Scrivener: The Ultimate Writing App for Long Projects
As a writer, few things are more precious than your time and creative energy. The tools you use to capture your ideas and shape them into polished works can make a huge difference in your productivity and enjoyment of the writing process. That‘s why, as a long-time Mac and writing app connoisseur, I‘m always on the lookout for software that will help me make the most of my writing sessions.
For several years now, Scrivener has been my go-to recommendation for long-form writing projects like novels, screenplays, and dissertations. But with a wealth of new writing apps flooding the market each year, is Scrivener still the best choice in 2024? In this in-depth review, I‘ll share my honest thoughts on Scrivener‘s strengths and weaknesses to help you decide if it‘s the right investment for your writing toolkit.
The State of Writing Apps in 2024
Back when Scrivener first launched in 2007, it was a truly groundbreaking app. At a time when Microsoft Word reigned supreme, Scrivener offered a totally new approach to writing software, with an emphasis on organization, structure, and customization that appealed to authors of long, complex works.
Fast forward to 2024, and the writing app landscape looks quite different. Popular minimalist writing apps like iA Writer and Ulysses have captured the affection of many short-form writers who prefer a simple, distraction-free interface. Meanwhile, online writing platforms like Novlr, World Anvil, and Dabble have attracted writers who want to craft and store their manuscripts in the cloud.
So where does Scrivener fit into this more crowded and varied market? Is its powerful but complex feature set still relevant to today‘s writers?
In my view, the answer is yes – for a certain type of writer. While Scrivener may no longer be the only option for serious long-form writing, it remains one of the most mature, feature-rich, and flexible apps in this space. No other app matches its deep outlining and structuring capabilities, extensive customization options, and wide range of exporting formats.
Scrivener‘s Killer Features for Long-Form Writing
There are three key features that I believe set Scrivener apart from other writing apps and make it indispensable for managing large writing projects:
1. The Binder and Outliner
At the heart of Scrivener is the Binder – a powerful outlining tool that allows you to break your manuscript down into chapters, scenes, sections, and even individual research documents. Unlike a traditional word processor that constrains you to a linear view, the Binder gives you a bird‘s-eye view of your entire project structure that you can easily rearrange with drag-and-drop.
Here‘s a peek at the Binder view for my current novel project:
[Screenshot of Binder showing folders and nested text documents]In tandem with the Binder, the Outliner view provides yet another way to visualize and manipulate your project structure. It displays your text in a customizable table format, complete with columns for labels, status, word count, and more.
[Screenshot of Outliner view with colored rows and columns]I can‘t overstate how valuable this structural flexibility is when wrangling a 100,000+ word novel. Being able to see the shape of my story, move scenes around, and track my progress at a granular level simply wouldn‘t be possible in a traditional word processor or barebones writing app. It‘s a huge boon to staying organized and motivated over a months or years-long writing project.
2. The Corkboard
Another iconic Scrivener feature is the Corkboard view, which allows you to visualize each document in your project as a virtual index card. You can view the Corkboard for the whole draft or for individual folders of chapters or scenes.
[Screenshot of Corkboard view with index cards]I use the Corkboard heavily for storyboarding and capturing quick scene synopses before I draft. It really clicks with my visual planning style and makes it a breeze to experiment with different scene orders. Each card can store text notes, images, keywords and metadata – a great way to retain big picture ideas while fleshing out scene details.
According to Scrivener‘s creator, the Corkboard was one of the app‘s earliest features and remains its most popular. In a 2020 user survey, 73% of respondents said they use the Corkboard view regularly, and 45% said it was their favorite way to view their project.
3. The Compiler
Perhaps Scrivener‘s biggest superpower is the Compiler – a highly customizable exporting tool that combines and formats your many project documents into a single file.
[Screenshot of Compiler window with Format As options]With the Compiler, you can instantly generate a properly formatted draft in dozens of file types, including:
- DOC/DOCX for Microsoft Word
- RTF for other word processors
- PDF/Print-ready PDF
- HTML and Web Page
- EPUB and MOBI ebooks
- Final Draft and Fountain screenplays
Crucially, the Compiler remembers your settings, so once you‘ve spent some time configuring it for your needs, creating new deliverables (or making small tweaks) becomes a matter of a few clicks.
