DOES SCRIVENER COME WITH SCAPPLE PLUS
There are shortened versions of three “systems” in the sheet above, plus an unordered list of relevant information about the character and another list of relationships sorted by type. Note the ability to drag-and-drop images! I also love being able to mix and match “forms” that I can fill out or reimagine as needed, so I can combine plot notes with character notes. Here’s a sample for one of my protagonists: I often feel like these methods take some life out of my characters, though, so I needed a more organic way of keeping notes on personalities and character arcs. Many writers enjoy using standardized character sheets or questionnaires, both to keep track of their characters and to learn about their personalities. Scapple is great for exploded-view lists like this. I just needed a way to combine “list of characters” with “immediately-visible connections.” That helps me craft a plot that makes sense, without forgetting anything obvious. Some of the character relationships are romantic, some are parental, some are adversarial or professional, and a few don’t show up until halfway through the book, but I don’t need a way to track all that because I know who’s who. Note how I can have a mindmap with two connected centers, plus a list on the side, and then some special charts underneath (I use the system outlined in My Story Can Beat Up Your Story by Jeffrey Alan Schechter). The main way I use Scapple is actually to create character charts, and it’s a huge step up from either mind-mapping or family tree software… I need a chart that can show relationships, but not just familial ones, and also show the passage of time to some extent. I can just start and figure it out as I go along. I don’t have to know what I’m doing right away, decide which idea is “central,” or anything like that. I don’t have to force my mind to be mapped according to someone else’s system. (Disclaimer: I’m not sponsored in any way, nor is anyone at WriteOnSisters, we just happen to adore the program!)Īgain, Scapple isn’t exactly mind-map software, but for me that’s an advantage. So today I’ll be sharing three ways I use the program for writing: mind-maps, character sheets, and outlines.
DOES SCRIVENER COME WITH SCAPPLE HOW TO
Scapple is really fantastic, but possibly also daunting if you’re not sure how to use it.
You type, and then you can copy/paste or format your text however you like, but you can also stick each piece of text anywhere on your infinitely-large page and connect them with lines or arrows any way you want.
It’s something like mind-mapping software, but with more flexibility - L&L calls it a “freeform text editor” and that seems the most accurate description. I can’t imagine why, because it’s equally well-designed and may be even more useful depending on how you like to work.
The Scrivener writing program from Literature and Latte has achieved a certain level of recognition in the writing community, but L&L’s other program, Scapple, has flown under the radar. Where can you stick enough notes to outline an entire novel, and how can you back that up reliably? Scapple to the rescue! I love sticky notes, and I’ve used them to organize my thoughts for years, but that method has some problems: notes fly off the paper, or you have to rewrite the same things several times as you move your notes around. If you haven’t already done so, follow her wonderful book blog, power packed with great ideas for reading diverse books and authors. Hannah Givens is always a favorite guest blogger at WriteOnSisters, and we’re thrilled she’s back.
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