Prompted Writer

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10 Reasons I use Scrivener to Write my Novels

10 Reasons I Use Scrivener to Write my Novels

Scrivener, Scrivener, Scrivener I keep talking about this amazing program, but people, it’s fantastic! I use this app on a daily basis for my novels and sometimes even blog posts. I am going to give you ten reasons why this app is something you need in your life if you do any sort of writing.

1.  I am able to keep everything stored in one place! You’re able to put your research, pictures, websites, PDF’s anything pertaining to your novel you can store in the same document your novel is. How cool is that? It’s wonderful to have everything in one place that I can access at any time.

2. Color-Coded. I love to color-code things and this app lets me do just that! It helps when you’re plotting and want to see the different parts of the novel, and you can create your own labels and assign colors to them. I’ve seen people use the labels for protagonist/antagonist chapters, and some will use them to label notes, first draft, revised draft, and final. You can use them however you want to that’s the beauty of this program.

3. Word count: Now this may NOT seem like a big deal, but it is. In Scrivener I am able to put the number of words I’d like to achieve in a certain amount of time and it will calculate how many words a day I need to write to make it to that goal

4. Storyboard: While I do most of my Storyboarding on Pinterest I will import the photos to my moodboards for each of the characters and add things I think they’d wear, what their homes look like, the town they live in, etc. Also, this is where I add all the data about the character and his/her backstory, quirks, motives, and so forth.

5. Folders: When writing normally I have a folder for each chapter of my novel and then subfolders for each scene in that folder. Scrivener also has specific folders for Characters and locations that you can use.

6. Templates: So many creative people have designed templates that you’re able to download for free and use. The one page novel plot formula is my absolute favorite.

7. Compose it to a kindle, Epub ebooks, or ibooks formats: this makes it incredibly easy to write and self-publish your own book to sell on Amazon, Apple, or Nook.

8. Ability to split the screen: This little feature comes in handy when I need to look at the plot points while I am writing a scene, or have a characters outline up to remember a certain quirk or specific quality they possess.

9. Distraction free writing: Wonderful tool when you really need to buckle down and focus on your writing without the distractions of everything else. The things you really need to know will pop up on the bottom of the screen when you move your cursor.

10. Sync: I am able to start writing on my computer, save it, and then work on it more from my phone or iPad. Now, this one may cost you a little bit more money but, for me, it was totally worth it. I love to pull my phone out and type up a scene when I have a spare moment of time; no writing time is wasted!

**BONUS**

11. Revision Mode: I actually just discovered this one not too long ago! Revision mode let’s you go back and revise your novel with different colored text so you can easily see what you’ve changed and when. Such a handy little tool for editing 🙂

Try a FREE 30 day trial of Scrivener and see how you like it! If you’re ready to buy it you can do so here: BUY NOW!

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How to Make a Storyboard on Pinterest

I love to make storyboards on Pinterest when I get an idea for a Novel. It helps me to organize my ideas and thoughts into one place. My storyboards are private to keep the contents and ideas a secret, but I will show you bits and pieces of different ones to give you a good idea of the things I pin in them. So the first thing I do is set up a new board which I name Storyboard: {Name of Novel} or the other way around sometimes; then I hunt for pictures of people that meet the description of my character. I love having a visual of my character to be able to better describe them.

I have another private board on Pinterest called Characters where I pin different pictures of people that I may, or may not use as a character. It makes it simple for me then to go to that board and pin the characters to my storyboards. Clothes that the characters would wear was another thing I added to the storyboard, and how they wore their hair. Also, if you have ever taken the Myers Briggs test to find out your personality (I’m INFP if you were curious ;)) I like to give my characters each a personality type and then use that to find their strengths and weaknesses.

Scenes are another thing I will pin about, so take for example my Storyboard for “Life Unplanned” I have a hospital scene so I pinned different pictures of hospital rooms, the story takes place in Massachusetts so I have tons of pictures of Massachusetts!

Law school was a big part of the novel so I pinned some different Law school things that were relevant like when is admission due, how much does it cost, classes, and so forth to make things as realistic as I possibly can. The characters met for coffee at a sweet little coffee shop that overlooked the town, so what did I do? I found cute little coffee shops in Massachusetts and pinned them, of course 😉 Anything that I could think of that was relevant to my novel I pinned it even quotes that fit the storyline.

A few handy Pinterest boards that I love to keep adding to for when I am stuck and need inspiration are my writing prompts board, Character names, and Inspiration board, and lastly, my plot board which has various information about the most random things.

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What’s in my Backpack?

