Why Scrivener Sucks for Writing Your Novel — Novelize

When your goal is to write a novel, you should do everything you possibly can to accomplish this. Choosing the best novel writing software is an important first step. The problem is, a lot of people rave about Scrivener, so you might think that’s the program you should be using. They rave about Scrivener, because it’s an amazing program. It offers a lot of features. However, that may also be its downfall when it comes to writing a novel with it. In fact, we would go as far as saying that Scrivener really sucks for novel writing.

1. It has a steep learning curve

Some people love trying out new software and exploring new features. But let’s face it, those people are in the minority. Most people don’t like change, especially if it’s complicated. Is Scrivener really that complicated? Well, they have a manual that’s 349 pages long. There is a book called “Scrivener for Dummies” (we saw it at our local library). And if you search the Internet for Scrivener, you’ll find tutorials, support forums, and lots of other evidence that there’s a lot to learn and absorb. Even people who have used Scrivener for years acknowledge that they haven’t even scratched the surface on what can be done with this program.

2. It’s too bloated

This goes along with the steep learning curve. It takes so long to figure out how to use Scrivener, because it’s full of features. Many of these features are incredibly useful, but not necessarily for novel writers. You can spend a lot of time doing almost anything but writing when you open up Scrivener. You can play with the layout, the background, the font, organize your tiles, and add things to the corkboard. If you’re serious about learning how to use Scrivener, you may be busy for months before you ever start writing the first words in your novel. And that’s a waste of time. After all, your readers won’t care how you got that novel written. And you won’t get to celebrate being an author until you write a book.

3. You can’t take your novel with you

Scrivener is a software download that you put on your laptop or computer. While you can use it on a Mac or PC, you’re still limited to that specific computer. You can’t take your novel with you, unless you’re willing to do use a workaround. If you have Scrivener installed on more than one computer, you can back up your file on a USB stick, take it with you, and upload it to the next computer. And if two different computers is all you’re dealing with, that might work. Until you forget that USB stick. Scrivener does not work on your phone or your tablet, either. So in order to write, you have to wait until you get home. With Novelize, you can write anywhere on any device, whenever inspiration strikes you. But make sure to look both ways before you cross the street, okay?

When to use Scrivener

We don’t want you to think we’re bashing Scrivener. We’re really not. We’re in awe of the people who created this program, partly because we can’t get our head wrapped around all of its features. Obviously, there is a need for complication. If you’re writing a screenplay, nonfiction, or just want to have some formatting fun, then we recommend giving Scrivener a try. But if you want to get your novel written, then Novelize is just the better choice, hands-down.