Motivation,  My Blog,  Writing

Why I Use Scrivener

Suffering from allergy-induced fuzziness, bronchitis and multiple trips to the doctor did not make for a happy person or productive writing. Hibernating and hiding from the cedar pollen and germs seemed like the ideal solution, but that route is not in the cards when you are shuffling the deck of a busy life.

 

Fortunately, a path of tissues, coughing fits and an obsession to Vick’s Vapor Rub led me to Scrivener.

As I mentioned, writing became a bit difficult when I started feeling sick. Even recalling my own name seemed impossible at times. The haziness brought on by allergy medications caused aggravation. I would grip the pen and doodle along my notebook, hoping for a miracle. The blinking cursor made my eyes water.  After a few days of moping and wallowing in a sea of Kleenex, I contemplated giving up on writing.

Was this possibly a sign? Should I step away without looking back?

My Story Was lost

Then the Dayquil hit my bloodstream and all the nonsense was just that. Nonsense. In reality, I was having a bad day. Plain & simple. (Wait…..am I allowed sick days?)

There was no way I could go back to the “before”. To leave my characters in limbo would be a crime that I was not willing to commit. So, I sat on the floor (yes, I am a floor worker when stressed) and spread everything around me. Immediately my problem was apparent. Maybe being on the same level as my ideas, Word Documents and bits and pieces printed from Evernote allowed me the clarity I needed.

My story was scattered and lost amongst lack of organization. And in turn, I lost focus. (Thank goodness for Dayquil!)

I needed to get my shit together. Literally.

Over the past months, a program called Scrivener had been recommended  by fellow writers. Due to cost, I never acted on their advice. It isn’t all that expensive, but when you have yet to bring in income with your writing – everything strains the pocketbook. After researching and reading up on reviews, I decided to make the investment and go for it.

After the program was downloaded and I watched a few tutorials, I felt encouraged. This simple step opened a new door for me. Allowing a positive outlook on where my writing could go. With organizing, I lost the fuzziness and aggravation that prevented me from seeing the possibilities.

Amazing how advice and a different perspective can help when you hit a roadblock.

8 Comments

    • jenniferpreissauthor

      Michelle,
      Yes, it has features that amaze me at the moment. It does have a trial version – 30 days free. Check it out and let me know what you think.

  • Caden

    Oh, i hate the allergies here in Texas! A spoonful of local honey helps and also cedar oil on your wrists help a TON. Peppermint oil for headaches and sore throats and Eucalyptus oil breathed in hot steam is great for our throat and lungs! Hope the writing runs smoothly.

  • Star Traci

    That’s cool! I have wondered about the program. It’s good to hear your perspective. Hope you feel 100% soon!
    🙂
    Traci