Scrivener Reviews

Nothing Beats Scrivener for Writers

Pros:

Scrivener is endlessly flexible, fitting any way you can think of to help you write the best prose you possibly can and print it in just about any way you may need, including producing files suitable for publication in online bookstores such as Amazon. The complexity does, however, make the program intimidating to beginning users. It helps if a user makes a conscious decision to learn and use only the bare bones at first, but it can be difficult to figure out what bare bones to use and where they are. It helps a lot, though, that Googling Scrivener along with a function of the program will produce dozens of how-to articles. After all, Scrivener is designed for writers, and a good number of them write about Scrivener!

Cons:

I reluctantly admit that I haven't yet talked myself into tackling the learning curve on printing out anything but the simplest of documents from Scrivener. I'm sure it was worth it to many writers in the past who needed to produce publication-ready manuscripts, but these days Vellum is available for the Mac and Atticus can be bought for either Apple or Windows computers. Both are much easier to use.

The Only Thing You Need to Write a Novel with.

Comments: I love Scrivener. Been using it for a long time, at least seven years. I could never go back to Word or contemplate using Google docs. The software is a beast for authors. Based on the price point, the free upgrades, and zero subscription fees is worth it alone.

Pros:

Scrivener makes it easy to write a full length novel. It was next to impossible for me to not just keep track of my manuscript in Word but to jump around the document to random scenes. I love the binder and the inspector features. The way the software is designed it's an all-inclusive word process with tools to help me keep my manuscript organized which means more time spent on writing.

Cons:

The only con is that it takes a quite a bit of a learning curve. If you want to use the simple word processing features then no added lessons needed. However, if you want to use the other features, which aren't necessarily obvious, be prepared to take a course in how to use the software. It's the only way I was able to unlock/figure out all the features I love using currently.

Okay for Writing, Not Good for Worldbuilding

Comments: I've spent a lot of time using Scrivener to organize my stories and worldbuilding. Although I did appreciate the layout in terms of being able to readily access written documents, I got frustrated with the formatting abilities and eventually chose to use Evernote. Another drawback with Scrivener is the lack of cloud syncing. Because I only could access the file on one computer, I had to transfer ideas from other sources, such as Google Tasks, into the scrivener file on that specific computer. It would have been easier if I could access Scrivener online, so I didn't have to keep transferring notes over to the file.

Pros:

My favorite part about Scrivener is that you can access your notes side by side. It's easy to put your different notes in folders and easy to organize the different pages. This makes it a better choice than Microsoft Word or a similar program for writing stories.

Cons:

I did not like the formatting at all in Scrivener. I had used Scrivener for writing for a while, but I stopped because the ability to format text was strange. I wanted to use it for world-building documents, which requires a variety of text (bold, underline, bullet points, etc.). However, in Scrivener, the indents were off and the inserted tables hard to work with. The bullet points would line up with the left side of the title text which didn't look right. The final product didn't look as good as it does in other programs such as Microsoft Word or Evernote.

Scrivener Is Okay, But That's Not Enough

Comments: I did complete 2 books on it, but the 4 works in progress remained in a state of limbo until I opted for another writing app. I'd say that, for me, Scrivener was great 25% of the time, so-so 50% of the time, and a pain to deal with 25% of the time. Enough to get me through 2 books, not enough to make me stay. I may try it again if I get a free copy, but not until them

Pros:

It does a wonderful job of guiding a novice writer to understand the structure of fiction and non-fiction. The app helps to organize ideas, concepts, research, and notes, plus it supports multiple editing passes, a must for truly improving your writing.

Cons:

If your solution takes a one-hour to video to explain its best usage, that's a problem. I came to Scrivener having written well over 2 million published words, and while other pro writers swear by it, I often found myself swearing at it.

Every writer needs this software

Comments: I love it. It’s so helpful once you get the hang of it.

Pros:

I was having trouble with the pace of my books and this software has helped me so much. I’m always top ten in my genre with every release now.

Cons:

I wish the proofreading was more thorough. It catches misspelling but not grammar. I wish it had that so I don’t have to scan my document with additional software.

Scrivener... A Work Library for All My Masterpieces

Comments: I have tried other writing tools, but I keep going back to Scrivener. Once I learned how to maximize the platform there hasn't been another tool l've liked more!

Pros:

Scrivener makes keeping my writing organized super easy! I love the fact that I can use it both on my computer and my phone.

Cons:

It took a while to get the hang of some of the features, but it was worth the work!

