Blog

Anna K Payne

My guest today is the author of the newly published Planted Flowers Bible Study Workbook.

When did you first start using Scrivener?

In 2010, I published the first of my devotional books to CreateSpace using a Word template. It was the worst experience of my life. There had to be an easier way!

Then I discovered Scrivener after participating in NaNoWriMo in 2011. Its Compile function promised to make it easy to move from Kindle to eBook to print book.

Perfect, I thought!

You then used Scrivener for all the Planted Flowers series books?

Yes, but first I had a lot to learn about writing. Only then did I start to learn to make the best of Scrivener.

How long did it take you to write the Planted Flowers series books?

I designed my My Planted Flowers series to follow six women as they join a Bible study together, renew their relationship with God, face danger, and meet the men of their dreams.

As I started writing this Christian suspense series, I landed a new full-time job. The job included driving 35 minutes one way for the first few years leaving me little time to do what I love: writing.

After a failed attempt to create a second book in the series, I started a course in how to write a series. This course included editing and publishing a book. Next, I needed an extended course in editing a book. By the end of 2015, I finished both courses and had written five out of six books in a new series, Planted Flowers.

The theme for 2016 was Finish!

And that’s when you started using Scrivener?

Yes. I started 2016, determined to learn Scrivener and how to compile.

I imported all of my devotional books and compiled them in the Kindle format. After several tries, I began to get the hang of custom sizes, fonts, and front matter.

Now my books contain front matter for eBooks and paperbacks. This way, I can utilize the corresponding front pages to compile for any format, printed or PDF, Mobi or Kindle, epub for other websites.

And, in 2017?

In 2017, I’ve finished Rose, the last book of the series, Planted Flowers.

I then started the Planted Flowers Bible Study Workbook the women in the series used. I had no idea when I started that this one would be so detailed or highly praised. My beta readers loved it!

Tell me more about this workbook – how did you write that?

The Planted Flowers Bible Study Workbook is based on the Christian suspense series Planted Flowers, but it was written differently.

I used Scrivener heavily to create, edit, and perfect the workbook.

Each section of the workbook was created individually, but I could easily glance through past sections to make sure the formatting was the same.

In the UK, only the Kindle version is available. In the USA, it’s available both as a paperback and for the Kindle.

So, your Planted Flowers series is now complete?

Yes, but, as I finished the workbook, I also started a bridge novel centered on a character from the Planted Flowers series, John, the police detective.

Utilizing Scrivener, I outlined the novel using a television show plot line for each episode or chapter.

Every two weeks, I write the newest chapter, print it out, edit it, publish it on the Planted Flowers series website, and create a quiz for the readers. Using ideas and comments from the readers, I write the next chapter. I’m currently on chapter 9.

What’s on your writing/publishing horizon?

Once I finish John’s story, I’ll edit it again, and then send it to my editor. She’ll help me to polish the story before publishing it in December.

Using Scrivener, I don’t have to worry about which format I’m using. I’ll print it out for myself to edit using one compile format, send it to my editor using another format, and publish it using other various formats.

And, your view of Scrivener?

Scrivener is my best writer resource allowing me to create, edit, outline, research, and publish. I couldn’t do without it!

More about Anna K Payne

Anna loves a mystery. Her favourite movies include one-liners and things that explode. Her relationship with her Savior is her number one priority and her family come second.

But her passion and vision is to inspire hope, encourage others, love richly, and listen well through the strength of Jesus Christ. She seeks to inspire and encourage through her devotionals and cozy mysteries as well as aiding her family of writers publish their own books.

Anna likes to study the art of writing, learning to edit her own work, and exploring the creation of an author platform. When she isn’t at the computer writing or editing she is discussing plots with any one of her children – including her talented son-in-law. She has been discovered asking the advice of her cats. “They have good ideas,” she says. The world around her offers a variety of sinister plots even if it is just someone waiting for the bus.

You can contact Anna by email at annakpayne@gmail.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/annakpayne/ or Twitter at https://twitter.com/theannakpayne.

She has a website at http://www.apayne.com and a series website at http://www.plantedflowersseries.com.