I’ve seen people doing videos regarding what’s in their backpack, so I thought I would do a blog post instead. These are the essential items I bring with me when I go out to write:

  1. My backpack! I got this off of Amazon for around $30 it has enough space for my needs, and then some. The thing that drew me to it (besides the roominess) was probably the USB port where I could charge my phone on the go. Not totally sure if it’s TSA approved…
  2. Most of the time I will use my iPad just because it’s more compact. With my iPad, I use my Bluetooth keyboard from Logitech; I absolutely love this thing. The case for the keyboard doubles as a stand so you’ll never forget to bring it. One of the main things that drew me in though was that it takes batteries instead of having to be charged.

  3. I have to have some sort of music going while I am writing so that’s where my phone and Bluetooth headphones come in handy. I found some good stations on Amazon Prime Music that are my go to for when I write.
  4. I always have a notebook and pens with me wherever I am going, but the Rocketbook Everlast Smart Notebook I found is unlike any other; it’s reusable! You use a page, mark one of the seven symbols on the bottom of the page, take a picture of your work, and it sends it to whatever website you correlated the symbol you marked. So, for example, if I put an X on the diamond and take a picture it will automatically send it to my Dropbox folder titled, “sermon notes.” When you’re all done take a paper towel with a little water on it and wipe off the page!

  5. And last, but certainly not least, my Scrivner app. I couldn’t write without this app it helps me keep my story, characters, and outline organized and I can set word count goals for each scene, chapter, and whole novel. When I set a word count for my whole novel I am then able to set a date that I would like to complete my novel on, and it will calculate how many words I need to write daily to achieve that goal. The other thing I like about it is that it I can write on my iPad and then sync it, and continue writing over on my computer. I did buy it for both my iPad ($19.99) and Mac ($45), so it will set you back about $64.99, BUT it is a one-time price, so you won’t be charged ever again. If you’re interested in more information on Scrivener check out their website: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php

What’s in YOUR backpack?

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Our Art Gallery

We have had an influx of art going on at our house over the last few years, and I am constantly running out of room to put their beautiful drawings. The fridge was getting full and I had to resort to throwing out pieces that had been there for weeks, but, of course, they found them in the garbage and couldn’t believe that I threw away their precious art. We had to find some sort of compromise because hanging pictures on the wall with tape was not an option for me, nor would it even stick to our walls in the first place (we have such odd walls.)

I was able to purchase everything (except the buckets) off of amazon. It was nice to have everything delivered to the house instead of running store to store to get items; especially in the winter! You can buy the buckets off of amazon, but I found them $10 cheaper at oriental trading. The wire and clips that the pictures are hanging off of came from Ikea but I was able to find them on amazon. We are also using the wire and clips in the homeschool room for our alphabet cards!

Our chalkboards took a little time to find because we had a certain amount of space and I needed exact measurements to be able to fit three of them. My original plan was to get a big piece of plywood and a can of chalkboard paint and make it a “fun” DIY project. Well, if there is one thing you should know about me it’s that I am the least crafty person ever. In all honesty, though I am really happy with how it turned out!

The kids love to pull up a chair and draw during the day and it is also beneficial for homeschooling. Somehow making shapes and letters on the chalkboard is WAY more fun to them than on paper; I’ll take it! I love that it’s right by the kitchen so they can draw while I am making dinner in the evenings 🙂

(This picture was before we put the hooks and buckets up the kids were REALLY excited)

Here is a list of exactly what we bought for this project:

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What Does It Mean To Fear The Lord?

My word this year is brave, I want to be brave and courageous not be fearful of what man can do to me. I want to only fear the Lord. Martin Luther described two different types of fear;  FILIAL fear of the Lord means to have respect and reverence to the Lord and have a healthy fear of the consequences of disobeying Him. Think of the respect that a child has for his/her parents. That child fears disobeying their parents, not just because they are scared of punishment, but because they have such respect for them and the thought of hurting them by disobedience is disheartening. SERVILE fear is the fear that martyrs have or those who are tortured and jailed. It’s the fear and anxiety of the harm that they are going to thrust upon you.

Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

The Gospel message should be the most beautiful and terrifying message. It is beautiful the undeserved grace and mercy that the Lord shown upon us, but terrifying in the sense of the depth of our sins and the punishment that we deserve for them. Our faith in the Lord will show if we do, or do not, have a healthy relationship with the Lord. How do we respond when things go wrong? Do we whine and complain, or do we turn to the Lord? I struggle with anxiety and know that it is worse when I am not diving into the Word and surrounding myself with the Truth of God’s Word. I worry the most when I listen to the world!

George Muller said The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.

Obedience will be another evidence of a healthy fear of the Lord. When we are obedient and following the Lord instead of the ways of the world we show our fear of the Lord through that. How do we respond when we sin? Do we go directly to the one who forgives us of our sins or try and hide hoping that we can get away with it? We are silly and foolish to think that God doesn’t see our sins… That alone should strike some sort of fear in us!