Just a simply written outline?

New user here…thinking of subscribing. However, I don’t see the ability to just simply write an outline inside the binder. Sure, you can write a separate document, but I don’t see anything included in the software to write one included in the binder, and even more so, connected to the character, item, and place databases? Am I missing something? I messaged Papyrus on facebook and got a generic message to use the mind map or come here…rather disappointing. Advice? Thoughts?

What I normally do is to create the chapters and/or scenes in the main document, even if I don’t add any text to them yet. That makes them show up in the navigator. I then write the summary for the scene either in the little info box or sometimes I just write it as the first paragraph in the main document itself and set it to ghost text. All characters mentioned in the summary that way (locations and items too, maybe? I don’t use those) will automatically be linked to the scene (and the avatars will be displayed in the navigator as well if you choose the column for it). I can really recommend to play with the settings for the navigator. It can do way more things than are apparent at first sight and with the default settings.

You could also use the organizer, which is basically a spread-sheet version of the navigator.

Hey, that was not a generic answer :grimacing: - FB is great for a quick hint, and if you want to dig in, we’re here.

Outlining is often pretty individual, but here’s how I go at it:
I always start with a Thinkboard (our mind map) when I outline a new story, and then when I feel I have coherent pieces, I group them and drag them into an empty document. That automatically creates my start-out chapter structure.

From there I mix between writing early draft content and going more and more into the Organizer, where I can add abstracts to the chapters and scenes (which are not part of the document) and help me find the reason for this piece to be part of my story.

Here are a couple videos that are perfect to start out:

Hope that helps! :cowboy_hat_face: What’s your favorite way to outline?

Thank you for that response! It was something I was looking at, but was hoping for a more specific area listed as a document in the binder (a la Scrivener), but that definitely seems like a very doable workaround. :slight_smile:

Hello,
Thanks for the response both in Facebook and in here, making it apparent that you’re on top of it in both places. I feel much better about the attentiveness. :slight_smile:

I have to see about dragging a thinkboard grouping into a document? I haven’t looked at those videos yet (maybe the 2nd one before this), but I’ll look into it today. On that note, sorry for late responses, as I am in a little country on the other side of the world. I’m still nursing my morning coffee writing this.

Well, traditionally it’s been writing both a short and long outline. I thought if I had both a thinkboard and a written outline, I could see two ways to visualize the bigger picture. Perhaps the thinkboard is an improved way to do that, and I should give it a broader chance, tho.

You can also have a document and Thinkboard side-by-side in the same view (try the Thinkboard icon in the bottom right area of the window). Give it a try and tell us how it goes :+1: