Staying On Script: Storyist 2, scene 1

There are numerous options out there for novel and script writing. I know, because I use numerous options. Each one has some positives, and each one has some negatives, and which one’s best for you will depend upon how you use it and what’s most important.

Because I like to make my writing sessions as difficult as possible, apparently, I actively use two: Montage and Storyist. I justify this by saying that a different workspace helps me separate one project from the other. Writers will find a way to justify anything, I suppose; it’s kind of what we do.

Regardless, for this section of Staying On Script, I’m going to run a few articles looking at Storyist 2.2. Although it’s aimed at novelists and screenwriters, I’m using it for a stage play. I’m like that.

When you first launch Storyist 2, you’ll be asked for your template choice. There are only four: blank, novel, screenplay and stage play.

This is good and bad. Good, in that if you’re not familiar with creative writing formatting tools, you’re not inundated with options that’ll make no sense to you. Bad, in that if you know to whom this script will be marketed, you don’t get the option to format it specifically for that audience (for instance, no preset layout for a Warner Brothers sitcom). Thankfully, I’m just writing a stage play for submission to whoever, so I don’t need precise formatting.

Once you’re inside, how you’ll want to start will be determined by your writing style. In this case, I’m writing a play that spoofs Nicholas Sparks movies. I’m basing my characters on one from each of his movies, so I’m starting with them.

This is one of Storyist’s strengths, as it allows you to organize and detail your characters in a specific area to which you always have access. Note the two panel layout in the screen capture below. That’s my choice.

Here, it displays all of my characters in the right panel (using photos of the actors from the movies helps me visualize the character being parodied), with the few details I’ve added on the left. In actual work mode, I’ve got the script on the left. It’s nice and tidy when it works, but I have a couple gripes with Storyist when utilizing this workspace. Double clicking on the character names in the leftmost panel should always pull up the character sheet, I’d think. It doesn’t. Likewise, double clicking on the script name in the left panel doesn’t always switch back to the script, and double clicking on the character photo in the right panel doesn’t pull up the character sheet.

This appears to be based on which of the panels you have activated. Fine, but the only indicator is the color of the text in that panel’s menu bar. Blue = active, black = not. It’s a bit too subtle, so I often found myself switching content in the wrong panel, or not switching anything at all. Also, clicking on the other panel didn’t always activate it. My point here, potential users, is that your project will be delayed as you learn this software. Hopefully, it’ll make up for lost time by streamlining the process once you get the hang of it.

Now, back to the character workspace, you can view your items in different methods. The cork board and Polaroid effect is fun, but if you’ve got a lot of characters, an option such as list view probably makes more sense.

Better access to details that way, and you keep them visible while working on your script. You can change your workspace so that only one panel appears, or you can have them stacked instead of side by side. Work how you want, provided you stay within Storyist’s suggestions; you can’t create your own workspaces.

Over the next couple of articles, I’ll take a look at more of Storyist’s features and how they integrate. I have to actually write something in order for that to be of use, however, but I’ll get there soon.

Maybe. At the rate I’m going, a couple more Nicholas Sparks movies will be out before I get this thing done.

• Buy Storyist 2.2
• See more Staying On Script: Tech Tools for Modern Writers articles

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