Research and write a novel with Scrivener

1 Download the app

Head to the Mac App Store and search for ‘Scrivener’. Download it and you can now take advantage of the free trial period to start understanding how the software works.

2 A new project

Click File>new Project and then browse the various templates to see which one best fits the kind of story or project you are about to work on. You can choose a blank one.

3 Analyse the column

The left-hand column is the portal to the entirety of your project and can be used to organise your chapters, notes etc. Take some time to see what is stored here.

4 A new folder

To add new chapters, click Project>new Folder while a section is highlighted and then click on it to rename it. Now drag it to the parent folder you want to position it in.

5 Accurate research

In the Research or Places section, or any other, right-click and then click Add>web Page to paste in the currently copied URL.

It’s perfect for accurate research.

6 Change the sections

You can also right-click on any section and then click ‘Section Type’ to change its parameters. This means you can adjust as the structure of your novel takes shape.