current system, just in case. Hope this helps, Cres BTW: WOOT! I got my full license! (Sorry, had to do the little happy dance.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Awy — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:38:32 -0600

Help. I just downloaded my full version of Scrivener - or so I thought. But apparently it is only a TRIAL version. I've paid for the version. I followed the instructions from NaNoWriMo. But it still insists this is a trial version. What do I do?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Awy — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:46:01 -0600

Sorry, never mind. Seems like it works perfectly fine. I really need to learn this thing called "patience" and "read instructions clearly before panicking" ...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sarah_linn — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:10:20 -0600

Is there anyone that doesn't plan on using their Scrivener code? I won and plan on using mine, but my friend who also won didn't realize that she had to upload her novel. Can anyone give me their code if they're not using it? I'd appreciate it. Sarah

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

bloodyrose82 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:45:35 -0600

Question: If I can't pay for my download until the end of December, what happens to my trial version? Can I still retrieve my story from it once the trial stops, and will I be able to transfer it to the full version once I have paid for it?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:14:47 -0600

A few things here. Everyone else's advice is sound, but I want to just add to make sure that you're extracting the files from your zipped folder. If you just double-click the zip folder, Windows Explorer will open it and allow you to browse, but you can't write to that, which would be why Scrivener is giving you an error about being unable to autosave. Copy the entire zipped folder to your local drive, then right-click on it and choose "Extract All" or whatever similar option your context menu says. Once you've done that, you'll still have the zipped version (good as a backup!) and then a new folder that contains the project that was in the .zip. Try then opening the project from that folder rather than directly from the .zip. If you've already done that, or you try that and it doesn't work, then it sounds like the permissions for the project folder are incorrect, so you'll need to right-click the folder and view properties and then make sure that your account has read/write access (and that this is inherited by everything inside the .scriv folder). Again, make sure you're doing this on your local drive, since it may just be that you have some restrictions set up on your USB drive that are preventing Scrivener from saving, rather than the issue being with the project folder directly. Finally, just to clarify another issue, the projects aren't saved inside the Scrivener program, so your original project should still be on your computer wherever you had saved it--as I understand it, you're just uninstalling the NaNo trial and installing the regular version all on one computer, and the USB files are just a backup of the project, yes? So unless you personally deleted the original project off the drive, it will still be there after going through the uninstall/reinstall and you can just access that as you were doing before, with no need to recover from your backup. In fact I'd be careful in all this that you don't end up making the copy from your zipped backup and then ending up with two versions of your project on your computer, since you might confuse yourself down the road if you have the origina ProjectA and then now you unpack the backup of ProjectA from the zip drive and work in that one--later if you open the original ProjectA by mistake, it will appear as though you've lost work, when really it's just a much older version of the project. So go ahead and make sure the backup is still a good backup, but after you've done so I'd just keep the .zip version, which you won't open by accident, and don't have two "useable" copies residing on the drive, or at least if you do, make sure that (with the project closed in Scrivener) you rename one of them to make it quite clear what it is.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:19:52 -0600

zDave40 - This is all handled by the fabulous OLL team. They have to put up each of the codes manually, so it may just be taking a little longer to get everything up and running. The Scrivener discount code is good until next October and the CreateSpace code until next June, so you don't have to worry about missing out on using them. If you're concerned, I recommend contacting the OLL staff, as they'll have a better idea of what's going on and be able to get things sorted with you directly rather than trying to use this forum thread (which I know DragonChilde has been moderating and graciously responding to regarding the codes, but it will be easier for them and you to handle this directly). Thanks for your interest in Scrivener and congratulations on your 50K words!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:21:25 -0600

Hi Sarah - If you head over to the Life After NaNo forum, you'll find a thread for people posting giveaways for their special offers; check there.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:26:32 -0600

The NaNoWriMo trial expires on the 7th, but you can uninstall that and switch to the standard trial if you like to get another 30 days of use before you need to register. Your projects are stored outside the program--they're just saved on your drive wherever you chose when you originally created the project, so likely in your Documents folder--and will remain there even if you don't have Scrivener installed or it's expired, so when you next do have Scrivener up and running they'll still be accessible. I'd recommend making a full project backup (File > Backup or else, with the project closed, creating a zipped backup via Windows Explorer or Finder) and also using File > Compile to export your manuscript as a single file that you can access easily in other programs. For instance, if you compile your draft to .rtf, you'll be able to open it in Word and most other word processors. This is just a copy of your writing, but all pulled together and formatted nicely in a single file that you'll save somewhere outside of the Scrivener project. Once you have Scrivener installed and running again, you'll just access the project as you did before, selecting it from the "Open" menu.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ZenJen — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:05:21 -0600

