I've been polishing up Merry Christmas, Baby (book 3 in my Under-Cover Knights series) and I used the flexibility and color of Scrivener labels to help set goals for the revision process. Above you see a screenshot of MCB after one pass through. During the previous pass, I determine what stage the scene is in - needing to be revised (pink), incorporate or move text elsewhere (aqua), a scene that needs to be written (red) and one which might need to be deleted (always green). (I also use green highlight or revision mode green for possible deletions.)
Setting the goal. I know on the next pass I have to start from the beginning but this time I'm concerned about my deadline and getting through the text thoroughly so I create a label called Today in orange. I planned to have the revision on this novella done in six days. At 28k that's around 5k a day, allowing for scenes that have to be written and the normal growth that happens in revision. So I select the number of files that add up to around 4-6k and apply the orange label. (If you don't know this, as you select a group of files in the binder, the word count is displayed at the bottom of Scrivener editor for the selected files.)
Here's what that looks like. Now the files I need to revise today are orange. I renamed the 'Done' label 'Do final pass' and as I finished each scene I applied that label. (On my last book which was 82k I selected 10k at a time and gave that a label that said 'Revise by Tuesday'. I knew it would be more trouble to rename all the labels if I got behind so it kept me on track until at least 75k was complete. )
When I'm finished all the files will be pink and labeled 'Do final pass'
at which point I compile them with chapter headings and send them to
word so I can read it in a different format and prepare to put the
completed manuscript in Vellum.The point is, the labels can do or be whatever you need them to be. They can label plot points, pov, villain appearances and love scenes during the writing process but that doesn't mean you're done with them during revision. I hope this gives you some ideas about using labels.
If you use them in a unique way, please tell me about it in the comments.
Look for a cover reveal on Merry Christmas, Baby the first week in December. And be sure to sign up for my newsletter on the homepage to get a chance to win the ASUS tablet for Christmas.
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