How I Use Scrivener to Write Books (part 2: writing)

To read the previous post on preparation (research and outlining), click here.
This is the second post describing my current use of Scrivener, an application for writers from Literature & Latte.  Last time, I discussed how I set up and use the app for developing a book project, gathering information, and outlining. This post shows my actual writing setup and process.
Here is a screenshot of my ‘writing’ setup (layout).

From left to right:

1. This is the ‘binder’ (as Scrivener calls it). It is an iTunes-style list of all the folders and documents in the book project. The largest section is the outline of chapters (each one is a folder), with scenes (documents) inside each folder. (I could just use one document and write continually, and divide it up later into scenes and chapters. Scrivener makes it easy to divide and combine scenes, so you can work in whatever manner you feel like at the moment.) Other folders in this pane include a folder of characters, places, and a folder of ‘bits and pieces’ that may be anything from scraps of possible content I may have dashed off earlier, research notes, info on cover design ideas (or the cover design itself as a PDF or other type file), etc.
2. This is the main writing area, and corresponds to a scene (depending on what is selected in the left-most pane). As I write, I have easy view of characters and the outline of my work—all of which can be changes and rearranged at any moment. The leftt pane also allows me to go back quickly to another scene if I need to check something, then click a browser-like arrow to return back to where I was writing.
3. This is Scrivener’s cork board, and it is showing my folder of ‘characters.’ (I use Google images to find a random picture of a person I think fits the physical image of my character; I find it helps me to visualize a scene involving the character. Sometimes they are public figures, others are just random pics supplied from a Google search—they are never used except to help me visualize while writing. I could also change this pane by selecting “locations” in the left-most panel, to show cards of places, rooms, buildings, etc. Usually I just have Google Maps open in my browser for that, however.)
4. The rightmost window pane shows the full information for the currently selected character card in the previous pane. Here, i see the picture of the character; meta-data such as lable, status, last modified; and a notes section where I described the character (full name, synopsis, occupations, goals, personality, mannerism, etc.—whatever I think is relevant).
5. The floating window on the right is Scrivener’s ‘Project Notes.’ Here, I usually have a note for the overall project. While I am writing, I can quickly add any thoughts or tasks that come to mind, without too much interruption from writing the first draft. As I write through the book, I also create a note for each chapter, and keep notes, things to research or fix later, in that note.

This layout can be saved as a ‘layout’ in Scrivener, and recalled easily. I can go fullscreen on my Mac to hide all distractions. As I write, I can easily see the most relevant information: character info and picture, outline of the book, and general or chapter notes.

Though it is not showing, I often have open the ‘Project targets’ floating window. I can set a overall word count target for the book (this one is still set at 50,000 because it was a novel I began during NaNoWriMo), as well as a target set of words for the current sessions. This is helpful for setting writing goals and assigned targets, but sometimes I close it because I don’t want to be thinking about number of words.
If I want even more focus on just what I am writing, I can click the ‘compose’ button in the toolbar and go to fullscreen for just the writing pane—everything else is hidden on the entire screen.
This is the current layout and method I use when writing first drafts. My tendency is to just write; I don’t stop for much of anything (spelling mistakes, words or names I can’t remember, etc.). I will often leave a set of lines for blanks (underline character, shift-dash on the Mac: ________). It is easy to see when scanning the manuscript later. But if I need to go back and check what happened in a previous scene, or look at a characters’ notes, it is quick.
In the next post, I will show and describe my layout and process for revising and editing a first draft in Scrivener.
All articles in this series:

• How I Use Scrivener to Write Books & Blogs (Part 1: Preparation)
• How I Use Scrivener to Write Books (part 2: writing)
• How I Use Scrivener to Write Books (part 3: editing)