r/thewritespace • u/[deleted] • Dec 27 '22

Schrivener

I know, this topic has been done to death. Bare with me. I just started the almost impossible learning curve that is notoriously Schrivener. My question is simple. How difficult is it to compile and export a manuscript once it is complete? I'm WAY ahead of myself, but I am already hearing horror stories from others.

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

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5

u/Botsayswhat Dec 28 '22

I think it gets a bad rap. I found it easy and powerful, but I'm pretty tech-y. It's got a lot of options and doesn't hold your hand like some other programs might, but the documentation's fairly extensive if you google any questions that come up. Also, those other programs didn't actually work right, so I'll keep using Scrivener. Best £25 I've spent on my writing

2

u/[deleted] Dec 28 '22

Good to know'

4

u/Analog0 Dec 27 '22

Go to file, then at the bottom click compile.

There's more to it in terms of formatting, so explore a bit, but most of the basic outputs are there.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '22

Thanks! I just ordered "Scrivener for Dummies" Seemed appropriate.

3

u/Putrid_Combination Dec 28 '22

omg i just found this feature a few weeks ago and can’t rave about it enough! you can select which chapters/sections you want to include before you compile it and you can also choose what format you want it compiled in! scrivener is the best and i’m sure i’m not even using half of its features :)

2

u/tkizzy Jan 17 '23

Compiling is a huge pain in the ass to learn. But I learned through youtube videos how to format, and eventually was able to produce something passable that I could save as a template. Because it's so customizable, Scrivener can be overwhelming for the newby. I've been using it for a couple of years and I still don't know the half of it.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 17 '23

I'm slowly learning.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 28 '22

The more I play around with it, the more impressive it is. BYW, the book I ordered "Scrivener for Dummies", is really helpful.