Scrivener Questions

[Elishavet Elroi]

Hey fellow KeePers!

I’ve been thinking about getting Scrivener software to work with. I’ve been working with Google docs, but for a variety of reasons, (including filling on One Drive with random world building notes and WIPs) I am looking for something else. I’ve heard great things about Scrivener, including its user friendly approach, small storage waste, and the fact that it’s a one time payment thing. I have some questions about it though that I’m not really finding answers for.

1. Can it sync between Microsoft/PC/Android/Samsung devices? All I see syncing is Apple/Mac.
2. Can I move files manually between devices if automated syncing doesn’t work? I ask because I would probably be starting on a family member’s computer before moving it to the laptop I’m dreading buying.
3. Can it work on a Chromebook?
4. Can it save to the computer it’s on without Internet?
5. Anything experience has taught you to take note of?

Anyway, just tagging some peeps I suspect might be knowledgeable. Sorry if I’m wrong. You were suspected. 😎 (ie. I could remember your tag.)

@godlyfantasy12 @whalekeeper @loopylin @kathleenramm @Ihavenoidea @anyone

You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan

[whaley]

I do not know the answers to these questions now, because I do not have Scrivener yet. I’m thinking about buying Scrivener soon, for the sole purpose of shifting my more personally valuable stuff to that.

If you do not get your answers to these questions from somebody else, I will find out the answers from my dad when he helps me. (Yes, I am worse at tech than my grandma.)

The exhaustion is strong with this one

[Elishavet Elroi]

@whalekeeper

Awesome sauce. Please do tell me how it works for you. I’ll take any info about these questions at this point. 🙂

(Completely understand. I’m ok with tech, but one moment of brilliant logic will be balanced with blankly staring at the screen wondering how a string of 1’s and 0’s could make something so confusing. Dads are amazing.)

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 5 days ago by Elishavet Elroi.

You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan

[R.M. Archer]

I don’t know the answers to all of these questions simply because my experience doesn’t cover all of them, but I can say:

2. Yes. I actually keep my Scrivener files on an external drive so that I can easily switch between my desktop and laptop (both Windows computers), so I don’t need to move said files, but prior to that I did keep copies on both computers and just overwrite them with the newer version when I went from one computer to the other. (I will say, an external drive is a lot simpler, lol.)

4. Yep! Aside from initially connecting a license, it’s completely offline. Syncing might be an exception to that; I don’t have experience with syncing (which probably means the answer to your first question is “no”; it’s possible I’ve simply missed a syncing feature, but it’s at least equally likely that there isn’t one for PC), and it’s probable that syncing requires an internet connection, but I would also assume that you can still save locally and it just won’t sync until you’re connected again.

5. Keep your license key somewhere you can easily find it. If you move computers, have an issue that requires you to totally reset a computer, get a new computer you want to use Scrivener on, etc., you will want to have the license key handy. (You’re allowed to install it on multiple computers that you’re the primary user of, so I’m not saying to cheat the system or anything, lol.) There’s also an option to retrieve a lost license key, so it’s not the end of the world if you do lose the license email, but it’ll make things simpler if you put it somewhere you’ll know where to find it (or just make sure you don’t delete it and you know what to search for in your archives).

Speculative fiction author. Mythology nerd. Singer. Worldbuilding enthusiast.

[Elishavet Elroi]

@r-m-archer

Fabulous! That helps a lot. Thank you for imparting your wisdom. 🙂

I’ll probably look into getting it later this month.

You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan

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