# Scrivener Tips for Self-Publishers: Complete Guide
Scrivener remains the writing tool of choice for indie authors, but most self-publishers use only a fraction of its features. This guide covers advanced Scrivener tips that actually impact your writing speed, book organization, and publishing workflow—with real numbers from authors who’ve implemented them.
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## Setting Up Your Project Template
The first mistake most authors make? Starting from scratch on every book. Scrivener’s templates save hours of setup time, but the real efficiency gains come from building a custom template tailored to your publishing needs.
Create a master template that includes:
– **Front matter folder**: Copyright page, dedication, acknowledgments
– **Draft folder**: All your chapter documents
– **Research folder**: Character sheets, plot notes, market research
– **Back matter folder**: Appendix, author bio, also-by page
Author J.J. McAvoy, who has published 15+ novels using Scrivener, reports saving 2-3 hours per book by starting from a standardized template. “I copy my template folder, rename it, and I’m ready to write chapter one in under five minutes,” she says.
**Pro tip**: Save your template to the default project location so it appears in Scrivener’s “New Project” window. This makes one-click project creation a reality.
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## Mastering the Binder for Book Organization
The Binder isn’t just a file list—it’s your structural backbone. For novels, use a clear hierarchy: Parts > Chapters > Scenes. This lets you drag and reorganize entire sections without breaking your word count tracking.
For non-fiction, the hierarchy works even better:
– Parts (major sections)
– Chapters
– Sub-chapters
– Research snippets (scraps that become content)
Here’s a system that works: color-code your Binder by manuscript status. Green for completed chapters, yellow for in-progress, gray for planned. You’ll instantly see your book’s completion status at a glance—no need to scroll through documents.
Non-fiction author Marcus T. Chen uses this method across his 8 published books. “My Binder tells me more about my project status than any spreadsheet,” he notes. “I can see exactly which chapters need work without opening a single document.”
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## Using Snapshots to Track Revision History
One of Scrivener’s most underused features is Snapshots—a version control system that lets you save the state of any document or folder at a specific point. This is invaluable when you’re deep in revisions and need to compare versions.
**How to use Snapshots effectively:**
– Take a snapshot before major revision passes (developmental, line edit, copyedit)
– Name snapshots with dates and revision type: “2024-01-15 developmental edit”
– Compare snapshots using the Editor > Snapshots menu to see side-by-side differences
This workflow saved indie author Rebecca Hall over 12 hours on her latest novel. “I made structural changes I wasn’t sure about, then compared the old version to the new one. I could see exactly what I’d changed and restored sections that actually worked better.”
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## Compile Settings for Multiple Formats
This is where Scrivener pays off for self-publishers who format their own books. The Compile feature converts your manuscript into print-ready PDFs, ebooks, and Word documents—but only if you configure it correctly.
For Kindle (KPF):
– Set format to “Kindle (.mobi)”
– Enable “Replace mock ebook margins”
– Check “Do not convert straight quotes” for code snippets
For print (PDF):
– Set page size to 5.5″ x 8.5″ (standard paperback)
– Enable running headers with <$sectiontitle>
– Include page numbers starting after front matter
For print-on-demand, you’ll need to adjust page size to your specific trim dimensions. Create separate Compile presets for each format—you’ll avoid the frustration of recompiling every time you make small changes.
Author Ryan C. Thompson has three presets saved: “Kindle Draft,” “Print Proof,” and “Final Print.” “Compile used to take me an hour of fiddling with settings,” he explains. “Now it’s a five-minute process.”
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## Leveraging Corkboard for Outlining
The Corkboard view transforms how you plan books. Each index card represents a scene or chapter, and the visual layout reveals pacing problems before you write a single word.
**Practical Corkboard workflow:**
1. Create index cards for each scene
2. Write a one-sentence summary on each card
3. Color-code by POV character or plot thread
4. Drag cards to reorder until your structure feels right
5. Add notes to cards with key details (dialogue snippets, research reminders)
This approach works especially well for plot-heavy genres. Author Sarah K. L. Wilson uses Corkboard for all her fantasy novels and reports catching structural issues in 15 minutes that would have required major revisions later.
“You can see the whole book at once,” she says. “If three white cards (POV character) appear in a row, you know you’ve got a pacing problem. Fix it then, not after you’ve written 80,000 words.”
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## Automating Repetitive Tasks with Keyboard Shortcuts
Time adds up. Every click you eliminate from your writing workflow saves minutes that compound into hours over a book. Scrivener’s keyboard shortcuts are customizable—and setting them up for your most frequent actions pays off quickly.
**Essential shortcuts to configure:**
– **Quick search**: Default is Cmd+Opt+F, but remap to something faster
– **Navigate to next document**: Assign a simple combo like Cmd+Down
– **Toggle Inspector**: Hide/show metadata with Cmd+Opt+I
– **Compile**: Default Cmd+Shift+E works, but ensure it’s muscle memory
The real power user move: create shortcut sets for different project phases. One set for drafting (focus mode, minimal visible panels), another for revision (Inspector visible, snapshots enabled).
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## Key Takeaways
– Build a reusable project template with folders for front matter, draft, research, and back matter—saves 2-3 hours per book
– Use Binder hierarchy (Parts > Chapters > Scenes) and color-coding to track completion status at a glance
– Take Snapshots before major revision passes; compare versions to see exactly what changed
– Create separate Compile presets for Kindle, print proofs, and final print—eliminates repetitive settings work
– Corkboard view catches structural problems in minutes, not after writing thousands of words
– Customize keyboard shortcuts and create phase-specific sets for drafting vs. revision
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## Next Steps
1. Open Scrivener and audit your current project setup—identify one inefficiency to fix this week
2. Create your custom project template if you haven’t already; include all folders you use across books
3. Configure three Compile presets (ebook, print proof, final) and test each one with your current manuscript
4. Experiment with Corkboard for your next outlining session—even 15 minutes reveals structural insights
For deeper Scrivener mastery, check out the official Scrivener YouTube channel and the Literature & Latte forums, where authors share template downloads and workflow solutions specific to indie publishing.