I'm bona fide! Thank you, Literature and Latte! While I've edited countless massive documents, I've never personally written anything more than a few pages in length. I'm also what one might call "challenged" when it comes to tech stuff and figuring out the complexities of something I've never used before, so the prospect of trying to manage multiple chapters in Word (or tackling a new writing program) was freaking me out. To my great relief, upon downloading the trial version a mere two days before NaNoWriMo 2011 launched, Scrivener met all of my needs, including completely eliminating the fear factor. I'm a total fan, and now I'm going through the tutorial again to catch up on some of the finer points I couldn't absorb while pounding out my novel. Success!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

threeoutside — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:45:13 -0600

Yay, it all seems to have worked, though it was all done by a bumbling Luddite with boxing gloves on (me). Thanks to Scrivener folks and NaNoWriMo folks for all your hard work, yippee!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MarieDees — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:24:34 -0600

I'm a winner, I'm signed in. There's no code there that I can see.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:29:27 -0600

[quote=MarieDees] I'm a winner, I'm signed in. There's no code there that I can see. [/quote] Have you looked on the front page, in the Winner Prizes block (where the Procrastination Station used to be.)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ZeroDraftingGenius — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:30:30 -0600

I'm thrilled to get my code and will be buying the program poste-haste! After decades working daily in Word (in which I'll still have to finalize docs for my clients), Scrivener is quickly turning into my go-to program for all wordy work: fiction, blogging, web sites, business writing ... It's so much faster and easier than traditional word processing apps. Thank you, L&L!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sarah_linn — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:54:20 -0600

Thank you for the link there. Hopefully I'll be able to find a code. Sarah

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:03:04 -0600

[quote=blackswan] Carolf - Just a quick check in - it looks like you did get this posted over on the L&L forum and have a thread going over there about it, yes? [/quote] Yes. The answers didn't help, but thanks to backups and a techie husband, I was able to rescue my manuscript, so I'm a happy camper. Sorry for the delay in answering -- my access online was spotty while I was away. Thanks for the follow up!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Faecanuck — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:51:17 -0600

Thank you SO very much!!!! I am happy to say that I am yet another proud and happy owner of Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sholden — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:16:05 -0600

Thank you, sacherjj, TheCrescent, and blackswan! My husband spent all evening getting the paid version installed. He couldn't have done it without your suggestions. We had no idea what to do, ourselves. I'm so happy that this is done; I was really starting to get worried that I might lose my research files, which don't save when I compile - or that everything would be inaccessible. Wish I'd posted sooner! The NaNo community is so supportive and encouraging! And thanks to Scrivener for the winner discount.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Storeetllr — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:05:53 -0600

Thanks so much for your quick response, blackswan! Glad to know the bugs got fixed. Thanks also for the instructions on how to download 1.0! I will be downloading it right after I post this.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:27:50 -0600

You can grab the template from the bottom of this page and save it so you have access in the regular version.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:29:29 -0600

Glad you've got everything working! For future reference, you can use File > Export to make an external copy of any of your research files (or anything else in your binder).

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

robini — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:46:09 -0600

I'm a little late to the game here, but I'm tired of reading through every single post... Can someone please answer: Where do I go to get the code so I can get a discount? Many thank yous...

