Introduction to Scrivener

You’ve heard the raves about Scrivener, maybe even tapped a few keystrokes within the application, but you’re reluctant to depart from your trusty word processor. This workshop will help you to understand why you want to switch to Scrivener and how to get started––how you will unlock a more robust and intuitive way of writing on your computer by using software that was created by writers for writers and understands the ways we develop and execute ideas.

Scrivener is an inexpensive, complete writing environment that allows you to organize concepts, notes, research, and drafts all in one document and then format your work to industry standards for printing, submission, and publishing (traditional and electronic). Every bit of information and each phase of your project are contained in one place no matter if you are writing a novel, short story, screenplay, textbook…whatever.

This beginner/intermediate workshop is taught in two parts:

1) “Creating a Scrivener Project” – October 5th
Come to class with Scrivener loaded on your laptop (a discount code will be sent ahead of time for those who need to purchase the program making the cost less than $40). Together, we’ll get started with setting up the program, a basic overview of the software, and how to import your existing text from other programs. The class is geared towards Mac users, but will accommodate PC users as well.

2) “Working in a Scrivener Project” – October 12th
Building on what we’ve learned, we will incorporate research and character/setting information into our developing project while familiarizing ourselves with navigation, composition, and formatting features of the software.

Note that an intermediate/advanced workshop will be taught later in the year to continue your understanding of Scrivener and address best practices, revision, outlines/notecards, labels, keywords, meta data, collections, writer’s tools, and compiling & exporting your project. I promise you’ll leave these classes astounded at what you can now do with your project and invigorated to write.

Chris Friden, writer and creative director, met and fell in love with Scrivener on a brisk fall evening in 2010. Their affair transformed his writing process and helped him to produce manuscripts, screenplays, teleplays, short stories, theatrical plays, and teaching tools. Chris adores sharing all that he has learned through his workshops that quickly get beginners up to speed and impart best practices to more advanced users. Chris now lives in Connecticut where he works as a creative consultant while writing children’s books; developing television and film concepts; and publishing games through his company Rubbing Hands. The Student Code is the working title for his debut YA manuscript.