Yesterday we started a NaNoWriMo project in Scrivener. What we’re going to do today is more of the same – how to do it in SmartEdit Writer. This is set by step, actual fast key, as fool proof as I can get it to start your NaNoWriMo novel project!
SmartEditWriter is a program by Bad Wolf Software. While some people they like it better than Scrivener, you’ll find it’s missing some features you need to keep track of your progress in Nano!
Get Started
- Download and install SmartEdit Writer.
- Start up the program.
- Click the “+Create New Project” icon.
- Name it whatever the name of your novel will be – mine is “NaNoWriMo Project.
- Click next.
- It will prompt you for a storage location. I automatically moved all my SmartEdit Writer projects to Dropbox. I highly recommend it! Last NaNoWriMo my computer crashed on November 3, and it wasn’t until the 5th I was able to get running again!
- I always close the Start screen. Immediately.
- I also delete the note in the project. I add those manually where I need them.
- Here’s where knowing shortcuts really pays off. CTRL+SHIFT+D creates a chapter. CTRL+SHIFT+S creates a new scene. If you need a note, the shortcut is CTRL+SHIFT+N. Using fast keys, I can create and set up a new novel project in about 12 minutes. SmartEdit Writer is about 3 times slower than Scrivener when creating and prepping a project. If you don’t click on the Manuscript window, each folder will end up nested, and that’s annoying. You also have to manually name everything, which means you’re moving MUCH slower than Scrivener.
- CTRL+SHIFT+D 3 times. Name them ACT 1, ACT 2, ACT 3.
- Select ACT 1.
- CTRL+SHIFT+D seven (7) times. Name them Chapter 1, 2, etc.
- Select ACT 2. CTRL+SHIFT+D fourteen (14) times.
- Select ACT 3. CTRL+SHIFT+D seven (7) times. All of your acts and chapters are now done. You just need scenes. You’ll create 3 scenes per chapter.
- Select Chapter 1. CTRL+SHIFT+S three (3) times.
- Repeat for each chapter.
- Synopsis section. This goes in “Brief Outline”. If you’re going to add a synopsis for each scene, you’re about to miss the inspector and the cork board from Scrivener VERY badly! Otherwise, just put the entire thing into the “Brief Outline”. I don’t know if there’s a default character limit in your “Brief outline”. To add notes for EVERY scene and add your synopsis for each scene, you’ll need to create notes for each one CTRL+SHIFT+N. It’s a lot more time intensive in Scrivener. You’d already be typing in Scrivener by this point.
- Another option is to add your synopsis to notes in the Research folder.
- Choose Act 1. Enter the note – “12,500”. That’s how many words you need in act 1 and 3. Enter the same note in act 3.
- Choose act 2. Enter the note “25,000”. That’s how many words you need in act 2.
- Choose every chapter and enter the note “1785”. That’s how many words on average you need a chapter.
- Choose every scene and add “585” at the end of EVERY synopsis. That’s how many words on average you need per scene.
- Project notes. I’d type in all 60 plot points in your novel. Don’t have 60 plot points? We’re going to go over why and how in a few days! These will all go here. enter one plot point per scene. You have 84 scenes, 60 plot points. 30 plot points go in Act 2,15 in act 1 and 15 in act 3. Some scenes will not have a plot point. Don’t worry. As you write, you’ll drop plot points and add others.
- You are now ready to write your NaNoWriMo project! Unlike Scrivener, it’s a lot harder to keep track of progress… you just have to manually keep looking at the word count indicator. No worries, keep an eye on my Twitter feed – I tweet the day’s word count every day during Nano!
Start writing November 1!
Conclusion
This was no doubt a VERY boring blog post to read. Very pithy, how to instructions, etc. And of course, almost word for word identical to Scrivener’s instructions – just configured for SmartEdit Writer. You’ll notice that SmartEdit Writer has limitations. It is not as fast as Scrivener, it is not as customizable, lacks many of the tools – but also is free. You don’t need the demo, just the program itself!
Follow these instructions and you’ll be all set to start November 1. DO NOT CHEAT and start writing now! You’re now ready to start Nano, and finish your novel!
And the good news is, once you’ve done it – you’ll look forward to this EVERY YEAR!
