2012-2015 Good to be Back -Writing

SCRIVENER FOR WINDOWS VERSION 1.8.6.0

Thank you for downloading Scrivener for Windows. Please take a moment to
read this document.

WHAT IS SCRIVENER?
Scrivener is a powerful content-generation tool that allows writers to
concentrate on composing and structuring long and difficult documents.
While it gives complete control of the formatting, its focus is on
helping users get to the end of that awkward first draft. Scrivener lets
writers work in any order they want and gives them tools for planning
and restructuring their work . Whether you like to plan everything
in advance, write first and structure later, or do a bit of both, Scrivener
supports the way you work. Scrivener runs on Windows, Mac and Linux and is
used by all kinds of writers including novelists, short-story writers,
screenwriters, playwrights, comedians, lawyers, journalists, lecturers,
academics and students, biographers and memoirists, business and
technical writers, comics and graphic novel writers, translators,
songwriters and more.

GETTING UP AND RUNNING
When you first run Scrivener, the new project dialog will be
displayed. If this is the first time you have used Scrivener, you will
most likely want to open up the 'Interactive Tutorial' first (see
below).

TUTORIAL
To get you up and running as quickly as possible, Scrivener comes with
an Interactive Tutorial project. It is strongly recommended that you go
through this tutorial the first time you use Scrivener, as it provides
an interactive overview of the main features. To open the tutorial,
launch Scrivener and double-click the Interactive Tutorial icon in the
New Project dialogue window. Click 'Continue' in the message box that
appears, then in the 'Save As' dialogue, enter a file name for the
interactive tutorial project, e.g. 'Tutorial'. Click the 'Save' button.
Your interactive tutorial will now be created at the location and with
the file name you specified.

The tutorial is itself just an ordinary Scrivener project. Once
the tutorial project appears, click on the document entitled 'START HERE'
in the list on the left of the Scrivener window to begin (if it is not
already selected). The tutorial should take around two hours to
complete, after which you will be a Scrivener aficionado, ready to begin
your own project and import any existing work. Please refer to the
Scrivener Manual (available by choosing 'Scrivener Manual' from the
Help menu) for more detailed descriptions of Scrivener's features.
Alternatively, if you do not wish to read a detailed manual or sit through
a two hour tutorial right now, consider the Quick Tour in the user manual,
which is designed to be a 15 minute introduction to the absolute basics.

VIDEO TUTORIALS
We have a range of video tutorials on our website here:
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/videos.php
Please note that whilst these videos are mostly filmed using the Apple Mac
version of Scrivener, they are still largely relevant but may contain
features or functionality not yet available in Windows Scrivener. We are
currently in the process of creating a Windows series of videos
to assist you reaching expert status as swiftly as possible.

HOW SCRIVENER USES WINDOWS FOLDERS TO STORE YOUR WORK
Instead of using a single-point-of-failure database to store your work,
Scrivener uses Windows folders and files to store all your project files.
In fact, a Windows folder with a .scriv extension contains an entire
project. If you'd like to understand a little more about how a Scrivener
project is stored you can read the following link:
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=10104
Alternatively, you can refer to Appendix E in the user manual.

TROUBLESHOOTING
If Scrivener fails to launch and the following Windows error message
appears:
"This application has failed to start because the application
configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this
problem."

Or if an error message pertaining to "side-by-side" errors, then
this is due to the Microsoft Redistributable C++ Runtime not being
installed on your machine correctly. This is easily fixed by downloading
the 2010 Microsoft Redistributable C++ Runtime service pack 1 update here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=8328
After downloading double-click the Microsoft executable and follow the
installer prompts to install the missing Microsoft Redistributable C++
Runtime files. Then re-boot Windows and try running Scrivener again.

If you are running Scrivener on Windows XP ensure that Windows XP
has the latest service pack 3 installed.

MORE INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK
If you need more help, would like to leave feedback or would just like
to discuss Scrivener's features, please visit the forums at:
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum

There you will find other helpful users and lively discussions about
Scrivener, writing and literature in general.

You can find further support information here:
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/support.php

You can also contact us directly at windows.support@literatureandlatte.com.

Note: Please ensure that you have gone through the tutorial and checked
the Help file before requesting support.

