Scrivener.

[snitchnipped]

Well, the outline and word count update are in on my NBB! I did not get near enough written in November as I would have liked, but I was up to my ears in distractions it seemed. I am, as the picture indicates, about 70% done of my anticipated word count, which I think is still going to be slightly higher than the projected 56,000. Of course. Keep in mind though that this was a WIP when I signed up, and I've only added about 15,000 in the past month, despite using it as a NaNoWriMo... yeah, kinda failed at that.

Plus, it doesn't help that I have about 6,000 words written of a sequel to my NBB, and another 2,000 for a holiday-themed story, which may just be a prequel to the NBB. Yikes! So, I HAVE been writing, I just have my priorities all jumbled up.

I very much look forward to getting it in shape enough to share with a beta or two... I'm dying for outside opinions, but it's just too early still. And as soon as I'm done with this first pass, I will sign up for the artwork portion, if there's still time to!

In the meantime, I did some experimenting with metonomia and lady_songsmith about how is a good way to use Scrivener for beta purposes. I used to work strictly in Pages, with my research in Numbers, but considering NO one has or uses those programs and use Word instead, I would find myself stuck in converting/exporting hell. And that would lead to multiple files and versions on my end and just... ugh.

However! Using the beauty of both commenting and revision mode (where you can mark edits in different colors... each pass can has its own color!) in combination with the snapshot function and saving things in a Dropbox.... voila! One file, shared, clearly edited, easy to update, and more importantly, easy to compare revisions.

The only thing that Scrivener lacks for me is the option to make charts and tables. I NEED charts and tables, ones I can edit how I'd like. The "outliner" mode is nice and all, but it's still limiting in what it can track. Plus, I miss the NaNoWriMo progress graph... I didn't realize how much I relied on that thing! It would be beautiful to have something visual tracking a complete work within Scrivener.

How's everyone else doing on your NBBs?

Comments

[lady_songsmith]

Plus, I miss the NaNoWriMo progress graph... I didn't realize how much I relied on that thing! It would be beautiful to have something visual tracking a complete work within Scrivener.

Are you using the target bars at all? Granted they have to be set for each document rather than project, but it seems like they might be useful (and you can see all of them from the outliner)

[snitchnipped.livejournal.com]

I am actually, but it just isn't the same... especially since I have a new document for each scene, and right now it's grouped in four scenes per chapter, with six chapters. I have the progress per scene along with goal per scene and those bars are very helpful... but they're interrupted with the chapter division folders whose bars won't work. So, the chapter progress bar remains empty and won't count the word count in the scenes.

Actually, it DOES track the word count per chapter with the contained scenes, but it doesn't you count the GOAL per chapter like you can for each scene.

If this makes any sense.

And I would totally just take away the chapter folders, but I really do need them in place so it all makes sense to me in one glance.

[lady_songsmith]

That makes sense. Hm. You might want to drop a suggestion on the board lists for a project-sized goal meter!

[turkeyish.livejournal.com]

I have not got anywhere with my NBB (well, I'm doing the Mini for now) yet. So far I just keep twisting possible scenes around and around in my mind - I've even had a dream or two about it!

I'm doing a Narnia/Harry Potter crossover with Edmund Pevensie/Ginny Weasley, as it's been in my head for literally years (I kid you not), and considering all the E/G that's been popping up in the Three-Sentence Ficathon, I am excited that I'm not the only one invested in this ship. :D

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

it's a great ship and Narnia crosses with anything. Animus did a Hermione/Susan and then Hermione/Peter, A Year In Our Courts. I've seen some seriously dark Susan/Tom Riddle too. A great idea!

[snitchnipped.livejournal.com]

I'm of the belief that "thinking about it" is most definitely "working on it." And wow, to be productive in dreamland... I've never been one to get much practical use out of dreams. Most of my ideas come in the shower/bath, and until they invent the waterproof laptop, I'm going to have to keep ending my bathtime quicker so the ideas don't escape.

There HAS been an influx of Edmund/Ginny stuff in the 'thon... I was surprised! Yay, instant audience for you! I'm not familiar with that X-over, but am SO looking forward to what you come up with.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

I saw that elephant and totally thought of you. I've not written a word of NBB yet. I found the hook for Susan's story, figured out where and how to end it, and decided damn the ages and my incompetency, I'm writing a war story. I have (for me) a detailed outline, one book of resource material for Peter's story (much like I used the Irregulars) and a book on download for Susan's story. But I desperately want to finish 2 chapters of AW (ideally 3) so that I can set up the story. I've got one chapter 1, another about half done, and the third, well, nada. sigh. Very very discouraged about writing anything.

[snitchnipped.livejournal.com]

I admit, when I saw the picture on tumblr, I filed it away and kept from posting in LJ 'til I hit the mark.

The beauty is that there is so much time allowed with this challenge, and you are so quick to churn out ready-to-read stuff anyway, so I've all the confidence you'll get all the set-up done!

And I cast thy discouragement out! Where is it coming from? I did see some of the arguments you made over on tumblr to some of those confessions posts... close-mindedness and fandom does not mix well. :/

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Meh. Shame on me and I'm too big for this but I do get really down when I don't hear from certain people. I rely upon the fic to stimulate the interaction I really value. I never, ever say, "did you read it? did you like it?" as I always assume that they didn't like and are too polite to say or didn't care enough to read it. Meh. As I say. It passes. I just keep writing.