Digital Writing Tools

Scrivener for Novelists: A Complete Guide to the Writer's Tool

By YPen Published

Scrivener for Novelists: A Complete Guide to the Writer’s Tool

Scrivener is the most popular dedicated writing software for long-form work. Unlike word processors (designed for formatting) or note-taking apps (designed for capturing), Scrivener is designed for the specific workflow of writing a book: organizing research, outlining structure, drafting scenes, and compiling the final manuscript.

Why Novelists Choose Scrivener

The Binder

The left-side panel organizes your project into folders and documents. Each chapter is a folder. Each scene is a document within that folder. Research materials, character notes, and setting descriptions live in their own sections.

This structure means you can:

  • Write scenes out of order and rearrange them by dragging
  • View any section instantly without scrolling through the entire manuscript
  • Keep research visible alongside your writing
  • See the project’s structure at a glance

The Corkboard

Switch to Corkboard view and each scene appears as an index card with a synopsis. Rearrange cards to restructure your novel. This visual approach to outlining appeals to writers who think spatially.

Split Screen

View two documents simultaneously — your current scene next to your character notes, your outline next to your draft, or your research next to the chapter that uses it. This eliminates the constant switching between documents that word processors require.

Composition Mode

A full-screen, distraction-free writing mode with customizable background colors and text formatting. When you need to focus purely on words, Composition mode strips everything else away.

Compile

The compile feature transforms your Scrivener project into a finished manuscript in any format: Word document for submission, PDF for review, EPUB for ebooks, or formatted print-ready pages. The same project compiles differently for different purposes without changing the working document.

Setting Up a Novel Project

Use the Novel Template

Scrivener includes project templates. The “Novel” template pre-creates:

  • A Manuscript folder with sample chapters
  • A Characters folder
  • A Places folder
  • A Research folder
  • Front matter and back matter sections

Customize the template to fit your process, but start with it — the default structure is well-designed.

Create Your Scene Documents

Break your novel into scenes, not chapters. Each scene is a separate document in the Binder. This granularity lets you:

  • Focus on one scene at a time
  • Track word counts per scene
  • Rearrange scenes freely
  • Label scenes by POV character, timeline, or subplot

Fill Out Character and Setting Sheets

The Characters and Places folders hold reference documents. Create a page for each significant character with their essential details: appearance, motivation, voice, backstory. Link to these pages when writing scenes involving that character.

Use Keywords and Labels

Scrivener lets you tag documents with keywords (themes, subplots, POV characters) and assign labels (first draft, revised, final) and statuses (to do, in progress, done). These metadata tools help you track a complex project.

Writing in Scrivener

Write in Scrivenings Mode

Scrivenings mode displays multiple documents as a single, continuous text — perfect for reading through a chapter (which is actually multiple scene documents stitched together). Switch between single-document and Scrivenings mode depending on whether you are writing a scene or reading a sequence.

Track Progress

Set word count targets for your project, for each session, and for individual documents. The progress bar shows your advancement. This integrates naturally with the daily writing habit approach.

Use Snapshots

Before making major revisions, take a snapshot of a document. Scrivener saves the current version, letting you revise fearlessly — you can always return to the snapshot. This is version control for writers.

Collect Research In-App

Drag web pages, PDFs, images, and documents into the Research folder. They are accessible within Scrivener without switching to a browser or file manager. Split-screen the research alongside your writing.

Common Scrivener Mistakes

Over-organizing before writing. Scrivener’s organizational features can become procrastination tools. Set up the basic structure, then start writing. Organize as you go.

Not using Compile. Many writers format their Scrivener documents to look like a finished manuscript. This is unnecessary — Compile handles formatting. Write in whatever font and size is comfortable, and let Compile create the properly formatted output.

Ignoring the tutorial. Scrivener has a learning curve. The built-in interactive tutorial takes about an hour and is worth every minute. Complete it before starting your first project.

Not backing up. Scrivener auto-saves, but also create regular backups to a separate location (cloud storage, external drive). Losing a novel to a hard drive failure is preventable.

Scrivener and the Writing Process

Scrivener shines at different stages:

  • Planning: Corkboard and outliner views for structure
  • Research: Import and organize reference materials
  • Drafting: Composition mode for focused writing
  • Revision: Snapshots, split screen, and document notes
  • Compilation: Output to any format for submission or publication

The Verdict

Scrivener is the best software for writing a book. Its combination of organizational tools, writing environment, and compilation features is unmatched. The one-time $49 purchase price makes it the best value in writing software.

If you are writing a novel, a dissertation, or any long-form project with multiple sections and research materials, Scrivener will make the process more manageable and more enjoyable.