Editing Hacks
Navigating Scrivener With Style(S)
In last week’s blog #Tips124, I discussed how to use the style function to navigate your document in Word (or similar word processing packages).
This week, I want to extend that to the specialist writing package Scrivener (visit #Tips80 for my first impressions of using Scrivener).
Now the first thing that regular users of Scrivener are going to say, is “You don’t need to use styles to navigate Scrivener, that’s the whole point of it!” That’s correct, so let me clarify. I am going to look at how to retain styles when exporting to MS Word. Then you can easily navigate your manuscript in Word when you are working with an editor who doesn’t use Scrivener.For ease of use when writing in Scrivener I start a new page for each new scene. This allows me to then easily move scenes around. (I add chapter and section breaks last, once I am satisfied the story is in a logical order.)
In the image below, you can see that I have added some descriptive text for the first scene in bold red text.
This week, I want to extend that to the specialist writing package Scrivener (visit #Tips80 for my first impressions of using Scrivener).
Now the first thing that regular users of Scrivener are going to say, is “You don’t need to use styles to navigate Scrivener, that’s the whole point of it!” That’s correct, so let me clarify. I am going to look at how to retain styles when exporting to MS Word. Then you can easily navigate your manuscript in Word when you are working with an editor who doesn’t use Scrivener.For ease of use when writing in Scrivener I start a new page for each new scene. This allows me to then easily move scenes around. (I add chapter and section breaks last, once I am satisfied the story is in a logical order.)
In the image below, you can see that I have added some descriptive text for the first scene in bold red text.
As in last week’s tip, I use this as a quick aide memoire of what happens in that scene. The power of Scrivener of course, is that I can add detailed notes etc in the right-hand inspector column, but they won’t easily come across to Word when I compile, so I like to have that scene title.
It is important that rather than just highlighting the text and formatting it, you should apply a style to it.
This works very similar to the way it does in Word. You can use a pre-installed one, or make your own. I recommend creating your own, and giving it an easy to remember name. This will make things easier later on.
Tip: Set up a template with your styles already applied to save time.Now comes the (slightly) fiddly bit. For those unfamiliar with Scrivener, you don’t typically print directly from the programme. Instead, you compile all the individual pages into one file and export it as a manuscript in the file type of your choosing. If you select MS Word, you’ll get a .docx file that can then be opened in Word.
Opening the document as below, you can see that whilst the bold red text is present, the titles aren’t appearing in the left-hand navigation pane (which is the whole point of the exercise), nor is it listed in the style gallery (circled in red).
It is important that rather than just highlighting the text and formatting it, you should apply a style to it.
This works very similar to the way it does in Word. You can use a pre-installed one, or make your own. I recommend creating your own, and giving it an easy to remember name. This will make things easier later on.
Tip: Set up a template with your styles already applied to save time.Now comes the (slightly) fiddly bit. For those unfamiliar with Scrivener, you don’t typically print directly from the programme. Instead, you compile all the individual pages into one file and export it as a manuscript in the file type of your choosing. If you select MS Word, you’ll get a .docx file that can then be opened in Word.
Opening the document as below, you can see that whilst the bold red text is present, the titles aren’t appearing in the left-hand navigation pane (which is the whole point of the exercise), nor is it listed in the style gallery (circled in red).
Instead, you need to tell Word that the style you defined in Scrivener (and which has been brought across, it’s just invisible) is important, and that you want Word to recognise it and use it.
To do this, go to the style gallery and select the Apply Styles option.
To do this, go to the style gallery and select the Apply Styles option.
Next, select the name of the style that you defined in Scrivener (I call mine Section Header), then modify.
You can now adjust the appearance of the style if you want to, but the most important thing to do is click “Add to the Styles gallery”. It is now part of the styles gallery, meaning you can apply that style to other sections of text or easily modify it (eg redact it, so that your beta readers don’t see spoilers).
You can now adjust the appearance of the style if you want to, but the most important thing to do is click “Add to the Styles gallery”. It is now part of the styles gallery, meaning you can apply that style to other sections of text or easily modify it (eg redact it, so that your beta readers don’t see spoilers).
In order to see it in the left-hand navigation pane, you need to do one more thing. Select the style from the gallery by right-clicking. Then choose modify.
Select the Format option, then Paragraph from the menu.
Select the Outline Level drop down box.
Body text is basic text, it doesn’t appear in the navigation pane. Levels 1 to 9 appear in the navigation pane (and outline view), in decreasing order of importance.
Select the Format option, then Paragraph from the menu.
Select the Outline Level drop down box.
Body text is basic text, it doesn’t appear in the navigation pane. Levels 1 to 9 appear in the navigation pane (and outline view), in decreasing order of importance.
I have chosen Level 1 from the outline level, and you can now see that it is in the navigation pane. Text that is Level 2 would be indented slightly and so on.
The beauty of using styles to do this, is that you only need to do it once, and every title in your manuscript is updated in one go.Have you got any useful tips for using styles? Feel free to comment here or on social media.
And don’t forget, if you are a writer with a tip to share, email me at DCIJones@outlook.com.
Until next week,
Paul
And don’t forget, if you are a writer with a tip to share, email me at DCIJones@outlook.com.
Until next week,
Paul