Writing's on the Wall

Comments: I generally love it. It's my go to software for writing and compiling documents for books, presentations, trainings, business plans, and SOR, and much more I'm probably forgetting. Overall very positive. And if I recall when I had interactions with support they were responsive and extremely helpfully. I think it was related to installing on a second computer.

Pros:

I like that I can map out, plan, write, rearrange, reorder, and edit, documents easily. In my case this is presentation scripts, books, and also business plans, and SORs. It's so nice to just be able to move sections of writing around easily. Which leaves time for just writing without worrying about the order.

Cons:

There's little I didn't like about it. I know I'm only scratching the surface with what I use it for, even as a writer, marketer, and author. So nothing stands out as an 'I don't like' for me.

Best novel-writing software

Pros:

I've been using Scrivener for over five years as a fiction writer, and I love having all my materials in one place--outline, character profiles, location info, research and more. And the word processing feature is robust and makes it easy to break my writing up into chapters or scenes. I use it for all my first drafts.

Cons:

There's definitely a learning curve if you want to get the most out of its features, but they've gotten better with tutorials and walk-throughs than it was when I first started using it. Other than that, I think it's a fantastic tool for authors.

Don't Believe the Hype: Scrivener is Awful and You Will Hate it - Avoid It and You Will Thank Me!

Comments: There are no functions for increasing or decreasing indent unless you want to go back to using the tab key constantly and if you do this in a list? Fugitaboutit. Scrivener 3 will remove the line from your list altogether as it assumes you didn't there anyway. It is awful software. Try to set the margins on Scrivener like you would on ANY free or paid word processing software. Go ahead, I'll wait...can't figure it out? That's because you can't do it. Scrivener 3 will set your margins as it sees fit and you will like it. Yes, the YouTube ladies will tell you that you can but good luck getting Scrivener to consistently set them and leave them. You'll be fighting page setup constantly with this software. How about leading on the text or "line spacing" as many word processors call it? Can't do that either. The whole document defaults to this weird 1.5 line spacing which is nearly impossible to change and keep changed. You'll be fighting line spacing for your entire document. This is an absolute travesty of an experience, Scrivener is trying to be smart about all the ridiculous carnival features it thinks you would actually use and in reality, none of its developers have ever tried to write a long form project using their own software...that is obvious. I could go on and on about the failure to process inserts like tables and pics and how these are a nightmare to format in your work or how you can't just add page breaks in a given paperback format or how you have to "complie"

Pros:

Project management allows you to break down the document into various sections which act as separate files. This is great for project management or storyboarding but an absolute nightmare for writing a long form document like a book or thesis paper.

Cons:

I have used this software for a couple months now and I absolutely hate it and for good reason. You cannot format text like you can in a free word processor like Open Office or in paid software like Word. They like to say you can but I'm here to tell you that you can't. Forget formatting lists in this garbageware. Scrivener 3 will format it as it sees fit and you will like it and just for fun, Scrivener will format it completely different under the exact same settings the next time you want a list. The format font is courier or Times and good luck trying to change that. Oh, you can change it alright, but it won't matter as every new line you type will be in the Scriver 3 font - not the one that that rest of the document OR in the defaults settings which you changed originally. No, Scrivener 3 will type in the font it chooses - either Courier or Times and you will like it. Fake reviews and YouTube videos tell you to set up your styles in the "styles" pallet but good luck getting Scrivener to actually set the style consistently in the style you saved in the palette. Ultimately, you will be fighting formatting constantly.

Great for writing!

Comments: I've enjoyed using Scrivener. I have started writing a book and it is able to keep all my thoughts in order as well as the actual story line.

Pros:

The ease of use and the multitude of features.

Cons:

No real cons. This program is easy to use and has a ton of features

Scrivener Won't Tell You How To Write, But Makes It Easier

Comments: I switched to Scrivener to keep my manuscripts' various bits of information in one place. I can easily access character information, locations, scenes, and possible agents to query from each book I work on. It was challenging to use at first, but once I got the hang of it, I promised myself I would never switch back to an inferior product.

Pros:

The software is designed to help you write no matter your process. Its open concept and the ability to move documents or scenes around for your full work are wonderful.

Cons:

There is no actual grammar editor in this program. But it does allow the use of other grammar programs to work with it, such as Grammarly.

Scrivener for a Newbie

Comments: Absolutely worth the purchase! I admit, it frustrated me at first but I kept with it. I attended the free Scrivener sessions, and those helped to navigate the program. I ended up purchasing a membership to the site for further information, but that is turning out to be a good purchase as well. Though normally a pantser in writing, I really enjoy being able to navigate the text in the Scrivener folders and files rather than scrolling through pages on a word processor. Not to mention having the word count tool is invaluable in my opinion for helping weed out excess.

