Scrivener: Why I Love It!

Scrivener has made my life much easier as I achieve to be a published author. Before, I was lost. I had note cards scattered throughout the house, notebooks (about 50) laying around the house and always screamed when I couldn't find the one I needed at the moment.
I am a free writer, as in I never do an outline per-say. I get my characters, some idea of what I want them to do and write. Usually my characters never do what I thought they would. Scrivener has changed all that ciaos of tracking my characters mind-changing events. Example: I had planned on two certain characters to get together but in the current WIP the girl is liking a different guy than I intended.

Reasons:

1.) Scrivener allows me to import research, photos,  MS Word docs. This helps with organizing it all in one place. You don't have to have 50 million screens open and bounce between them.

2.) Cork-board mode is my best friend. Here I can have my note cards and move them around. In Scrivener, every document is attached to a virtual index card onto which you can jot a synopsis; moving the cards on Scrivener’s corkboard rearranges their associated text in your draft. Mark common themes or content using labels, or stack cards, grouping related documents together. I have folders for each wolf pack with all their pack members. I can click on the folder and see everyone's photo I have suggested for them. You can also move you chapters and scenes around to re-order them in corkboard mode.  I can just drag the notes cards to re-order them. As mine are in order of rank at the moment. It would be easy and take less than a minute to change that to age. I have the definitions is alphabetical order but had them in order they appeared at first. It took me 3 minutes to move the note cards around.


3.) Ease of moving things around. As I said it's easy to move your notes, research, chapters, scenes and characters in cork-board mode. It is also easy to move them around in the binder. All you have to do is drag what you want moved and move it! It's that simple.

4.) Being able to have photos on your note-cards has me jumping every time I open the screen. Having them to jog my memory as to what someone or some place looks like is easier than opening up my pictures on my computer. They are right there. And the split-screen makes it quick work to look up a fact on a note-card.

5.) I love the fact that I can color code everything in my binders. As you can see below I have changed their look. It makes it easier the click the correct one without reading the names.  You can also code your note cards. The coloring can be all of it or just some of it, like I have. Or it can be just the outside border.

6.) It makes it easier for me to start another novel in my series by dragging the info from one project to a new one. I don't have to retype it all in. Everything is there with a click or 2.

7.) I love that it tracks my word counts for each session and the whole document. It keeps me on track with my daily word counts. Below is my current WIP. As you can see it allows you to set the whole document goal and the session goal. AS you progress the bars turn color. When you get really close to your goal it turns green!

8.) The name generator has been a big help. I can set it for regions of the world and click 'generate' and is comes up with a list of names. Settings can be male/female, first/last names, meanings, and you can import others.  I usually use this for last names rather than first of middle and I change the spelling if it's for a current character.

9.) The full screen makes it easier for me, personally, to edit. It blocks out all the distractions of windows I might have open.

10.) Compiling into e-pub for makes it easy for me to proof-read it anywhere. I have done it while waiting for the kids to get out of school or at the doctor's office. All I do is upload it to my NOOK.

There are many other things that can be done with the program but I haven't learned everything yet. Learning everything I can do may take years but as I go, I learn a little more and the more I love it. Windows version is a little behind Mac but they are working on it. I have been working on Binders but haven't had a need for them yet. Some use it to track all their blogging, not me; at least not yet. 

If you prefer a more traditional planning environment? View and edit the synopses and meta-data of your documents in Scrivener’s powerful outliner. Organize your ideas using as many or few levels as you want and drag and drop to restructure your work. Check word counts, see what’s left to do using the Status column. Scrivener’s outliner is easy on the eyes, too, making it ideal for reading and revising an overview of a section, chapter or even the whole draft.

Others I have talked with say,

' It's a must for me.  Keeps everything all in one place.'

' I adore Scrivener - it allows me to visually order scenes & keep everything open. Plus character & research tabs.'

' I have full versions for both PC & Mac! Still hoping for iOS.'


Get a free 30 day use version of Scrivener at http://www.literatureandlatte.com/index.php
If you're not sure watch the tutorials and get more of an idea of how it can help you with your writing.

*All screenshots are mine. The photos are from Literature&Latte's website.
**This blog is my opinion and mine alone. I am not paid for my views on the product. 

Camping 1st Week

I haven't gotten much accomplished on my WIP-Naleena this week. I do plan on busting my butt this weekend to get ahead of my word count because I will not be able to write 2 more days this month.

Excerpt from 'Naleena' my CampNaNoWriMo WIP.