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rafael Tellez — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:33:39 -0600

Hello I´m a Nanolooser: I have been using Scrivener Free-Trial and I like it very much.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

LNano — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:15:39 -0600

[removed]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Anba — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:30:42 -0600

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/winnerprizes :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Feena — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:28:35 -0600

I love Scrivener and I know the only reason i managed to win my first NaNo is because I used it. I've had a quick look but not seen any posts about this. I'm sure it's a just a blip on the site but when I've come to buy it on the site it says it costs $40, but when I convert to GBP it says 999.00. Now, I do love it, but I'm not paying nearly £1,000 :-D What should it be in GBP, and when I buy it will it automatically charge me the correct amount? Thanks :-)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lvngbooks — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:29:41 -0600

Just bought Scrivener with my winner's code! I was freaking out a bit, afraid that I would lose my novel (even though I had made a backup AND exported it to just about every file ext possible) but everything went great and smoothly so now I'm the proud owner of Scrivener! :D *happy dances* Thanks for making this possible - I couldn't have bought it without the coupon code because money is tight, but now I can continue writing without being annoyed by word :) I won't go back now that I've seen how easy everything is with Scrivener! So once again, THANK YOU!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

psionpete — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:00:54 -0600

What is the OLL team? and how do I get in touch with them? I am in the same boat as zDave40, my Scrivener trial has now finished and I want to purchase it, so I need a code...Pretty please.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

ProphetNoir — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:01:16 -0600

I want to give a huge thanks to Literature and Latte for sponsoring NaNoWriMo again and for just creating Scrivener in the first place. It would be a bargain - no a STEAL - at full price. The time and effort that went into making a version that would also operate on Windows cannot be discounted. So another huge thanks to all of the people who worked so hard and who listened to all of the feedback from the Beta testers out here. Finally thank you very much for the discount coupon and especially for making it good through October 1, 2012. I have no idea when I will have a 'spare' $20 for this, but I will surely have that before next October. Congratulations to all of the NaNo winners and blessings to those who donated their winning codes to the ones who may have fallen just a bit short this time. See you all next year.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:58:35 -0600

If you didn't win for whatever reason, and didn't get a code, you can still pick one up from your fellow participants in the Special Offer Code giveaways thread down in Life After NaNoWriMo.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:00:59 -0600

[quote=psionpete] What is the OLL team? and how do I get in touch with them? I am in the same boat as zDave40, my Scrivener trial has now finished and I want to purchase it, so I need a code...Pretty please. [/quote] Since you validated as a winner, your winner codes should be available. Look on the front page (dashboard) where the Procrastination Station used to be. The Winner Prizes block has a link that will take you to your code.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Registrau — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:27:06 -0600

I bought my license yesterday, and I love Srivener. It was a great help during Nano, and I'm sure it will be too afterwards :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:10:04 -0600

I first heard about Scrivener from a writer friend years ago; she was running the mac version, and I was so jealous that I couldn't run the software. Well, now I can. Yippee! Thanks to OLL and L&L for bringing this to me. I'm so glad I decided to do NaNoWriMo at the last minute!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bicicletta — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:22:43 -0600

Are you entering your winner's code?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:17:26 -0600

The full price for the standard Mac version is £30.51 and the Windows version is £27.12. It should show you this on the store page if you switch to GBP in the drop-down at the top. Could you link to the page or get a screenshot of where it's coming up wrong, because I'm not able to find this. I wouldn't charge your card until it's showing the right number since I have no idea where you're looking and why it's wrong, and I'd hate to have it not be corrected!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CDTurner — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:53:08 -0600

Done!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

CDTurner — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:54:20 -0600

(Irish jig and that German flingly dance)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jazz.Coffee.Love — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:13:23 -0600

Have to say: LOVE Scrivener! No way I can be without it now : ) Ever

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Nouks — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:29:18 -0600

I'm a Nano-looser aswell but Nano did bring me ca 25.000 words and got me introduced to Scrivener! :D So I'm still happy I participated.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Feena — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 07:41:26 -0600

Thanks for looking for me. I've gone back in today and it all looks fine now. It must have been just a temporary blip, or my PC doing weird stuff! I've bought my copy so now I can carry on writing my novel :-D

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:43:33 -0600

Ah, great. Thanks for the follow-up. Not sure what was going on, but I'm glad it all worked in the end. Thank you for your purchase!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

tamiz — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:18:11 -0600

Where do I get my winners code?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bicicletta — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:10:16 -0600

Click on the blue shield at the top of this page to get to the NaNoWriMo home page. In the lower right-hand corner is a blue box titled "Winners Prizes" in big red letters. Click on the red link in that box; it opens the winners' page. Scroll down to the Scrivener information. The second paragraph reads as follows: "To get your Scrivener promo code you must be an official NaNoWriMo 2011 winner, and be signed into the NaNoWriMo site. If you are a verified, signed-in winner, your code will be displayed below this paragraph—if you have already purchased Scrivener, feel free to pass your coupon code on to a friend." If you see a code under that paragraph, that's it. Then follow the instructions in the next paragraph to buy Scrivener with the code.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Days — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:48:43 -0600

