Scrivener, Scrivener, Scrivener. Nothing else comes close.
- The paradigm: chapters are folders and scenes are files. Makes it easy to locate what you need to work on.
- Manuscript in binder pane uses an OS list-view style, which we are all familar with.
- Color code scenes/chapters with status (e.g. TODO).
- Apply custom icons (e.g. a horse icon for a scene with a horse) to promote skimmability.
- Move a scene by dragging in the binder.
- Split scene at selection
- Split screen lets you examine 2 scenes side-by-side. Perfect for continuity checking or moving contents between scenes.
- Notes pane lets you attach virtually anything (images, links, text) to a scene (for keeping track of research)
- Snapshots. If you want to rewrite a scene but are afraid of losing what you wrote, take a snapshot, so you never lose what you wrote.
- Snapshot Diff: shows differences between current scene and snapshot in red and green
- Write once, Compile to many: no need for separate docs for Print and ePub. Have as many custom formats as you want, tailored for specific outputs.
- Powerful Layout controls: control virtually any aspect of layout (fonts, margins, recto, verso, text above each page, chapter indents, chapter titles, chapter numbers, pagination, scene dividers (even images for scene dividers)
- Custom CSS for ebooks (for power users)
- Start/Stop speaking text (listen to your manuscript)
- Compile Selection (when working with editors, reading groups, writing coach, you may want to share just a few scenes or chapters)
There’s so much more to love about Scrivener. Those are just a handful of my tops.
