Scrivener~What I Think Part II

The act of writing is a process. So is developing our ideas and placing those ideas in a format that helps us organize our storytelling. I began exploring the world of Scrivener in PART I of my series, highlighting my first impressions with the program like the ability to collect all my Research in one place and the Outline view Scrivener offers as I write, review, edit, and rewrite.

Today, I'm concentrating on the folder aspect of Scrivener. For a reminder and explanation of what Binders, Folders, and Note Cards are, see PART I. To begin in Scrivener:

1. Start a new Project by opening a Binder. 
2. Then add a Folder of whatever info you'd like to keep close together like Scenes or Characters. I create a new folder for each Chapter and then I can add Note Cards (individual documents) to it such as scenes or different POV character segments. Again, for a more indepth explanation of what Binders, Folders, and Note Cards are, see PART I. 

Before I continue with the Folder explanation, let me show you the three different ways you can view a folder within your Binder/Project.

These three buttons appear at the top of your Scrivener screen. In each image you can see one is highlighted in yellow. That shows you which View you are working in. (And yes, there is value to working in all three views. I asked the same question before I started using the program.)

The folder I'll share with you today is a Character Folder I created, which is found inside my Binder for project XXX. (It's actually my Binder for the sequel to Marked Beauty, but for this post I'll call it XXX.)

Character Cards with images & character basics

This is what the character folder looks like in Corkboard. Look at the top of this image. See the illuminated yellow square with a brown box? That's how I access the Corkboard--one of the three views I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Scrivener's corkboard simplifies my information for me, just like the physical corkboards I'm accustomed of using in my office. Only difference is that ALL the information I've collected in directly in front of me. I don't have to move, scatter scraps of paper, index cards, or sticky notes on the floor. And each of these cards can be easily moved to a different location on the corkboard by clicking on the card and dragging it to wherever I want it. THIS is extremely helpful when writing separate scenes using the note cards, but I'll concentrate on that next time.

As you can see, each note card has an image on it representing what I image the character to look like. If I click on the left sidebar where there is an open blue folder titled Characters, all the characters on these cards appear individually below the blue folder as sub-folders. (For the sake of not having to take another picture, I already opened the blue folder entitled Characters.)

Now, in the left sidebar under the opened Character Folder, I can click on any character's name to open their note card. Beneath each card, I've created that character's basics or personal what-makes-the-character-who-they-are facts. 

If you could scroll on the right scroll bar, you'd see more info in my character interview with Ana, such as Internal Conflicts & External Conflicts.

This setup is invaluable. All my characters are in one place instead of notebooks or scrapes of paper strewed all over the place. All my characters' characteristics are attached to each. And any connection(s) I want to make between any of these characters are there, too. Right at my fingertips.

Another example of my use of folders is my Plot Sketch folder and Outline folder, both of which are within my Binder for project XXX. The Plot Sketch folder is a series of major plot points I set up, using Karen S. Wiesner's book First Draft in 30 Days. Creating a separate folder links it to the entire story as it continues to develop and unfold. (I can change whatever I want as the story develops, using this as my 'Home Base' of Plot Points.)

Breaking this method down even further, I created an Outline folder with Note Cards (sub documents), labeling them Beginning-Act I, Middle-Act II, & Ending-Act III--contains Climax, Resolution, & Extended Resolution or Epilogue.

Clicking on my Outline folder, this is what I see in corkboard view:

Clicking on my first Note Card (Beginning-Act I) in my Outline folder, will show me the guts of information I've entered on that card alone. This is the text I see when I switch from Corkboard to document view:

The specifics I've created for Act I of the story are separate from other clutter, making it easy for me to focus and build on the outline/synopsis for Act I. Plus, as I write, I can return here, adding more details to summarize what's happening in Act I. Taking this a step further, when I add specifics to each Note Card that appears on the Outline folder corkboard (Remember, there are three note cards in the outline folder: Act I, Act II, & Act III), in text view I can now see all three note cards' specifics all together - only separated by a dotted line. Hmmm...can you see a story synopsis forming? Yes you can.

Every detail I separately jotted down on each of the three note cards in my Outline folder has now been automatically linked together in a single formed document. If you could scroll the right scroll bar down in this picture, you'd see another dotted line and then my summary/outline for Act III. And remember, this Outline folder is directly linked to my Plot Sketch folder, keeping me inline as I write.

This goes along with one of my parenting methods: Given in a lump sum, a task looks like a mountain; broken down into smaller nuggets makes any task seem doable and completion attainable. 

As I continue to use this program I will share any new insight I gain from it with you!! I have at least one more post about Scrivener for you. After reading my two segments, what do you think? A fan of Scrivener or not a fan or a maybe?

UPDATE 05/29/13: I found another wonderful post about another author's experience using Scrivener. It might help you, too. 

SPLAT ALERT!! There is less than a week until the amazing A to Z Challenge begins, and I have a bit of information to share with you. You already know that I'm a minion. But I'd like to share with you my fabulous teammates: Jay Noel, Schwa Michaels, Deniz Bevan, Melanie Schulz, and, of course, Matt MacNish!!

I'd also like to share with you my theme for the challenge. I've decided to go with "What I've learned on Pinterest!" That place is a cornucopia of info, and I'd like to share all sorts of quirky, bright, creative, and even spooky finds with you. Go #atozchallenge!!