Does anyone know what the payment method is, is paypal possible? I live in Holland and when i select Euro it says 999.00. And on the website I cannot find anything about the payment methods.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:08:40 -0600

You can use just about anything--Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Paypal, e-check or wire transfer--and if you select Euros as your monetary unit from the drop-down menu on the store page it ought to say €35.66 for the Mac version and €31.70 for the Windows. If you try reloading does it still show the wrong number?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BlackScorpio — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:53:16 -0600

[removed]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

sschwarz — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:08:48 -0600

I'm thrilled to have a discount on scrivener but is that discount strictly to be used on their website or can it be used when purchasing it through the app store as well?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Days — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:39:32 -0600

I've tried it several times more, and it does say 31,70EUR now fortunately! Thanks for your answer also on the payment methods :) I guess there's nothing in my way anymore to buy Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bicicletta — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:58:25 -0600

Someone else asked about that, and the answer was no, because the app store does not work with coupon codes.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MarinaMichaels — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:54:43 -0600

Not sure I am contributing substantially to the conversation, but I tried a few other programs before switching to Scrivener, and I am very happy I did. By experiencing the shortcomings and frustrations of the other programs, I was better able to appreciate just how awesome Scrivener is. I confess that getting that discount was definitely a driving force in completing my novel for NaNoWriMo. Thank you so much, Scrivener folks, for making the Windows version and for the winner's price. As with many others here, money is tight in our household, so even $20 saved makes a difference.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

maxlyte — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:17:50 -0600

[removed]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

MarinaMichaels — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:45:01 -0600

Try the thread specifically for this: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/life-after-nanowrimo/threads/30. You can't ask for a code there, but you can respond to people offering their codes. Good luck!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Käptn — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:49:51 -0600

What happened to the offer of 20% for participants who didn`t win? How do they get their code?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Jerene Minnie — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:51:55 -0600

I don't get it. where do I go for the code?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bicicletta — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:00:18 -0600

The code for that is NANOWRIMO. It's explained in Keith Blount's introduction, the very first post in this thread. It's good until the end of December.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

mistermeyer — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:19:53 -0600

[quote=Käptn] What happened to the offer of 20% for participants who didn`t win? How do they get their code? [/quote] As per Chris Baty, in the first post in this thread: [quote=Chris Baty] But we are offering a further 20%-off discount on Scrivener's full price throughout November and December. To use it, just go to our product page, click on "Buy Now", select the regular licence and enter "NANOWRIMO" in the "Coupon Code" text field in the top right of the web store. [/quote]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

estuary — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:03:09 -0600

That doesn't work (at least not for me), though this page suggests it ought (http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php). For some reason that coupon code just gives an error message. I was looking forward to the discount as well, and have been hesitant to bug scrivener admin, thinking it was just my problem... anyone else have this issue too?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

maxlyte — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:22:55 -0600

Yes, I tried to use the code to get the 20% discount but it was on 10 December so I thought the discount must have ended with the trial on 7 December. I have now paid full price rather than risk losing what I have written. I was away from home on 7 December so was not able to attempt purchase then.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:18:34 -0600

The code should be working, but it's only useable on the standard version, not the educational license. If you're receiving an error when entering the coupon code during the checkout process on the eSellerate store, could you please take a screencap of the error and send that to sales@literatureandlatte.com so that we can take a look at what's happening? Testing this just now I didn't have any errors, so I'm not sure what you might be getting.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

estuary — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:01:26 -0600

Well, wouldn't you know it, now I can't get the same error to appear. There's a name for that, right, the law that says as soon as someone else with know-how checks your problem and can't find one, the problem goes away? I had tried both full price and educational versions and got the same response in both locations... anyway, thanks for "fixing" it, off to purchase now :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:59:24 -0600