Pros:

To be fair, I am still using an 'older' version. Great for organizing thoughts and be able to 'see' how a story is progressing. The availability of notes on resources and story elements in the same place is incredibly helpful. The option to compile and export work into other file types was unexpected and welcome.

Cons:

To be fair, I am still using an 'older' version. It is not as 'easy' to learn as portrayed. It takes a while. However, once learned, it is extremely helpful. Also, learning how to operate images in the program can be a challenge. Perhaps the newest version makes it easier, but for now I am happy with the Scrivener I use.

My writing companion for research and compilation.

Comments: I began using Scrivener at least five years ago and have enjoyed the whole experience. It is my go-to tool for gathering and compiling information. I am an information junky, and Scrivener is my friend.

Pros:

I love how I can collect research and easily access it for use in my writing projects. I can even save webpages and videos with the project!

Cons:

I have not found anything I don't like about Scrivener. I do not know of any better research and writing tool.

A great tool for authors

Comments: I like it for plotting and brainstormning, but gave up on using it for drafting pretty fast.

Pros:

I like the planning tools best, like the character templates and setting notes and all the ways to customize them.

Cons:

Actually drafting in Scrivener is difficult and I never did figure out how to convert documents to Word files.

The best tool

Comments: I really love it. I first got it after a Nanowrmo and have loved it every since.

Pros:

Amazing tool for writers. You can have it all in the same file and work on your projects without losing anything.

Cons:

I find it hard to think of cons. The only thing is that sometimes the file you export from it is a bit funny when exported into other programs, but it is not a big deal.

The writer's best friend

Pros:

Scrivener is full of great features for writers since wring a simple ebook to a comic book storyline, the way you can organize all your lines, dialogues, and characters make it easier to read proof, and amend anything you need.

Cons:

In the beginning, the software tools are not very intuitive especially if you are used to using another software, but nothing extreme you can't learn in a few days of using it.

Hands on one of the best products for writers, be that plain content writing, scripting or for games

Comments: Scrivener is definitely the best software to use on an Apple device if you're serious about writing. The price of 53 euros (at the time of writing this review) might seem a bit much for upcoming writers but it's really worth it. It can be used for content writing and up to game design. No way Word could organize things as good as Scrivener. I'm just kinda sad the Windows version is so limited.

Pros:

The program is probably the best software to use as a writer. It's being used in the industry for quite some time. It's great to track your progress, organize things such as research, references, maps, locations, etc. Compared to usual writing in other programs such as Word or OpenOffice, here you won't have to deal with distractions and with alt tabbing to check references in folders. Dark mode is a super great feature, really saves me some eye migraines. It has a lot of export options which makes very easy the porting of files for say, publishing on Amazon. Synchronization is top notch, you can start off on your computer and switch to your mobile device and back to the computer. It's using dropbox. Saves happen every few seconds so your work won't be lost if you have some technical difficulties.

Cons:

The Windows version was lacking a lot compared to the Apple version last time I tried (2018). It's was painful to try it, quite sad actually. Syncing can be a bit troublesome since the program doesnt check if you closed the program before swapping to another device, however it saves the conflicting files. If you own an old Mac you cannot sync to your devices. You can upload and import them but it's a bit clunky.

If You're a Writer and You Don't Have Scrivener, Why?

Comments: Scrivener is one of those unicorn programs that's too hard to learn, even harder to master, and somehow still manages to be impossible to live without, even when programs with more specialized abilities come along and TRY to oust it. It's the kind of program that reminds you why you wish you'd become a dentist instead of a writer. Incredibly useful and occasionally frustrating and the one program no writer should be without (especially if they love a challenge).

Pros:

Scrivener has many jobs, but it also has one job: Give the writer a central place for all of his project's components. Need a place to outline? Organize ideas? Store research? Write the draft? Label your nutty ideas? Comment on your nutty ideas? Export everything into a manuscript without corrupting it with nutty ideas? Track your word count? Customize your needs? Scrivener does it all. And it does for one low price. It also integrates well with the writing workflow, regardless of whether the writer uses Scrivener for everything or just some things. I personally find it useful for organizing the scenes I've already written, just in case it turns out I've forgotten something important along the way. Scrivener makes documenting the success and failure of a scene easy.

Cons:

My complaint is probably the same as any one else's complaint: It has more features than I know what to do with. The cost of the courses designed to teach users how to use the software are often FAR more expensive than the software itself, and without those courses, it's hard to figure out how to use it effectively. Exporting to manuscript is not at all intuitive, even when you know what you're doing. It's probably more effective to write and plan within Scrivener, then copy/paste to another program for exporting. It doesn't have any visualization features. Sometimes graphs speak louder than synopses.

