Scrivener for iPad and iPhone is here

Writers of all stripes from around the world have been waiting for the Scrivener for iPad and iPhone release for years. Read on to prepare yourself for my dream come true.

I didn’t even attempt to overview all of the Scrivener for iPad and iPhone features in this post, but I hope you got a big picture view of what is now available for your favorite mobile device. Don’t forget to update your Scrivener for Mac OS or Windows as Literature and Latte have rolled out a special version that introduces a new file format to support syncing with your mobile Scrivener app.

Scrivener for iPad and iPhone basics

• The Scrivener mobile app costs $19.99.
• It is available for any device that runs iOS 9.0 or above.
• It works on the iPad Pro.
• It works on iPhones (with limited functionality due to limited screen space).
• It is available in all the same territories as the Scrivener desktop version.
• Scrivener for iOS version 1.0 has an English interface, but other languages will be added in future free updates.
• The mobile version will automatically sync with desktop versions (Windows and Mac OS) via Dropbox or manually via iTunes file sharing.

Check out the first video showcasing features of Scrivener in action.

Draft Navigator

One of the features I love about the desktop Scrivener app is the ability to write however I want. I can write in large chunks, with all my chapters in one document, or create folders for each chapter, with separate files for individual scenes, and then work only with the scene I want or select an entire chapter with one click.

This mode is known as Scrivenings, one of three modes you can choose from. I find it makes the work of writing a novel – or in my case a series of novels – easier to manage. Due to iOS limitations and design, Literature and Latte decided not to move the complete functionality of Scrivenings to the mobile app. Instead, there’s something new and more suitable for a mobile experience called the Draft Navigator.

The Draft Navigator compiles every piece of text in your Draft folder into a single scrollable page, and you can launch it right from the main editor.

Pinch zoom

If you want to increase the text size, you don’t have to go through several menus and taps, just pinch to zoom in or out anywhere in the main editor. This simple gesture will help you make the text smaller or larger so you can always work comfortably.

Corkboard in your pocket

Another amazing mode desktop Scrivener provides is a Corkboard. It’s invaluable for outlining your novel and planning chapters and scenes, and it comes in handy when you want to see a bigger picture of your novel, with all the pieces set out in front of you represented as cards. Literature and Latte decided there was no need to compromise or limit this function in the mobile app, so you can use your favorite Corkboard mode in Scrivener iOS.

With Corkboard you can:

• Move cards around to change the order of your chapters or scenes.
• Scale the cards’ size up or down with a pinch.
• Create new documents right on your Corkboard, or delete, move and merge documents.
• Open a document in the main editor with a simple tap.
• Load a document in a Quick Reference pane by swiping left on the selected card.
• Open the Inspector in a floating pane by double-tapping a card. In the inspector, you can change card’s title, synopsis, other metadata (label, status), and add notes.
• Open the Inspector as a side pane. That way, you can see you Corkboard and edit the card’s data at the same time.
• Eliminate distractions by activating the full-screen mode and focus on your cards.

Binder and Outliner

I love Scrivener’s Binder. It’s an essential tool for organizing my manuscripts with all the freedom I need.

Scrivener for iOS offers nested documents for outline. You go down through multiple levels of your outline and view each level as a separate list of documents. That way, you can use the binder to easily navigate to the part of your manuscript you want to work with, all other parts hidden from view, just like you do in a desktop version of Scrivener.



If you don’t like that you have to go down each level of your manuscript and can’t see the multiple levels at once, don’t worry: Literature and Latte has that covered with its full-featured outline functionality. On the desktop version, you click on the triangle next to a folder to see its contents. In the mobile version, it works much the same.

• Use a left swipe gesture on a bunch of documents in the binder.
• You will see the “Expand” or “Collapse” button.
• Tap on the button to hide or select the subdocuments of the chosen section.



When working on your book in Scrivener for iOS, you can see your complete outline and work on it as a whole or select just the part you need to focus on at the moment and write or edit it without the distractions of the big picture.

Scrivener for iOS supports keyboard shortcuts

Shortcuts mean you won’t have to touch your iPad or iPhone screen as many times while wading through directories or folders. The keyboard shortcuts support in mobile Scrivener is extensive, especially considering the app has just been released.

Here’s a screenshot of a portion of keyboard shortcuts available to you:



If you’re familiar with the Scrivener shortcuts on Mac, you will be at home writing your book on your iPad or iPhone.

Have fun writing wherever you are!

This post originally appeared on PlayingWriter.com. Reposted with permission.

 



 


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