It's like the Murphy-Schrödinger Law of Parking. The parking spaces right up in front of the building both exist and do not exist up until the point you decide to risk going down the one-way side of the parking lot to see if any are available, at which point they cease to exist and you have to drive all the way to the other end of the lot before you can park. If you choose not to risk it and just park farther away to start, the spaces will snap into existence as soon as you've hiked all the way to the building and can see them. Anyway, glad you've got things working now. :) Thanks for your purchase, and enjoy using Scrivener!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Käptn — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:06:25 -0600

It worked, thanks a lot !!!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

maxlyte — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:24:55 -0600

Any chance of getting a rebate since I had to pay full price and did not get the 20% discount?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Steampunk Scribbler — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:32:49 -0600

"Murphy-Schrödinger Law of Parking" That's absolutely hilarious ... and true!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:45:14 -0600

[quote=maxlyte] Any chance of getting a rebate since I had to pay full price and did not get the 20% discount? [/quote] You'd need to contact Literature and Latte for that; they're the best people to help you with that issue. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

noplacespecial — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:07:14 -0600

my apologies if this has already been asked, i simply don't have the time to wade through 20 pages of comments. i plan on asking for the scrivener software for christmas. as i understand it, since i already have the trial version on my own computer, basically what i'm purchasing is a license. if i give my parents my discount code and they purchase for me, would they then be able to e-mail me the license info so that i could use it on my own computer? or must the purchase be done on the computer that will be running the software?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:50:53 -0600

The license code (and the name of the licensee given at time of purchase) is all you need, and it will be emailed to the address given to the website during the purchase. Also, you can use the license on any computer you use regularly, up to about 5 computers, I believe.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

moviememe — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:24:36 -0600

I bought the pc and the mac version today, the mac as a gift. The first form your parents will come to is the name and email form, which they use to generate the license key, a name and password. The payment form is separate - Meaning, have your parents, fill in your name on the first form, then change it to their name when it comes time to fill in the credit card info. This way your license will have your name on it instead of your parents. For instance, I'm giving my Mac copy to my Mac using friend, but his license will have my name on it. On one hand, this forever shows what a great friend I am, on the other, my name is now forever tarnished, having purchased software to run on the hated Apple company's product.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:07:47 -0600

As BetaWulf says, this is perfectly possible. They'll want to make sure to put your name as the user name when they're purchasing the license (this is separate from the billing name), since that's what the registration will be linked to, and thus you can have it in your name and not a parent's. Then they can print off the receipt with the name and serial number and wrap it up for you for Christmas. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:10:19 -0600

Whoops, and moviememe already explained about the license name. Browser refresh failure! >>my name is now forever tarnished, having purchased software to run on the hated Apple company's product. We'll never tell a soul.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RainDropReverie — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:54:28 -0600

How long do winners have to claim the 50% discount? I will only (potentially) be starting a job next week and I'm not sure when I will get paid. And I don't currently have access to my desk top that I would want to put it on, so if I buy it before I get it back, how will that work? Sorry if that's a dumb question.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

maxlyte — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:02:20 -0600

Unfortunately no chance of a discount refund because of third party charges. Dammit. "Unfortunately, it is not possible to apply a discount coupon code to a Scrivener licence after the fact. We get charged by our web-store hosts for every transaction, so it is never easy to do anything as we get charged for every order movement on the store." But it's a very good product so I don't mind paying full price. It helped me a great deal. If you are at all hesitant about trying it out, use the trial and chances are you will be converted.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RainDropReverie — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:11:39 -0600

Why would I need the discount after the fact? If I buy it, I would hope for the discount the first time around, I just wondered if it's transferable or comes in an e-mail I can hold to down load on the desk top or on a disk or what. And how long the discount is available.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:11:36 -0600

[quote=RainDropReverie] How long do winners have to claim the 50% discount? I will only (potentially) be starting a job next week and I'm not sure when I will get paid. And I don't currently have access to my desk top that I would want to put it on, so if I buy it before I get it back, how will that work? Sorry if that's a dumb question. [/quote] It's good until next year sometime. I'm wanting to say October? AT any rate, you have months before you have to worry. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:03:13 -0600

As DragoneChilde says, the code is good into October 2012. You may want to copy it off the Winner's Prizes page here (along with the expiration date) just to have another copy of it on your computer somewhere (or on a physical sticky note), although it should be available on the website until they clear everything out for next year's NaNoWriMo. When you make the purchase, you're buying a license for the product and will receive a serial name and number with which to register; it doesn't matter what computer you make the transaction from, as you'll need to install the software and register it on whatever computer you're using in any case. Thank you for your interest!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:03:57 -0600