Can't start a book without it

Comments: I use Scrivner to write all my books- I plot it first and then I can see the scenes and chapters clearly.

Pros:

I can inport my outline from Plottr. I can see all my characters and places in real time. I can use it for my series of books and therefore do searches of scenes and people.

Cons:

In a way, there are too many functions available and it can be overwhelming at times. Sometimes I have difficulty finding my book on the left side as the binders confuse me.

The go-to writing app that never disappoints.

Comments: In my line of work, I frequently edit research papers and theses. Scrivener makes this process easy and streamlines my workflow to a high degree.

Pros:

Scrivener offers a fantastic user interface that allows you to organize and edit complex projects and documents easily.

Cons:

It is a bit pricey, but not overpriced. Each new version of the software needs to be re-purchased. In my experience, the iPad and the desktop versions also need to be purchased separately. It would be nice if all versions could be accessible with a single purchase.

My favorite for writing fiction!

Comments: At first, I found Scrivener intimidating. Watching YouTube videos about Scrivener for Beginners was very helpful. I also printed out some cheat-sheets to keep on my desk for quick reference. But once I figured out the basic functions that I needed for what I'm doing, I was off and running. There's still a LOT of features I have never played with, but it's nice to know they're there if the need should ever arise. But I'm still looking for a character specific timeline feature. I've heard it's in there somewhere, in some form. But I have yet to locate it.

Pros:

I like that the creators of Scrivener have tried to anticipate the needs of a wide variety of users to make the software as useful as possible. I especially appreciate the versatility of the Compile function.

Cons:

The learning curve is HUGE if you want to use all of its features, and it isn't always intuitive.

Best writing software available.

Comments: Overall I love it and wouldn't want to write without it.

Pros:

How versatile it is. There is so much functionality for every step of the process, from outlining to drafting.

Cons:

Because there is so much versatility, it can take a little longer to master.

The very best of tools for writers

Comments: Just buy it or at least trial it. I use it for long books, articles, and pretty much everything. I love it. Nothing I've found comes close. I'm using version 3.0 on a Mac btw but the Windows version also gets good reviews.

Pros:

I like pretty much everything about this software. It's a clean interface with a relatively easy learning curve. You can just start with it from day one and learn the various features (and there are many) as and when you need them. The main thing I like however is the way I can structure a long document, move sections around, look at the overview/abstract of each section, and quickly navigate to any part. It helps too that it's easy to have two different views open side by side. I also like the ability to have a separate research/notes section which I can structure to parallel the body of the document.

Cons:

Not much to dislike. I found the integration with Grammarly and Hemingway a bit clunky but since moving to ProWriting Aid, advanced editing has become pretty much seamless. Outputting the finished product to pdf, Word or whatever takes a bit of learning but to be fair, that is because it is so customisable.

Scrivener streamlines writing books

Comments: With Scrivener I am able to have one scrivener file per book and/or series and keep documents with notes and then make each chapter a text file. That way, if I need to locate a specific scene I don't have to mess with scrolling through a Word document to find what I'm looking for (or use the clunky Find feature).

Pros:

What I like most about Scrivener is how simple it is to organize my book by chapters or scenes. It helps me outline my book from the start, which in turn makes writing it faster. I also love using the split-screen function to allow me to have the notes on one side of my screen and the actual writing on the other.

Cons:

There is a learning curve with Scrivener in order to unlock its full potential. I don't generally dig into the Compile functions (to generate a print-ready manuscript, etc.) and instead just compile to a basic Word file and format the book myself using the vendor's style guide.

A must-have for serious writers

Comments: As someone who transitioned to Scrivener from another writing software, this one is superior. I used to get caught up in all the extra features other software had, like mapping relationships, filling out character profiles, etc., which was really just my way of procrastinating, honestly. With Scrivener, I can eliminate any categories I don't use, and the simple design keeps me focused. In addition, the one-time fee makes it absolutely worth the switch. Most software charge annual or even monthly fees at the same cost.

Pros:

Scrivener gives you the ability to organize your work, check statistics, and sync with the mobile app to work on the go. I love the variety of views you can select from, whether you're reorganizing the order of scenes and chapters or wishing to view your manuscript as one uninterrupted file. It can appear as simple and distraction-free or technical as you wish.

Cons:

It can take a bit of time to learn how to use it to its full potential, but there are plenty of tutorials online and help features.