The good folks over at Literature and Latte have just released a BETA version of Scrivener for Windows that improves the way Scrivener works with that operating system. You can find the link to download the program here.
Note: This is a BETA version so it is a work in progress. They need people to download and use the BETA to give them feedback about what needs to be fixed. The more people that do this for them, the better their Windows version will be. They suggest you run it in a separate directory. This version can also be run in Linux.
Some interesting facts about the new BETA:
1. The new version will be faster and more stable.
2. Linux users: “removing dependencies on Qt libraries, full tutorial and templates enablement, rpm packaging and even ‘extract and run’ from tar archive, as well as many other fixes.” They do not plan on dropping this platform and need feedback from Linux users who use the BETA.
3. Windows get MathType support. It “requires that you to have a version of MathType installed as MathType is a third-party application for creating mathematical formulas. MathType is great software and has a very nice graphical user interface (GUI) editor that is extremely comprehensive and easy to use.” They have also figured out a way to allow Linux users to use a type of MathType.
4. They added Final Draft FDX Import support for Scriptwriters.
5. If the BETA crashes, “automatic dump files can be sent to the development team automatically if the user wishes to send them. This will enable us to fix hard to replicate bugs much faster and easier than we have been able to in the past.”
6. Completely revised scratchpad to enable multiple files and enabled screen grabbing so that users can print areas of the screen they select.
7. Revised the options dialogue.
8. Added BBCode support – users can now post directly to blogs from Scrivener.
9. Added MultiMarkdown to Windows and Linux versions – “Markdown allows you to write using plain text, without a lot of markup or effort, and then export your writing as structurally valid XHTML (or HTML).”
So there you have it Windows and Linux users. Go to the site today and download your copy to help Literature and Latte shape this fabulous program to your specific needs.
Writing Is Hard Work 
My beta version expires tomorrow… Guess if it doesn’t update automatically I’ll be going back o the regular version for Windows… I really do like the new changes though…
Thanks for that, I’ll give it a try.
I’m trying to figure out how to write a novel in a more structured way than my present system, which is a bit random.
It consists of typing each chapter and each scene as a list.
I’ve got as far as looking at the idea of using a spreadsheet to lay out the chapters and scenes, don’t know if anyone else has tried this.
Scrivener looks far more advanced.
For laying out the structure of my novel I use a yellow legal pad. Once that is done, I use Aeon Timeline to plot out the events of my novel. When that is done, I import “Timeline” into Scrivener and then use that to create chapter summaries. The chapter summaries in the top right hand column then guide my writing.
Now I have to check this out tonight.
Hi Roger, thanks for posting this.
Lee
I’ve heard this is a good writing program. I haven’t tried it yet. Thanks for posting the information.