How do you link manuscript sections to other Storyist elements like the Section Sheets?

[KimAleksander]

Hi there,

 

Let’s say you create a plot point and then you decide to create a linked Scene Sheet where you flesh out what will happen in the scene that executes that plot point along with character info, setting, conflict, etc. that are all linked to the Scene Sheet.

 

This all seems to make sense in helping one develop material and organize around actually writing the scene, which would ultimately become a chapter/section in the manuscript.

 

It would seem that the next logical step following this process would be to create one or more sections within the manuscript that support the Scene Sheet and thus deliver upon the plot point.

 

I may be blind or entirely misunderstanding the reasons for each of these Storyist elements, but I must ask: how does one actually link a manuscript section to a Section Sheet?

 

Ideally, if I got this right, a plot point should be linkable to multiple Scene Sheets in order to support a plot theme. And these Section Sheets should be linkable to one or more sections of the manuscript.

 

Would anyone be so kind as to elaborate on how Storyist elements fall into place as part of their writing workflow?

 

Also, if this has been covered before, please point to existing threads in the forum. I looked but couldn’t find anything that got to the heart of this matter.

 

All the Best,

 

Kim

[Rusty]

Hi Kim,

Open your manuscript section in collage view (individual section in storyboard view) and drag the appropriate section sheet, plot point, setting sheet, character sheet, whatever from the left-hand project inspector. With a section sheet you'll have the option to link them and your section sheet and the notecard for the manuscript section will update when you make changes in one or the other.

[KimAleksander]

HI Rusty,

 

Thanks much for that tip.

 

After playing with this for a while, I've come to realize that by looking at the Scene Sheet, even after linking to a manuscript section, that you can't tell what it's linked to.

 

You can only do the reverse, which is to say that you can only see what scene sheet is linked to a manuscript section by viewing in storyboard view.

 

Is that right?

 

Best,

 

Kim

[KimAleksander]

Except for--duh--that they are named identically

 

Okay, this definitely allows linkage. Not necessarily in plot point => scene sheet => manuscript section type of flow, but it seems workable.

 

Also, this seems to confirm that linking multiple scene sheets and/or plot points to a manuscript section is not really part of this design.

 

Thanks again, Rusty.

[Ironquill]

Howdy, new user here.

 

I've been using something I shouldn't mention here, call it Bartleby's artistic canvas. I'm looking for better formatting support, specifically style sheets.

 

My questions are legion. I'll stick to one at a time, but I wish the documentation were much more extensive.

 

I opened the novel template, viewed a chapter as a collage/storyboard, and dragged the Protagonist character sheet there. All well and good, he's there. I dragged him without the need to drug him, he came willingly.

 

But when I'm view that chapter as a collage, I see the protagonist but I can't figure out a way to navigate to him. I click, double-click, command/option/control/fn click, but other than seeing a selection frame appear around the protagonist, I can't get to him.

 

It would be nice if the links in the collage view could be followed.

 

Or, maybe, there is something wrong with my setup. In the places it hints splat-enter for new comment, the command-enter combination just sounds a dull beep. And, while I'm on that topic, resizable notes would be nice, too - but, wait, I just realized when I click to get the frame around the note, I can expand it. Never mind. A good thing to include in a comprehensive manual, maybe? :-)

 

So how do you follow links?

[Rusty]

Click on your character and then switch over to draft or page view.

[Ironquill]

Thanks for your suggestion, but it doesn't seem to work. I just go back to the text view of the manuscript.

 

Here's the sequence:

 

In the novel manuscript, go to Formatting Section Text in the project menu (the list on the left).

 

Click the checkerboard in the upper right of the main edit pane, which will show the collage/storyboard for that part of the manuscript.

 

Drag the Protagonist character sheet into the collage - all good, so far.

 

Click on the Protagonist icon/bitmap in the collage, and click anything and I can't get to the character.

 

If I click the page with the dog-eared corner in the upper right of the main edit window, it just returns me to the text of Formatting Section Text.

 

As an aside, the top bar has three things in it - "1 item," "new comment," and "no selection."

 

It looks like command-enter should create a new comment, but it doesn't. It just sounds an error beep.

 

Storyist looks cool, but figuring it out is going to take a little time, I think.

 

Thanks again for your suggestion. I'm probably overlooking something very obvious.

 

If anyone can follow a link within Storyist, please post the method. I could have some strange shortcut setting in my Macbook Air (El Capitan) that is derailing the process.

[Rusty]

Oops, you're right. I lied to you. You've got to navigate to the character, setting, or whatever in the main sidebar before you can open it. You can right click it and select "Reveal in Project View" to get there a little faster.

[Ironquill]

Thanks, sounds like that should work. I'm on my windows box right now, but I'll give it a try as soon as I get home.