For many, screenwriting is a sedentary ordeal – brew some tea, accommodate your space, power on, and get to work. When you have to be out and about, it can be hard to maintain that productivity.
When that storied inspiration hits and you’ve got a killer idea for your next horror film, it’s not always easy to keep track and stay organized. Notes pile onto notes and the overall direction and central motifs of your project can get lost in translation. Thankfully, these apps exist and are a fantastic way to keep your story flowing! Using these apps can be a great way to get those writing muscles warmed up for the next season of the Killer Shorts Contest. Here are some key apps that can take your storytelling to the next level.
1. Pluot
Pluot is a wonderful, ad-free character and story planner. Its smooth UI makes it easy to create an outline for your project, organizing scenes, characters, locations, storylines, and any notes that pop into your head.
There are prompt fields for all your elements, including specific character traits (personal goals, weaknesses, socioeconomic status, favorite music) that help flesh out and define the characters you have in mind. By the time you’ve filled out everything, you’ll have put together a bible of sorts, a perfect reference to have on hand while you’re typing away.
Compatible With: Android
Site: https://pluotapp.com/
Desktop Version? App available for Google Chrome.
2. Personara
With its bevy of character ideas, prompts, and categories, Personara is hellbent on having your character plotted to a T. With each character build, there are sliders that allow you to measure how heavy of an influence an experience is on a character. So, as you work, the app will suggest motivations. Eventually, you’ll have a timeline (relationships, achievements, obstacles) with details on their “upbringing, spirituality, physical traits, skills, education, and work history.” What’s special about this is how it uses psychology to expand your understanding of why your characters do what they do. Why do those pesky teens always split up? If you want the answer and a detailed character build, this is definitely an app to consider.
It can be a bit hard to read sometimes – some of the formatting is uneven and can make for a cluttered space, but this is a small price to pay for such a robust tool. Here are some screenshots:
Compatible With: Android, IOS
Site: http://www.personaraapp.com/
Desktop Version? Not available.
3. Scriptation
Awarded the 2021 Engineering Emmy and widely known for its customizable, layered annotation tools, Scriptation is also a wonderful app for reading screenplays. The reader mode is slick and makes things easy to read and view any notes that you’ve made. Keeping updated and exposing yourself to different writing styles is essential. Everything you read is ammo for when you’re behind the page. Want to stay on your toes? Read, learn, write, repeat.
The app has a lot going for it. Scriptation and Script Hive, whose catalog of screenplays is humongous, are a match made in heaven. Script Hive is comprised of a community of screenwriters. Members have access to thousands of screenplays for both TV shows and films, across the largest online database of screenplays to date!
On top of this, the support team is also notably responsive. The only genuine flaw here is that Android and PC users are missing out.
Compatible With: IOS
Site: https://scriptation.com
Desktop Version? Available on Mac.
4. Fade In
This one is more well-known. Fade in is an affordable desktop alternative to Final Draft, containing nearly all its features for a fraction of the price (a one-time payment of $79.95). What’s great is there’s both a free trial version AND a mobile app, for all devices. Fade In Mobile allows you to import your scripts from the desktop program, edit them on your device, then export them again without losing anything, allowing for major changes on the go. The basic mobile version is free; The full version is $4.99.
The only cons I have are that the UI can be a bit clunky, and the “basic” version is very, very bare-bones and, according to reviews on both the Play Store and App Store, some people have had issues with Bluetooth keyboards. Apart from that, this is a great companion to a fantastic desktop program.
Compatible With: Android, IOS, Mac, Windows
Site: https://www.fadeinpro.com/
Desktop Version? Yes, and it’s fantastic!
5. Writer Duet
Another well-known Final Draft alternative, Writer Duet is cloud-based and works great on mobile. Features include automatic formatting, real-time collaboration, scene/location/character reports, flexible exports (from any point in time), and a handy timeline feature to see all the changes you’ve made. The desktop-to-phone transfer is nearly seamless. If you end up liking it, subscriptions start at $9.99 a month. This is well worth it if you want to work with others anywhere, anytime!
Compatible With: Android, IOS, Mac, Windows
Site: https://www.writerduet.com/
Desktop Version? Yes!
Now…Let’s Write!
There are more programs worth your time not mentioned here, like Storyist and Celtx’s mobile foray. Not all are perfect – Fade In and Writer Duet are known to have issues on older Android devices, and their UI can use some work.
My advice: dig around, and find what works best for you. There are a lot of options to keep yourself busy and on top of your projects, even when you’re outside of your writer’s sanctum (wherever that may be). From live script annotators to character builders, these apps have the potential to become essential tools in your storytelling arsenal. Try em’ out – there’s nothing to lose and they’re absolutely worth your time.
Stay tuned for the Season 3 Top 3 Winners announcement on April 25th!
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