First Try = failure

Gave Scrivener a shot this weekend and yesterday.  After about 6 hours with it total, initial findings follow:

Opened smartly in 10 seconds with the question, "What do you want to write?"  Format options were listed from Novel to poetry.

Chose "NOVEL."

Tried to set up using and existing chapter one from my book "Vengeance."  Ran into problems.  Checked out the ever ready tutorial, cleared up some issues, but I got confused on the 3x5 cards and cork board, or the outline format.

Have not figured out how to use the cards or outline in relation to the ideas I have for writing.  There appears at this juncture to be much confusion in my mind as to the relationships of the parts, chapters, scenes, cards and/or outline.

So, I trashed it all and started from scratch.  Things went a bit smoother.

I was able to get the title page begun (Scrivener gives you the format to fill in) and designed a protagonist and antagonist along with a couple of comedy relief sidekicks using the character format sheets.  I forgot to copy the form and filled it in.  Thus, I had to copy the form and then delete the previous character from the master form to create a new character.  That ate up a lot of time, but won't happen again, HA.

I finished yesterday's session with four chapters outlined on 3x5 cards hanging on the cork board in what appeared to be a good presentation order.  (Enjoyed shuffling the deck to try different options)
After writing this there appears to be no failure just the confusion of an old mind that has used Word for too long.  Could that be why Scrivener gives you 30 days of trial before you have to pay for it.  So far so good.

What are you waiting for? Go write!

On the recommendation of

After hearing about a writer's word processor and much more, and on the recommendation of Mur Lafferty, ishouldbewriting.com, I have downloaded the trial version of SCRIVENER.

They are kindly letting me, and you if you want, use the full version for 30 days before purchasing.  That's any 30 days of use.  (the way I have been writing lately, that could take months)

I will keep you posted on this blog.

As of today, it looks good, but all I have done is the 10 minute vid and the interactive introduction (which I wasn't really impressed with). Saturday will be the next session where I will attempt to start a new story, using the cork board and the outliner.  I might even get into the research file.  Stay tuned.

Scrivener can be found at www.literatureandlatte.com

Let's Try That Again

Did you ever have a really good experience?  Did you ever try to go back and do it again?  What happened?

Most of the time it is impossible to recreate a really good experience.  There is never the thrill that comes with the first time you do something.  I was reminded of that when I finished my second book and again when the third was ready for reviewing and editing.

Try writing the same great scene over again.  It usually turns out not so great.  Why?  There is no surprise in the second time you experience something anything like the first time.

Okay, enough of that.  I need some input here.  Everybody has to comment.  PLEASE? With sugar on it.

How does the idea of a book, published as a Word file, on a CD/DVD sound?  I have found that they are easy to read.

Second hair brained idea, how about an emailed Word file.  I can read those on my smart phone and my computer.

Word has it that many of the Apple electronic gadgets will receive Word files also and allow you to read them with ease.

Comments please.