Scrivener – Jean's Writing

Want to get excited about publishing?

Published on February 20, 2020February 20, 2020 by Jean M. Cogdell4 Comments

Ready to self-publish that best selling novel?

Want to get it right?

Then you might want a few good tips on what to do and not do in this post by Christian Galacar.

What I’ve Learned About Self-Publishing

He takes you from Scrivener to avoiding stigma attached to self-publishing and finding a good editor. Terrific links and sources that will aid you on your journey of turning that manuscript into a successful book.

Take a few minutes and read his post.

Christian Galacar

A compelling, strange and story with well-developed characters, a believable storyline and plenty of twists and turns making for a quick read. Check out Christian Galacar’s debut novel…

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW. AND STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Do you know the best app for writing?

Published on November 15, 2017November 13, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell21 Comments

Whether you are a planner or pantser, all writers need good tools of the trade.

Sometimes I get bogged down in trying new apps. I waste too much time learning the ins and outs of an app I hope will help, but often I’m disappointed. Not because the app doesn’t work, but because it doesn’t work for me.

So, instead of spinning your wheels, like a car stuck in a ditch, read reviews before you try a new writing app.

What writing apps do I use?

Scrivener
- I love this program now, but there was a big learning curve for me. And although I’ve gotten the gist of it now, I still learn something new almost every day.
Grammarly Premium
- This app is one of my favorites. The free app is good too, but I upgraded to premium because I love the extras. The app is easy, and the learning curve short. Oh, one other thing about this app. It automatically checks my posts and emails.
Ginger
- A free app, Ginger is easy to load and easy to use. You can listen to your story, the app also suggests rephrasing of sentences (you can accept or reject suggestions.)
Canva
- This is a terrific app to design covers, promo material, and illustrations for blog posts. Easy and quick to use.
Sumo Paint
- This cool app works similar to Adobe Photoshop. Not as complicated as Adobe, and for a simple layered design it’s perfect. There are a lot of Youtube videos to help on the learning curve. It can be used straight off the website, not requiring a download.
Paint.net
- I use this app for simple sizing and cropping of images/photos. Super easy, quick and free.

As with all writing apps, none are perfect. And at times they contradict each other. So always double-check any suggestions before you take them as gospel.

Now I’ve discovered a few more that sound interesting. Kathy Edens has some interesting apps that may help planners and pantsers alike.

Which apps do I plan on checking out next?

One Stop for Writers, by Writers Helping Writers
- This isn’t exactly new to me as I follow WHWs and love their Thesaurus books, but I haven’t used One Stop yet. Don’t know why but I’m checking it out now.
Pro Writing Aid
- I used this program a few years ago. The new and improved (since I used it) looks interesting, and a lot of writers seem to love it. So gotta go and see what all the hoopla is about.

To read more reviews about these apps, click and read Kathy Edens recommendations. She lists 9 apps for you to look at.

Writing App Reviews: A Comparison of the Best by Kathy Edens

Do you have a favorite app/programs?

Which ones do you use?

Have you tried any of these? Like or dislike which ones?

Inquiring minds want to know. Share your experiences in the comments. I can’t wait to read them.

And take a minute to follow me on social media, just click on the buttons below. I’ll leave a light on.

How to know your word count with Scrivener

Published on October 28, 2016October 23, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell9 Comments

It’s super easy!

I like to set goals for my writing, little ones, and big ones.

When I sit down to write, I set a word count goal. Now I don’t always reach each goal, but at least I’m shooting at a specific target.

I begin each project with a big word count goal for my manuscript. Then I set small goals every time I sit down to write. Scrivener makes both easy to do and monitor. And for those of you who are doing the NaNoWriMo next month, these tips might come in real handy.

Below is another short tutorial to show you how I set these word count goals. Also, I took a minute to answer your questions about different templates found in Scrivener.

Do you have any Scrivener tips?

Do you like to keep up with your word count?

Are you going to participate in NaNoWriMo?

More info with Scrivener and word count feature:

Track Your Word Count and Progress with Scrivener By Gwen Hernandez

Project Targets at Simply Scrivener

NaNo Tips for Writing with Scrivener

I’d love to hear from you, let me know how you’re doing! Leave a comment or click the “write me” tab or look for me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

The Inspector can help you avoid a wrong turn

Published on October 21, 2016October 17, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell11 Comments

Just like the GPS app on your phone or in your car!

I don’t know about you but I’m lost now without my GPS. That app has saved me more times than I can count. As a directionally challenged person, I depend on it to go anywhere. And just like my car’s GPS, Scrivener’s Inspector helps me stay the course.

So what is “The Inspector?”

The Inspector Pane is a cool gadget in Scrivener sort of like a tip-sheet. With it, you can add the synopsis, bits of information, pictures, and notes that will keep your story moving in the right direction.

But in this video, I show you my favorite feature called “The Custom Meta-Data.” The custom meta-data section reminds you where you are, where you want the characters to end up, and what’s happening in each chapter or scene.

Open a chapter or page and with one glance at the Inspector, you can see the day, time, location and goals of your characters.

I hope this next Scrivener video, gives you a little insight in how to use the Custom Meta-Data inside the Inspector feature. Let me know if it helped.

Want to dig a little deeper into what The Inspector Pane has to offer?

Keep reading:

BOOST YOUR WRITING EFFICIENCY WITH THE SCRIVENER INSPECTOR By Kristen Kieffer

Scrivener- Using the Inspector Pane

Do you use the Inspector Pane with Scrivener?

Do you think you can or will use it now?

What do you think about this feature?

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell,Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.