PREVIOUS VERSIONS AND CHANGE LISTS
Previous versions, change and bug fix lists are available from:
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivWinChangeList.php

AND FINALLY
We hope you find using Scrivener for Windows a pleasurable experience,
and welcome your feedback.

Regards

Scrivener for Windows/Linux Dev Team

11-03-2015

What I am currently reading

I bought this months ago and am now going to read it from scratch as it looks to be a great book for anyone interested in writing and self publishing.

Self-printed

My first publication and what I learnt

Messing around with Widgets!

Test Amazon Widget

Trying to add an Amazon Widget to monetise my blog.

When and how much to write?

Doesn't matter what others do - the question is - when do you want to write, are able to write.

This is the question to ask yourself. Literally, go look into the mirror.

This is before many other questions you will have noticed, such as what am I going to write about?

This is deliberate.

First you need to decide when.

Many writers have set times which they stick to religiously and if it works for famous published authors, who make their living from writing, it can work for you.

So first decide if there is a time of day - every day is preferable - that really suits you.

Jeffrey Archer writes like this.



5:30 arise
6-8 write
8-10 break for food walk gym whatever
10-12 write
12-2 break for lunch newspaper walk the dog whatever
2-4 write
4-6 break
6-8 write
8-10 break
10 bed

That is 8 hours writing, every day, which is why he is a prolific publisher of books, short stories, who knows what. I read a book of short stories of his in fact many years ago. Excellent. If your interest lies in short stories, I would recommend you give him a look. I will try to find the book and add a link for anyone interested. Also need to see if my father still has the book as I didn't read them all. I think its this one.

Jeffrey Archer Short Stories

Anyway the key is discipline i.e. a daily time set aside, stuck to, each day until the book is done. Take a break then but not until you can see your book on Amazon for sale with your name coming up in black and white. What a buzz. What an achievement. That is one of the things that drives me, makes all the work so worthwhile, that sense of accomplishment.

Deliver to my cloud reader? What?

OK I was on Amazon, found a book I had already bought - its on my Kindle device, but what if I want to read it on my computer instead!

2 more options:

send to Kindle app - a free program which you can download to your computer - allows you to read anything you buy in the Kindle format without needing to buy a Kindle device.

send to my cloud reader  - must confess I had only a vague and incorrect idea what that meant

so I selected both options, well I already know the Kindle app doesn't work on my PC, but what of the Cloud?

well impressed, it just opens it in a browser, so all I have to do is - in Google Chrome -

spanner icon in top right of screen
tools
create application short cuts

...and i have a big K on my task bar i.e. bottom right of screen

so I can click and read any time, I hope
what happens if I delete cookies etc, will see tomorrow

This should have been my first post - Get an Author Profile Like I have

Sean Flanagan's Amazon Author Profile

I should say I didn't write every book whose author is listed as Sean Flanagan.

The guide to self publishing on Amazon Kindle

Amazon's complete self-publishing guide

This link is for me as much as you.

In fact I have not read it in full anyway. Why?

It's a guide. I know where it is and consult it as and when I need.

So why not read it all from start to finish? Good question!

Here is why?

When I read, which is all the time - except when I am writing - I don't want to read anything unless I am looking for something particular and ready and willing to take advantage from it - which should read "Act on it".

Tip! Write, write first, read second, edit third. Focus is everything, write every day. Writers do!

Want to be a writer? Write! That easy.

Want to sell your book?

Amazon Kindle format - a few useful tips from the mighty Amazon.

I know I am getting ahead of myself but anywhere I come across useful information I will try to throw in a quick link on my Blog.

Some of these ideas are new to me - there is always stuff to learn if you are willing to look and determined to succeed.

Well it's Monday 26-03-12...

...and welcome to the Write Blog

I love books and love my Kindle.

In the last year I have written four short books and in the process have picked up a few useful tips for like minded people who want to write but are struggling in any way.

Do not think these tips are of no value just because they are free!

And do not feel you have to spend money to write.

Or publish!!

Short and sweet, but next blog I will set out what I wish to cover.

There is a lot of I hope useful guidance  and I hope to dish it out in the days ahead.

Feel free to "folllow my blog" and check in if you are curious, interested or need a push start...