Takoda ran his hands over his face; he had missed an important meeting and now regretted it. “My orders?” he finally asked.
“None. You have not shown you are ready. You shall continue to run the bar and be Beta. That means you must act as Beta not a low ranking pack member.” Drewdon stated in his formal tone.
Shame fell over Takoda and the Council could smell it. “In time Young One, you shall take your place in the changes. Sooner than you may think.”
Drewdon was always cryptic, as was all of Council. Zane was more blunt most of the time. “That means what?” he looked at them. “If I may inquire that is?”
“Time will show you.” Zane said and Council just walked out without another word. They were known for not saying good-byes or telling anyone the conversation was over. It frustrated everyone that wasn’t older than a hundred. How did the thousand years old deal with that kind of stuff when it was the way of life? Well that was one question that was never going to get answered. He packed up some papers and went home for a shower and food. 

 I am loving Camp and I'm meeting tons of new people with things in common. I'm keeping a 'camp' journal here online. As you can see I still have tons to do. I forgot to add finish making up the freezer meals. I still have about 5 to do.

If you noticed I need to get male MC (Takoda) to express his feelings and as all women know it's hard. At least I have figured out the flashback parts and have lots of notes on that. It will make the 2nd part fly out of my fingers fast.

One thing that has had me to procrastinate is my son has informed me he is taking a Creative Writing class that he will have to write a book next school year. He keeps coming to me asking all kinds of questions so I have written out several steps he needs to take before writing. Now he's working on characters... 'Mom, can he have white hair and be 26 years old?' I told him his characters can be and do anything he wants but they may have a mind of their own at times and not get pissy about that.

Now I am off to kick Takoda's butt and get him to do what I want him to.
Have a wonderful weekend full of reading and writing.

What Are They Doing?

My characters are not cooperating with me. 

The last few days my MC (main character) and her bestie have decided they don't want to do what I want. This point in the novel is hard enough to write. Now with them ticking me off it just makes it harder. Dalara's bestie is having issues with not wanting to be in this part and I need her here. It's almost as if she wants to be the MC now and I can't have that. I have had this issue before but she is stubborn. I am hoping by Friday she will start cooperating. I need wordies. 

I am going to word sprint with my lovelies over at @TheSprintShack on Twitter today, or at least try. Friday will be an all day and night sprint fest with @FriNightWrites for #writeclub. For those who are unfamiliar with either one check out their blogs. The Sprint Shack and FriNightWrites. The sprints are hosted by fellow writers. We write for a set time and see how many wordies we can get out of our fingers. 

I want this novel done and ready for my beta readers before April 1st. Camp NaNoWriMo begins then and I want to start the next novel in the series. I was thinking it would be Dalara's pack-mate but it might have to be her bestie instead. Which that is all fine and dandy with me. I know part of her story already and have tons of notes and research done. 

Camp NaNoWriMo is like NaNoWriMo I did in November; 50k words in a month. I won in November and I want to in April and July for Camp NaNoWriMo too. That's where the sprinting comes in handy. On a good sprint I have forced out 900+ wordies in 30 minutes. I wouldn't be able to live without my lovelies on Twitter. They keep me going with encouragement and ideas when I get stuck like I am now. 

Don't forget Friday I will be posting about another favorite author of mine. 

How Does a Writer Do It?

Question to a Writer

I have had a lot of people ask what music I listen to while writing, if I even do. Well it depends on the scene I'm working on I guess. Mostly it's Enya, Praga Khan, Dean Evenson, Kitaro, and Yiruma, which is also my meditation music. I have it on low in volume so it's just background noise. If I'm writing a fight or sex scene it's 2 Live Crew, Nickelback, Rush,  Metallica and some Queen here and there.

I know many of my fellow authors have their favorites as well. I would have to say it all depends on the mood of the author and our own preferences. Some may not even listen to music but their kids as to not find a mess after a session of writing.

Other questions I get:
1.) What do you do when you are struck?
Well, I message my friend and we go over the scene before and what I want to happen after, I as my son if it's a fight scene, or I get on Twitter and talk with other authors.

2.) When do you write the most?
That's a though one. Mainly at night when the kids are sleeping, but then I also write while they are at school if I'm up. I tend to sleep in late (11am) . If I'm in a bipolar manic state I will write 24/7 in between cleaning.

3.) Where do you get the character names?
Everywhere! Though I prefer old Celtic and anglo-saxon the best. I look them up online or Scrivener has a name generator I like.

4.) Where do you get the ideas for books?
That's a though one. Sometimes I have an image come to me when I'm watching tv, reading the news websites or I just think shoot that's the next one. It goes the same for my plots and twists.