Argh, too many 'e's in DragonChilde. I need my morning chai still.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:13:39 -0600

[quote=blackswan] Argh, too many 'e's in DragonChilde. I need my morning chai still. [/quote] No kidding. I'm currently sipping a lovely tea I purchased while I was in San Francisco... (Jasmine Pearl) - It's already been a long day, and it's barely gotten started.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Lamplight — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:39:29 -0600

I downloaded Scrivener yesterday. The corkboard feature has already transformed my NaNo2011 material. When I saw the demo last month it never occurred to me that the corkboard could actually take a jumble of ideas and scenes in my imagination and lay out a satisfying story arc. I particularly like the split screen feature which allows the corkboard to stay visible while working on the screen below. This is going to transform my fiction writing. What a gem of a piece of software! Thanks L&L.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

RainDropReverie — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:15:26 -0600

Thank you Dragonchilde and blackswan! I appreciate the answer and I'm relieved to know I don't need to worry. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tsylvester — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:38:51 -0600

Hello! I'm trying to order and when I enter my code it says: The coupon entered is subject to order requirements that were not met. You may try another coupon, or proceed without entering a coupon. Is there something that I'm not doing right? Anyone else run up against this? Thanks in advance!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Tsylvester — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:06:47 -0600

Ha! I've been fiddling with this for an hour and apparently all it took was me posting the question for it to fix itself! :) Kind of like as soon as you take a big bite of your sandwich, the server comes over to see how everything is! :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

coldclarity — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:14:22 -0600

I just got round to getting Scrivener today, having finally worked out that I'm running XP and it will work. All I've done is import my NaNo and split it into chapters, and I'm in love. Wonderful software that, as many others have said, is going to transform the way I write. Thank you!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TearsOnAJournal — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:54:53 -0600

[quote=BetaWulf] The license code (and the name of the licensee given at time of purchase) is all you need, and it will be emailed to the address given to the website during the purchase. Also, you can use the license on any computer you use regularly, up to about 5 computers, I believe. [/quote] My dad is going to purchase Scrivener for me today, as a Christmas present. I already have the Nanowrimo trial installed in my computer. Do I have to uninstall it? Oh, and that "Up to 5 computers" part really caught my eye. Does this mean that I can install it in 5 computers, or perhaps two?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:07:52 -0600

[quote=TearsOnAJournal] [quote=BetaWulf] The license code (and the name of the licensee given at time of purchase) is all you need, and it will be emailed to the address given to the website during the purchase. Also, you can use the license on any computer you use regularly, up to about 5 computers, I believe. [/quote] My dad is going to purchase Scrivener for me today, as a Christmas present. I already have the Nanowrimo trial installed in my computer. Do I have to uninstall it? Oh, and that "Up to 5 computers" part really caught my eye. Does this mean that I can install it in 5 computers, or perhaps two? [/quote] It is recommended that you uninstall the trial before you install the new code. You'll have to redo any settings you established on the trial, but your project will remain safe. Once you've installed the new version, register it. You'll get a registration code. Save that number -- you'll need it to register the code on your second computer.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TearsOnAJournal — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:53:08 -0600

[quote=Carolf] [quote=TearsOnAJournal] [quote=BetaWulf] The license code (and the name of the licensee given at time of purchase) is all you need, and it will be emailed to the address given to the website during the purchase. Also, you can use the license on any computer you use regularly, up to about 5 computers, I believe. [/quote] My dad is going to purchase Scrivener for me today, as a Christmas present. I already have the Nanowrimo trial installed in my computer. Do I have to uninstall it? Oh, and that "Up to 5 computers" part really caught my eye. Does this mean that I can install it in 5 computers, or perhaps two? [/quote] It is recommended that you uninstall the trial before you install the new code. You'll have to redo any settings you established on the trial, but your project will remain safe. Once you've installed the new version, register it. You'll get a registration code. Save that number -- you'll need it to register the code on your second computer. [/quote] Thanks for your help! I'll try it out!! I already have it on one computer, and I love it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

lovechris — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:57:45 -0600

I'm in LOVE with my new Scrivener program! Not only have I organized, researched, and reorganized my novel.... I'm now using it for my journaling.... for research on special topics... and now for my idea files! It is just such an amazing program, I don't know how I lived/wrote without it before. Only complaint... now that I'm doing so much writing via Scrivener, I tend to forget to capitalize my 'I' or the first word of each sentence. It's so cool that it does it for me.... but not so much emails, blog posts, etc. I just love it.!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheatreLvr08 — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:26:57 -0600

