No conversion is necessary, and all platforms can work off of the same source file (at different times no project should ever be opened more than once simultaneously. There will never be a need to convert or export your project if all you wish to do is work on another computer. The Scrivener project format is fully cross-platform compatible.
![]() It was the go-to app for résumés, business proposals, cover letters, and most anything else that required placing text on paper. I used Word for many years because it was the app most people used in the business world, and it made transferring files a lot easier. I’m not crazy about Word, but I don’t have a vendetta against it. As noted, other apps are sometimes mentioned, but Word versus Scrivener is usually the topic being debated when speaking of the best book-writing software.I’m amazed at the number of people who still use Word. The question posed the most is whether to use Word (or many other apps) or whether to use Scrivener. ![]() I took this from Microsoft’s website, so I would hope it’s accurate.As you can see on the pricing, the cheapest is $149 for the student option or $69 per year for the personal choice. Scrivener Versus WordThe first issue to tackle is cost as that is a major concern for many people. I don’t know how I managed before using it.But before I delve too deep into what Scrivener can do for you, let’s just look at a few comparisons. Since I write blogs for five websites, Scrivener’s organizing features proved to be invaluable. Within a month, I had all but abandoned Word.I now use Scrivener for novels, nonfiction, novellas, blogs, and more. But Word falls short when it comes to handling long documents like novels (or years of blogs). I still have more then twelve thousand résumés on my computer that will open at a mere double click and let me search for almost anything. You do the math, but I think you’ll see it is costs far less.Cost of Word on Microsoft’s website Word Can Handle AnythingAt least that’s what people say, and it does do a great job in most instances. Good Reference App For Scrivener And Word Series In OneWith Scrivener, you can keep all the books from a series in one file and not only search for what you referred to but view it side-by-side in the split-view editor. Long Documents ContinuedIf you’re writing a series, whether it be a detective series or a fantasy or romance series, it’s not easy to search for something you referred to in book one when you’re writing book seven. I could have organized the blogs any way I wanted, but I found this to be the most logical for me. I’m a huge proponent of outlining, but I do not use Scrivener to do it. I’m not the biggest fan of Scrivener’s outlining, however, it is far superior to anything Word has. Outlining Is a BreezeThis is a statement that requires a qualifier. I could also edit it or do anything else I wanted, and I’d never have to leave my spot in book one. It’s not difficult in Word, but it does require more work (copy and pasting). If you decide you want one chapter to appear before another, simply drag and drop the icon (in the binder on the left) to where you want it. If you’re using outlining as a item to compare when measuring the best book-writing software, Scrivener wins hands down (even though it’s not the app I use).Rearranging work in Scrivener couldn’t be easier. It is magnificent, and, best of all, it has an option to export your work to Scrivener. When it comes to search and replace regarding Word versus Scrivener, it’s all Scrivener.Word can do great things when it comes to formatting your book, but it doesn’t come close to Scrivener. It makes it invaluable when searching my blogs as I have seven years of them to go through. I can do a search (or search and replace) for either one novel or one blog, or I can search the entire file of one million words for my fantasy books or seven years of blogs, and I get results in seconds (usually less). Ef player for macIt is so good, I wrote a book about it (How to Format an eBook). There is a far better option ( Vellum) for formatting, and it produces books that equal or exceed the best of professional formatters. I wouldn’t use the end product to publish, but it’s plenty good for beta readers. Before Vellum, I used Scrivener to create digital files for my beta readers.The compile menu shows the Markdown option. The number of options are amazing, and the results are fairly good. Check them out, then take a look at the screenshot of the compile menu below to get an idea.Final Draft or Fountain (for screenplays)EPub (necessary for Apple, B&N, Google, Kobo, etc.)MultiMarkdown (and other Markdown options)You can also export to Word, RTF, PDF, or for Vellum. A few of the options are listed below. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it did a good job, and it offered a variety of export options. I’m at a loss to explain the reasoning on their part, but it’s their decision, not mine. Yes, I could “accept all” but I’d never do that, not knowing if what the editor suggested/corrected is something I agreed with or even if they made a typo.I have asked several times if they would consider using Scrivener to do the edits, but so far none of them have agreed. I love my editors, and I wouldn’t consider publishing a book without them, but it is a pain in the ass to meticulously go through the file (Word) and either accept or reject each one. I have written and published more than eighty books, which means I have had to go through hundreds of comments from beta readers and more than eighty final edits from editors. Editing with Word Versus ScrivenerThis feature (or capability) is one dear to my heart. The first one shows a sample file written in Scrivener (using Markdown), and the second screenshot shows what that same file looks like after export by Scrivener using the Markdown option.Scrivener now has an option to compile your document for formatting with Vellum, making the transition easier, though with Word it’s no problem as Vellum requires a document saved in Word.There are many more features that could be—and should be—compared, but the one that is a deal breaker (or in this case a deal maker) for me is editing. Mac os emulator for windows 19I’ll try to do a few more blogs covering some of those items. SummaryThat’s about all for this blog, but it doesn’t come close to covering all the things you can do with Scrivener. I’ll do another post later showing some of the more beneficial advantages. And don’t forget, you have thirty days to try it out, but you won’t need that much time to make a decision.There are plenty of other features that makes Scrivener a wiser choice than Word, but it would take more than a few blog posts to show them. In the meantime, you can buy Scrivener by clicking the link below. I’m going to do a separate blog on it and will post it soon.
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