5.) Why just paranormal romance genre?
That's the easiest to answer. I love it and it's about the only thing I read. Being only 6 years into my book fetish I can't seem to get into anything else. I'm hoping to branch out in the next year.

6.) Do you only write adult?
No, my first novel written was YA for my daughter who is an advanced reader. I just wanted to be able to add sex scenes if I felt like it. My Ya had to be cut due to one. I have also thought of doing one for pre-teens though I am not sure about what.

7.) How do you come up with places, like where it all takes place?
Interesting indeed. My bestie and I plan out what we are going to do if we win the lottery. Lots of property looking. Since I am working on werewolves it works wonderfully with the large treed land. With looking at homes and land I get the general idea for it. With the current WIP(work in progress) I drew out the house plans one night when I was bored and had writer's-block. Since it's an old house built in the 1800s circa I googled that type of furniture and downloaded the pics I loved. For the names, they just pop out of my head.

8.)Who is your favorite author?
Okay people, a person with a book fetish can't really answer that question. I have so many, but the one I couldn't live without would be four, J.R.Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon Alexandria Ivy and Laura Wright. Though there are many others I love. Those are the ones I would throw a fit if I couldn't read their books. For the others check out my my Loving and Engaging Authors page.

Well, guys and gals those are the most common questions I get. If you have one not listed ask away.

My your New Year be blessed with good health, love, warmth, family and good friends.

Back To The Beginning

So, after NaNoWriMo I realized that I needed to rewrite the first novel in the series. Basically delete 3/4 of it and make it flow better. That's what I'm doing. It is a long process but I am getting to it little by little. I really hate when my characters decide they aren't going to go along with what I had planned for them.
I have a title for the book but not for the series yet. The first book will be "Dalara". She is the main female character (MFC). She has had loss but yet is strong and independent. A family secret comes to light and she is courageous to embrace it. Along the way she finds love and tragic events.   Learning that she is Coveted by many and feared by most, she must learn not to let it go to her head. In "Dalara" we get a sense of a new world that is hidden to humans, yes Lycans or more like werewolves.

Here are the titles I have so far, though I have no idea what order they will be in.
Dalara
Tasmina
Naleena
Zakaira
Zacharius
Drewdon
Lucas

Any suggestions for a series title is much appreciated. Leave a comment or ask other things in order to get a better idea of what a good title would be. I think I will do a giveaway to the one with the title I choose. Not sure what's gonna be given away yet. Stay tuned to see.

Possible Book Characters for New Series!

Here are some pics of inspiration for my characters. Let me know if the names fit!

In 4779BC six shifters were created; they could take any form but wolf, leopard and panther were the ones they preferred. When they bred they had whatever species they were at the time of conception. Nathaniel, Vera, James, Abraham, Lorily, and Margret were their names. Nathaniel lived the longest and was the most powerful of the six. As the race expanded they became ‘Council’, the ruling govern. They made laws and punished those who broke them, usually physical punishment.  All that survived were the wolves. Numbers have dropped and new wolves are not coming. 

They stop aging around 25 years or so.

239 years old. Warrior Wolf

26 years old. Raised as human. 1st glimpse into the world of  werewolves.

14 years old. Training to be a warrior. Son of an Alpha.

 19 years old Raised in a pack with a terrible alpha. Shy and withdrawn.

Drewdon is 519 yrs. old and raised in Zacharius’ pack. He is more out-going and has the ability to adjust quicker than Zacharius or Zane does. Has a sense of humor once he relaxes.

134 years old. Dalara raised to call her aunt.

217 Years old. Alpha

346 years old. Warrior to Zacharius, the ELDEST

39 years old

27 year old teacher thought to be human

Alpha

239 years old. Warrior

Sage's Beta

21 Years old Shy and distant

20 years old drama queen and acts like she has been very sexual 

Zacharius was born in 1369ad. That makes him approximately 643 years old...yeah he doesn't look it! Being the Eldest of his race his word is law. With "Council", his friends, they rule over everything.  With his long black hair and his dark eyes, he is a looker!!! Being as old as he is, his speech, behavior and expectations are "old fashioned". He says it, you do it... no questions asked. 

23 Years old strong and obedient

27 years old obedient and alpha prospect

Alpha

Alpha

Alpha

Zane is 519 yrs. old, raised in Zacharius’ pack. Zane is laid back and quiet. He listens and takes everything in, never speaking unless needed

*Disclaimer - I am not the owner of these pictures. I found them on the web for causal fun use on my blog for which I receive no compensation. If this picture belongs to you (you are the copyright owner) please let me know and I will remove it.