If it works for me....#2: Scrivener

So 6 months or so back I invested in the Scrivener writing program for Mac. I was seduced playing with the demo by the deep level of functionality, customization, the ability to easily save and restore prior incarnations of your work, the corkboard/index card/storyboarding function and the thought of finally being able to get myself organized without billions of papers, index cards and assorted stuff all over my room and walls. Scrivener is supposed to be excellent for screenwriting too, though that's not my particular forte.

Anyway, I bought it. As I started the tutorial I realized it had a steeper learning curve than I thought to become fairly fluent. I got lazy to learn it (I don't wanna do no stinking tutorial!) and went back to using another program I had as a Beta tester, Jer's Novel Writer (excellent program that I still find conducive for my creative writing and has the best EULA I've ever read.) I would poke at my Scrivener program every now and again, but really I just wasn't ready to dig into the tutorial (I generally learn by doing but in certain areas I do better when I read the instructions. I'm learning.)

Recently, I was introduced to two other powerful writing programs that have virtues definitely worth sharing with others. Storyist (for Macs) which I think is amazing, very user friendly and pleasing aesthetic may quite possibly be the ideal tool for screenwriters and comic/graphic novel writers. It also handles novel writing quite well. Storyist is still fairly new and evolving and I'm excited to see what further updates and changes bring to it's strong functionality. I also checked out WriteItNow (for Windows AND Macs) which frankly has some features that blow my socks off. When I have more money to spend idly I may end up buying that one if for nothing else it's graphical and charting functions which keep track of your character's inter-relationships for you. The add-ons they offer are outstanding too. Though I tend to create my own, the one for character naming and creation can provide ENFP type and a description of traits for that personality. If you plunk in your character's age, it will tell you the major world events that happened during their lifetime up to their current year for various time periods. And there's way more than this - it is very sexy. Both of these programs are really very awesome tools.

But how could I advocate wishlisting either of them when Scrivener just stared at me accusingly on my App bar? Called me a flake when it thought I wasn't listening. Well. I'm not going to stand for that.

So yesterday, instead of working on my new semester of college homework, I dug deep into Scrivener and fell in love with it. By the time I went to bed my current WIP was plugged in and for the first time I've got an outline that I can work with and I'm excited about. I know where I'm going and how it ends, but I don't have to be locked into it. I can be whimsy and Scrivener will adapt with me. I'm very hyped about it.

All of these excellent writing programs in my experience are well worth checking the demos to see what suits your style, if you don't already have something that works for you. I'm just happy that I found one that is working for me. I even discovered Scrivener has some features that I didn't think it offered (printing and visual flow of manuscript related functions as well as full screen functionality). It just makes me very happy to have less steps to do things that ought to be uncomplicated. Now I'm editing (I know, I know I shouldn't yet! I'm stopping once I'm caught up) and I'm writing making appreciable progress in both areas. The index card function gives me the flexibility I desire to create a visual outline (that I can print into a paper one) yet still update it on the fly. It's great.

Do you already use this? Does it work for you? Does it suck? Know something better? Lemme know either way! If it works for me, it might work for you. And if it doesn't work, well no harm done (hopefully).

If It Works For Me.... #1

It Might Work For You: 10 Minute Daily Journaling:

This new habit (20 days) started because A) I decided to build on a good exercise that I participated in during the Sacramento Writer's Conference 2007 last year and B) I was feeling somewhat inspired after FINALLY starting to read a book recommended to me by a bunch of people, Natalie Goldberg's guide to writing with zen "Writing Down The Bones." Between the two of these, I'm back into journaling and it works for me.

How's it work?: Before I start on my planned writing for the day (flash fic, short story, novel, whatever), I spend a minimum of 10 minutes journaling. I go longer if I want, but never any less. I write constantly whatever is in my head without editing, second guessing or censoring. I do not cross out, correct spelling or revise. So even if it is just,

"I don't have a darn thing to say, it is to freaking early for this stuff, this is stupid and I really want to eat breakfast right now. What is that? Geez that cat snores like a Mac truck."

(Can you tell actual excerpt?) The not editing, revising or censoring has been the hardest part for me as my inner critic is quite mighty and will strong arm my creativity and confidence, if I allow it.

Benefits: It's a great exercise to get my head clear and get "free" of expectations, fears, worries, doubts. It sparks new ideas and has helped to kick my brain and creative thoughts in gear. And when I need a push, it actually helps me to get moving if not excited about writing for the day. I can knock my inner critic into the background no easy task for me. I find also the process helps me to clear my "mental clutter"and focus more on the story I want to tell or my plot, characters - everything once I start to write on my current project. It allows me to get very creative. I didn't think doing this would work for me when I decided to try it out, but so far it actually does. Amazing.

Variations: Riffing off an exercise also learned at the convention, I tried doing this with the radio playing on a talk station. I got a timer and set it for a minute and 5 seconds (extra time for me to reset it). Every minute for ten minutes when the timer went off, whatever word I last clearly heard spoken or the first word I heard after I reset the timer I used as a prompt to incorporate in my writing. Really fabulous things have come out of this. I plan to try this again tomorrow with an audio book. I figure different vocabulary will stimulate thoughts in different directions. Sunday is Ipod on shuffle mode day.

Do you already do this? Does it work for you? Does it suck? Know something better? Lemme know either way! If it works for me, it might work for you. And if it doesn't work, well no harm done (hopefully).