by M. G. Herron

I have been using Scrivener for two years to write my books. I went through some tutorials but never felt there was any big deal about the software. Then I read Mr. Herron’s book and started using all the different features of the software. Almost immediately, my writing productivity improved.

I had been using Scrivener more as a word processer than a writing tool. As Mr. Herron points out, Scrivener is not linear. When used correctly, Scrivener helps writers become more organized and productive. He explains the benefits of Scrivener – versatility, structure organization, being able to save the manuscript to multiple formats – and how to get the most out of them.

I love the way Mr. Herron describes how to use the Scrivener User Interface. There are lots of screen shots and explanations of what each feature is, its purpose, how to use it and why it is useful. He also shows how to use Scrivener to structure, create character and scene sketches, storyboard, set goals, organize, revise and format your book.

There are external links within the book that give you access to additional information. You select the link, read the information, press done and it brings you back to where you left off in the book. I think the best link is to his template on his website that you can download and import into Scrivener. It enhances the basic structure of the software.

If you’re a writer, using Scrivener is a great tool. If you want to use it correctly, read Scrivener Superpowers by M.G. Herron. It’s a complete handbook with lots of detail.