LI YUN ALVARADO
  • Home
  • About
  • Publications
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Courses
  • Bookshop
  • Blog
  • Contact

Resources for Readers, Writers, Educators, & Parents


​Below you'll find some of my go-to resources
​for Readers, Writers, Educators and Parents!


You might also be interested in my upcoming Course Offerings.

Don't forget to SHARE this page with others who might find this information valuable, and f
eel free to contact me if you have any questions about the resources below. ​

Picture of a wooden desk with a laptop, propped up cell phone, pencil holder, flowers, and a white office chair.
Disclosure: Unless noted, I have personally used the products I recommend here. Some of the links below are affiliate links; if you buy something featured, I may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work in this way!

SCRIVENER REVIEW

7/31/2020

 

Scrivener Review: The Must Have All-In-One Writing Software for Under $50


​I love love love SCRIVENER

This is the #1 tool I recommend for writers and educators. It's an affordable piece of software that allows you to brainstorm, organize research, draft, organize, revise, revise, revise ALL IN ONE PLACE.

​I first bought Scrivener​ in 2012 to write my dissertation.

I brainstormed, drafted, revised, revised, and revised that dissertation (and various offshoots: articles, conference papers, writing samples) on Scrivener.

I quickly realized how powerful this tool was and I started using it for everything: poetry manuscripts, job applications -- even wedding planning!

Read on to learn more about how I use Scrivener, to see Scrivener in action, and to discover how YOU can use Scrivener to transform your own writing life!
​
Here's a peek at what Scrivener can do:

Scrivener's Core Concepts from Literature & Latte on Vimeo.

I've used or am using Scrivener for the following projects:

Teaching
  • Curriculum & Lesson Planning

Creative Writing & Publishing
  • Poetry Chapbooks (Words or Water and Nuyorico, CA): drafting, (re)ordering, & compiling
  • Creative Writing -- poems, essays, picture books, blog posts: drafting, revising, organizing (drafts, submitted, published)
  • Submissions: cover letter templates, bios of different lengths, call for submissions, lit journal information, log of submissions & decisions

Scholarly Writing & Publishing
  • Dissertation: research through completion
  • Scholarly Articles

Professional
  • Website: drafting, organizing, storing materials featured on my website
  • Applications (Jobs, Fellowships, Residencies, Grants, Conferences): organizing materials, drafting, revising
  • CV: updating, revising, (re)organizing (imagine moving parts of a CV around without cutting and pasting)
  • Board meetings: meeting materials, notes, and reimbursements

Personal
  • Wedding Planning​

​With SCRIVENER, you'll enjoy...
  • No more hunting down your word count (there's a word counter on the main screen and you can set target notifications).
 
  • No more struggling to organize your documents (with a drag-and-drop interface, you can organize and re-organize easily).
 
  • No more clicking back and forth between countless documents (all your files are organized on the left and you can move between screens with ease--no opening and closing needed).
 
  • No more distractions from the rest of your computer (hello "compose mode" -- a full screen blank screen so you can focus on writing!).
 
  • No more wondering where that one quote you read and wrote down two months ago went (Hello Search Function!).
 
  • No more cutting and pasting to move your conclusion section to the intro section to see if that works better (Hello Drag & Drop!).
 
  • No more wondering if that earlier version is better than the current one (Hello Split Screen!)
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?

I genuinely love Scrivener but it is not for everyone. Below are two downsides that might be a deal breaker for you.

1. It can be overwhelming to learn

For one thing, Scrivener has so much functionality that it can get overwhelming fast. 

I did two things to overcome the overwhelm:
  1. I scheduled a few hours to go through the Scrivener designed tutorial. This allowed me to learn the basics and to identify the features that were most relevant to me and my work.
  2. I got really good at using the features that were helpful for me and *ignored the rest.* Yup I don't use Scrivener to its full potential and that's just fine.
As long as you are in a position to set aside a few hours to learn the software (knowing it will give you back those hours in the future), it's a solid investment in your writing life.

2. It is not made for formatting

The other thing about Scrivener that doesn't bother me personally, but might be a deal breaker for others is that it IS NOT made for formatting. It is primarily an early writing tool: research, brainstorming, drafting.

​Once you're ready to finalize a manuscript you will want to move your work onto Word or Google Docs or some other word processing program to get the font, margins, page breaks, etc just right. 

Want to see Scrivener in action? Check out this brief tutorial:

Getting Started - Finding Your Way Around from Literature & Latte on Vimeo.


​I can't recommend SCRIVENER highly enough.

​There is a learning curve, but once you get the hang of this powerful tool, it will be hard to remember how you got things done without it.


​Get your SCRIVENER on today!

Want more insights from me right in your inbox? Click below to sign up for my newsletter AND get a FREE checklist:
​
Click here to get: 20 WAYS TO NURTURE YOUR WRITER SELF (EVEN WHEN LIFE GETS IN THE WAY)

More Resource Recommendations


Comments are closed.
    Click here to grab a FREE Worksheet: FIVE W's FOR WRITERS. Use it to help clarify your mission and craft a writing life you love!

    MORE RESOURCES 

    All of my favorite tools:

    Writing
    • Scrivener (writing: drafting and organizing, especially big projects; I use the mac and app versions) 
    • Evernote (cloud based writing software: drafting and organizing shorter and regular writing like blog posts and newsletters)

    Reading 
    • Li Yun's Bookshop (curated book recommendations; lists organized by theme)
    • Audible Plus or Audible Premium Plus (get up to two free audiobooks) ​

    Author Platform & Online Presence
    • Weebly (website & hosting)
    • NewZenler (hosting courses, workshops, workbooks, and virtual events)
    • MailerLite (email service provider)

    Design
    • Canva (design tool)
    • SheBoldStock (stock photos)​

    Organization & Project Planning
    • Passion Planner (physical planner)
    • Trello (project management software)

    Financial Matters & Privacy
    • YNAB (You Need a Budget, online budgeting tool and app: great for both personal and professional finances)
    • Wave (free bookkeeping software)
    • Dashlane (password manager)

    Picture

    Words or Water
    by Li Yun Alvarado
    Finishing Line Press, 2016

    BUY NOW

    Find Your Books on Bookshop:
    ​


    Sign Up for Li Yun's Newsletter by Clicking Here!

    Try Audible Premium Plus and Get Up to Two Free Audiobooks

Join Li Yun's Writer Community

Want Writing Life Insights & Resources, Book Recommendations, Course Offerings, Occasional Promotions and More!

I take your privacy​​ seriously. Unsubscribe at any time.

You're almost in!

Check your email to confirm your subscription and start receiving regular Writing Life Insights from Li Yun.

.
Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links; if you make a purchase through my links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.Thank you for supporting my work in this way!
​
Cover of the poetry collection, Words or Water. Features a black and white print of a woman with outlines of birds in her hair.
Buy Now

Contact

Privacy Policy 

Terms of Use



Links

COPYRIGHT © 2021 LI YUN ALVARADO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About
  • Publications
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Courses
  • Bookshop
  • Blog
  • Contact