For example, when my agent requested my manuscript in Standard Manuscript Format, I was able to set up that Compile preset in about 10 minutes:
[Screenshot of Standard Manuscript Format preset]Now anytime she wants an updated draft, I can generate a perfectly formatted document in seconds. This is a huge time-saver compared to wrangling styles and settings in Word, especially when you‘re dealing with a hefty page count.
The same goes for creating ebooks – Scrivener is the only app I‘ve found that makes reliable EPUB and MOBI files without extensive manual tweaking. When I want to share my work in progress with beta readers on their Kindles, it‘s as simple as compiling to MOBI and emailing the file. No other app offers this much control and flexibility over your output.
How Does Scrivener Compare on Price?
At $49 for a standard license (with a 30-day free trial), Scrivener is admittedly on the pricier end for writing software. However, it‘s important to note that this is a one-time fee for a perpetual license, not a recurring subscription.
To put that in perspective, here‘s how Scrivener stacks up against some other popular premium writing apps:
[Table showing price comparisons – Scrivener $49 one-time, Ulysses $50/year, iA Writer $30 one-time, Final Draft $250 one-time]As you can see, Scrivener is more expensive than basic writing apps like iA Writer, but significantly cheaper than specialized apps like Final Draft (the industry standard for screenwriting). And when compared to subscription-based apps like Ulysses, Scrivener easily comes out ahead in the long run.
For example, let‘s say you use Scrivener for five years. Your total cost would still be just that initial $49. With Ulysses, you‘d pay $250 over that same period ($50/year x 5 years).
Of course, price isn‘t everything – the true value of any tool lies in how well it meets your needs and enhances your creative process. But in my experience, Scrivener earns its keep by saving me time and headaches in organizing, formatting, and exporting my manuscripts. It‘s an investment that has paid for itself many times over.
Tips for Overcoming Scrivener‘s Learning Curve
Perhaps the biggest strike against Scrivener is its initial learning curve. With so many features and options, getting comfortable with the app can feel overwhelming at first, especially if you‘re coming from a more minimal writing app.
As a Scrivener evangelist, here are my top tips for getting up to speed:
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Read the Interactive Tutorial – Scrivener comes with an excellent interactive tutorial file that walks you through all the key features. Set aside an hour to go through it and actually practice each skill. It‘s the quickest way to go from confused to competent.
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Watch the Video Tutorials – On Literature & Latte‘s website, you‘ll find a series of short video tutorials that demonstrate Scrivener‘s various functions. I found these hugely helpful for understanding how to use specific features like collections and annotations.
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Start Simple – You don‘t have to use every feature right away. Start with the basics of creating text files and folders, then gradually incorporate more advanced elements like labels, statuses, and custom metadata. Let your knowledge grow alongside your project.
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Join the Scrivener Community – There are several active Scrivener forums and social media groups where you can ask questions, share tips, and learn from other writers‘ setups. The official Scrivener forum on Literature & Latte is a great place to start.
Remember, investing a few hours in learning Scrivener will pay dividends in the long run. Once you‘ve customized it to fit your writing style, it will feel like a natural extension of your creative process.
Is Scrivener Worth It? My Verdict
As you can probably tell by now, I‘m a big believer in Scrivener‘s value for long-form writing. While it may not be the right fit for everyone, I think it‘s an excellent investment for:
- Novelists and memoirists penning lengthy manuscripts
- Academics and non-fiction authors juggling heaps of research
- Screenwriters and playwrights crafting scripts with many moving parts
- Anyone who struggles to organize and format their writing in a traditional word processor
On the flip side, if you primarily write short-form pieces under 2,000 words, rarely need to refer to research material, or simply prefer a bare-bones writing environment, Scrivener might be overkill. You‘d likely be just as well-served by a simpler (and cheaper) app like iA Writer or Byword.
But if you‘re in the trenches of a complex, lengthy writing project, Scrivener is a worthy ally. It‘s a thinking tool as much as a writing tool, helping you collect, organize, and refine your ideas over time. And when it comes time to share your work with the world, Scrivener makes it incredibly easy to generate polished, professional documents in almost any format imaginable.
Yes, there‘s a learning curve – but in my experience, it‘s a small price to pay for the incredible flexibility and power Scrivener offers. If you‘re serious about your writing craft and want a tool that will grow with you from first draft to final product, Scrivener is well worth the investment.