Kirk McElhearn

Stratford-upon-Avon

Senior Contributor at Macworld

Freelance Writer at Freelance

Writer, podcaster, photographer, lazy zennist, cat whisperer. Lapsed New Yorker in Shakespeare's home town. Host of Write Now with Scrivener podcast.

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Articles

Write Now with Scrivener, Episode no. 50: Michael Jamin, TV and Comedy Writer

1 week ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

Michael Jamin has been writing for TV for decades, and has just published his first book of humorous short stories, A Paper Orchestra. Show notes:Michael JaminA Paper OrchestraLearn more about Scrivener, and check out the ebook Take Control of Scrivener. If you like the podcast, please follow it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. Leave a rating or review, and tell your friends. And check out past episodes of Write Now with Scrivener.
How to Freewrite with Scrivener to Unearth Ideas from Your Subconscious

2 weeks ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

Freewriting, or writing for a period of time without correcting, editing, or judging, can be a good way to generate ideas. Here’s how you can use Scrivener for freewriting. There are lots of ways you can help your subconscious mind generate new ideas. You can take naps, go for a walk, or daydream. Another way to bring ideas from the depths of your mind is through freewriting. This is a technique where you write for a set period of time without judging what you write.
Unlocking Creativity: How Changing Your Environment Fuels Writing Inspiration

3 weeks ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

Creativity and inspiration are elusive. But there are many ways you can change your writing habits and environment to boost your creativity. Some writers can find inspiration anywhere. In a grimy city, in a relaxing countryside cottage, or on a train or bus. Many writers go to coffee shops for inspiration, and others isolate themselves in cork-lined rooms.
Setting Up Your Home Recording Studio on a Budget

3 weeks ago | blog.fireside.fm | Kirk McElhearn

— 4 min read Podcasts start with an idea and some inspiration, but you also need some hardware and software to record and edit your episodes. If you're starting up a podcast, you don't need to spend a lot of money to equip a home recording studio. Even the term "recording studio" is just a fancy word for the room you record in. However, if you record podcasts regularly, you need to set up a room you can use easily, which has your gear, and has decent sound.
How the Pomodoro Technique Can Boost Creativity

4 weeks ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management technique that breaks workdays down into small periods of work and rest. For many people, it can boost creativity and productivity. You know that feeling you get when you’ve been writing for an hour or two, and you’re starting to lose focus? The words aren’t coming as quickly as you wish, yet you want to push ahead and finish that scene or chapter.
How to Nurture Your Unconscious Mind and Enhance Your Creativity

1 month ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

Creative writing taps into your unconscious mind. You can nurture your unconscious to be more creative. When you write a novel, you’re alone. Or are you? There’s you, the writer, but there’s also your subconscious, the part of your mind that churns away when you’re walking, cooking, or sleeping. When writing a novel, much of what you write is spontaneous; you generally don’t think out each sentence you write.
Write Now with Scrivener, Episode no. 49: Nicolas Binge, Science Fiction Author

1 month ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

Nicolas Binge is an author of four science fiction novels; his latest is Dissolution. Show notes:Nicholas BingeDissolutionRichard Powers: PlaygroundLearn more about Scrivener, and check out the ebook Take Control of Scrivener. If you like the podcast, please follow it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. Leave a rating or review, and tell your friends. And check out past episodes of Write Now with Scrivener.
3 Power-User Tips for Working More Efficiently with the Scrivener Binder

1 month ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

These three tips will help you get more done with the Binder in your Scrivener projects. The Binder is the heart of your Scrivener projects; it’s where you create files and folders, write scenes and chapters, and organize and rearrange your project. (Read Use Folders and Texts to Power Up the Scrivener Binder.)As you work on a long-form writing project, you’ll spend most of your time in the Editor, but you’ll also view and work with the Binder, especially as you progress in your project.
Create a Writing Submission Tracker in Scrivener

1 month ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

You can leverage a number of features in Scrivener to track your writing submissions within your Scrivener projects. When you’ve finished writing a novel, it’s time to submit it to agents in the hopes of getting published. If you write short stories, articles, or poems, you may regularly submit your work to journals and magazines. It’s important to attract these submissions so you know when you sent them, whether you got a response, and, for stories, articles, or poems, when they were published.
10 Great Podcasts for Writers by Writers

2 months ago | literatureandlatte.com | Kirk McElhearn

When you’re not writing, you can listen to some great podcasts by writers for writers and learn more about the craft of writing and the publishing business. There are lots of podcasts about books, including Write Now with Scrivener, where I interview authors and discuss their books and how they use Scrivener. Among the many book-related podcasts are a number of podcasts hosted by writers that often discuss writing and the publishing industry.