Probably a dumb question, but since Scrivener (as far as I can tell) is simply downloaded onto a computer sans disc, what happens if my computer crashes? Do I need to buy it all over again once I get a new computer, or will "my" version still be accessible?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:44:54 -0600

[quote=lovechris] I tend to forget to capitalize my 'I' or the first word of each sentence. [/quote] You can turn those features off, if you want; they're check boxes under the (Auto-)Correction tab of Tools > Options... on Windows or Scrivener > Preferences on Mac. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

blackswan — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:50:56 -0600

Not a dumb question! If you buy the program, you'll receive a serial name and number which you'll use to register and activate your program on your computer. Should your hard drive fail or some such thing, all you'd need to do is download the program again and then enter that same information to be up and going. Your projects are not saved "inside" the program--they're just like most other files on your computer, saved wherever you put them, so e.g. your "My Novel" project that you save to your Documents folder would just be found in C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\Documents\MyNovel.scriv (it's a folder, with all the project files inside it, but the entire .scriv folder is your project). Best practice is to back up your projects regularly to somewhere not on your local hard drive, so that if you *do* experience something dreadful like a hard drive failure, you'll have a recent backup of your work. Scrivener will automatically create a full, zipped backup of your project every time you close it, saving the most recent five backups, so if you have a service like Dropbox, you might want to make that your backup location for the auto-backups--that way, although it's on your local drive, it's also being synced to the cloud regularly and to any other computers you have hooked up with that service. (You can adjust these settings under the "Backup" tab of Tools > Options... on Windows or Scrivener > Preferences on Mac.) You can also make manual backups at any time to any location you choose using File > Back Up > Back Up To..., so that's a handy way to save a backup of a project to an external drive. You also of course should be good if you make regular backups of your entire computer or so forth.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheatreLvr08 — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:38:39 -0600

How did you solve this problem? I'm having the same, but no self-fix for me yet :p

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TheatreLvr08 — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:40:23 -0600

Ha, okay, and there we go :p My dyscalculic self saw the 0 as an O.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Käptn — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:51:19 -0600

I did purchase the windows version after using trial for over one year now and I am very happy with it. What I am missing is the feature to synchronise; will there be a feature like this in the future? I am specially interested in a synchronise feature with EVERNOTE, that would be perfect. (I know I can put everything into Evernote by myself, but a short cut button for synching would be very handy.) Maybe in one of the next upgrades? Greetings to the developers. Käptn

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BethCutter — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:57:07 -0600

Just a note: be sure to PRINT OUT your Scrivener registration number. You don't want that to vanish along with the program in case of a hard drive failure/stolen computer, so a filed away paper copy is an excellent thing to have. Also, if there's any possibility that you won't remember EXACTLY how you put in your name, print that, too. Let's see, did I use Peg, or Peggy, or Meg, or Maggie, or Margaret.......

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Carolf — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:35:25 -0600

[quote=BethCutter] Just a note: be sure to PRINT OUT your Scrivener registration number. You don't want that to vanish along with the program in case of a hard drive failure/stolen computer, so a filed away paper copy is an excellent thing to have. Also, if there's any possibility that you won't remember EXACTLY how you put in your name, print that, too. Let's see, did I use Peg, or Peggy, or Meg, or Maggie, or Margaret....... [/quote] For those of us who didn't think of this and have already registered, can we get this information somehow?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rae_Sweete — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:40:37 -0600

HELP.....I can't find my code for Scrivener discount. Was there a time limit? Can someone post the link for me? THanks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Dragonchilde — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:17:27 -0600

[quote=Rae_Sweete] HELP.....I can't find my code for Scrivener discount. Was there a time limit? Can someone post the link for me? THanks! [/quote] It should be on your winner prizes page. Go to your dashboard, and look in the lower right hand block on the main page. THe link should be there!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Rae_Sweete — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:33:45 -0600

Thank you! Found it!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

cdyard — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:47:21 -0600

I think I must say it once again: I love Scrivener! Currently, I'm revising and editing my NaNo and this program is absolutely perfect for this; even the Windows version. On the forums, I've learned that there's an iOS version of Scrivener being written. Yes: for iPad and iPhone! I'll buy it as soon as it's available because I wrote my NaNo using both the iPhone and the PC (with Scrivener). So, keep working on this great program, folks!

