One of the key barriers to getting writing done is finding the time, especially if you are working on a longer piece, such as a scientific paper, review, a long-form popular science feature or even a book. In our courses, we offer lots of advice on how to get your writing done, and one of our tips is to choose your science writing software carefully. It’s easy to lose track of sources and references and end up with a load of documents with various versions of your draft, making an already imposing task ten times worse. Happily, you are not alone, and software developers have produced a range of applications to make your life a bit easier. In this post, we are going to talk about one called Scrivener.
Introducing Scrivener
Scrivener is a powerful science writing software designed to help writers organise their ideas, research, and drafts in one easy-to-use platform. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, Scrivener makes it easier for writers to focus on the creative process of writing and make sure that their ideas are well-structured. Scrivener also helps writers collaborate with others by allowing them to share documents securely with other users. While it won’t do your writing for you, Scrivener can make tackling longer, more complex pieces of writing less daunting and more manageable.
Features of Scrivener
One of the standout features of Scrivener is its ability to help you to organise your writing project. The software provides a virtual corkboard that allows you to create an outline of your writing project, as well as a binder that helps you to manage and organise your research materials and notes. You can create folders for different sections of your writing project, and you can easily move and rearrange sections as you work. Additionally, the software provides a full-screen mode that helps you to focus on your writing without any distractions, and it also has a goals and tracking system that helps you to stay motivated and focused on your writing.
It also enables users to export their work in a variety of formats including HTML, PDF and Word documents. Furthermore, Scrivener can be used on both Macs and PCs as well as on mobile devices such as iPhones or iPads.
What’s more, Scrivener integrates with other writing tools, such as citation managers and reference managers, so you can easily incorporate references and citations into your writing. This is especially useful for science writers who need to keep track of a large number of references and citations for their research papers, academic articles or for those working on popular science projects, features and books.
How Scrivener can help with long-form writing
Speaking of features and books, Scrivener has a number of features to help you manage longer projects (and manage yourself). The software allows you to break your writing project down into smaller, manageable chunks, which can make it much easier to work on and complete. You can also create and manage multiple projects within the software, so you can easily switch between different projects as needed. This is especially useful for science writers who may be working on several different writing projects at the same time, such as a research paper, a book, and a popular science article.
For those writing popular science pieces, Scrivener provides a range of tools that help to improve the overall quality of your writing. For example, the software has a “snapshots” feature that allows you to save different versions of your writing so you can easily revert back to earlier versions if you need to. Additionally, Scrivener provides a range of tools for improving the readability of your writing, such as a built-in word count, character count, and readability score.
How to Write a Paper in Scrivener
Another feature that makes Scrivener ideal for science writers is its ability to handle large amounts of information and data. For example, you can import research articles, data sets, and images into your writing project, which makes it easy to reference and include this information in your writing. Additionally, you can use the software’s outlining and organisation tools to help you to structure and present your information in a clear and concise way.
It also offers features such as text-to-speech, auto-complete, and formatting options that make it easier for science writers to create high-quality content quickly.
Why Scrivener and not a conventional word processor?
Scrivener is a game-changer for writers. While conventional word processors like Microsoft Word require writers to work in a sequential manner, Scrivener is designed to allow writers to work in a less linear way. This means that writers can jump around within their projects, moving from one section to another as they see fit. This can be especially helpful for writers who are working on complex projects that require a lot of research and planning. In that sense, it is much more focused on the process of writing than conventional programs. The software is available for both Windows and Mac, and it has a straightforward and intuitive interface that makes it easy to get started with.
In conclusion, Scrivener is an excellent writing software package that provides science writers with a range of powerful tools for managing and organising their writing projects, and indeed, offers them with a new, more intuitive way of approaching their writing.
For more on how to be a science writer, sign up to our free course, or contact us for details of our paid courses.
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