Writing is hard enough. But when a writer spends as much time battling the limitations of their word processing app as they do their usual demons like procrastination, writer’s block and general self-loathing, that job gets immeasurably harder. Say what you will about the pluses of Microsoft Word and other writing and project management tools out there, but few, if any, were ever engineered with the writer’s mentality and needs firmly in mind. That’s why Scrivener 3 for Mac ($29.99, 38 percent off, from TNW Deals) has become an absolute darling of writers everywhere, a true literary muse that helps keep projects on track, information in line, and anxieties at their regularly heightened, but not maniacally debilitating levels. And those aren’t just any writers. Novelist, screenwriter and “Luther” creator Neil Cross calls Scrivener “damn near perfect.” New York Times best-seller Michael Marshall Smith said Scrivner is “where I live.” And noted tech columnist Andy Ihnatko said his top five greatest apps ever would include “Scrivener and then there would be four other things.” The newest version of this popular app, Scrivener 3 is the word processing and project organization system that lets writers write their way. And this edition is a major update on past versions, allowing writers to jot down thoughts in storyboard form, create notes, save revisions and even find helpful research, all while still writing in the document. Scrivener lets scribes build their own workflow, along with a boatload of specialized tools to help make it happen. With Scrivener’s cool Compiler feature, users can easily keep track of and merge together all of their text and graphic elements. And the Scriptwriting mode allows for custom formatting, making documents exportable into several programs, including Final Draft. Import all sorts of files including Word and OpenOffice documents; or use Corkboard mode to step back and work on document sections, then move and rearrange them as needed. Outliner lets writers work with an overview, arrange drafts, review a synopsis and more, while Split mode allows for viewing a pair of documents side by side. Improve every writing project with Scrivener 3 for Mac at almost 40 percent off, now just $29.99 with this offer while it lasts. Prices are subject to change.