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

goldengreaser — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:55:39 -0600

I really do love this program, it allows me to stay organized in a smaller setting and I my research into the same document. It is also great for research papers, as an English major. This is a great asset to me. The multiple chapters in multiple documents are in one document can be really tough when using word. But with this program, it's like having my own file folder. And then when I am done, I can transfer into Microsoft Word and neat, organized format. It even visited the manuscript form, MLA,APA, and even elusive Chicago format. You can write scripts using the program and so much more. Ever nanowrimo winners, it is only $20. You cannot beat that.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

TalesNeedles — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:59:05 -0600

I'm having the same problem; doesn't matter if I open a new project and it's even grayed out in the tutorial. How did you get around it?

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

flannel_girl — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:46:16 -0600

Just chiming in on how awesome this program is. :) The only real kicker it provided for my NaNo was the ability to break my novel up into scenes (for almost all of October, I had this one scene in my head that I was itching to get down, but it wouldn't show up until near the end of the novel, so I was able to write that first and still keep it separate, but in the same file, from the earlier parts, which I wrote more-or-less chronologically otherwise), but I can already see it as being a lifesaver for my new WiP, in which I have several different "species" present, and I'm working right now on writing up information on each of them, and it's SO nice to know that I'll have it all right there in the same program as I'm starting to write, and I know I'll overuse that split-screen feature so much, to cross-reference information while writing. I don't know how much I'll use the ability to move scenes around, but I do like the corkboard feature for getting a quick at-a-glance look at each chapter, for example.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Flying Octopus — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:58:37 -0600

[Removed]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

S. M. Worth — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:31:28 -0600

[removed] I can say this is a great program and I used it exclusively during this last NaNoWriMo. Best get it now before the first Camp NaNoWriMo in June. :)

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Benevolence — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 17:15:07 -0500

Question: Am I able to download Scrivener on multiple computers under the same serial number? I downloaded Scrivener on December for one laptop, but I want to get it on two more, all of which are Windows.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Melrudin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:37:03 -0500

I'm really sorry if I'm missing something, but how do I get the 50% discount for NaNo winners? Is it expired by now? :/

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Melrudin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:41:28 -0500

Oops! Sorry, found it right after I posted this. >.<

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Bicicletta — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:22:57 -0500

Yes, up to five, I believe; it's a "household" license.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

Roz McClure — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:21:35 -0500

I'm pretty sure the discount code for 2010 winners is expired, but I'm just checking whether that's definitely true? I can't find a record of it anywhere. I know I should have got on it sooner, but I was waiting for the Windows edition to launch and it seemed like that was taking a while so I lost track of it! :(

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BetaWulf — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:19:46 -0500

Just go to the main website for NaNoWriMo: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/dashboard, and be sure to log in. Then scroll down to the bottom of that page, and click on the "Winner Prizes" section and click on that link. The discount is still in effect, and you can get your personalized code for it there.

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

NancyAnn — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:49:30 -0500

[Removed]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BethCutter — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:48:07 -0500

[Removed]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

NancyAnn — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:42:52 -0500

[Removed]

Re: Scrivener writing software for Mac and Windows

BethCutter — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:54:27 -0500

[REmoved]

Moderator Note

Dragonchilde — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:57:40 -0500

Hey guys; we ask that you please not post requests (nor offers) for codes here in these threads. We have a special thread for that stickied in the Life After NaNoWriMo forum. Thank!

Moderator Note

Dragonchilde — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:09:47 -0500

Hey guys! This is just a quick request to please not ask for special offer codes in this forum. There is a dedicated thread stickied in the Life After NaNoWriMo forum for those who have them available to offer. Thanks!