08. The Scene Editor
Content Tab
The Scene Editor Window appears when you open a scene from the Scene List on the Main Screen
For an explanation of how to enter information into the Content Tab see the Chapters and Scenes topic (page 6).
Jumping to different scenes and chapters in the Scene Editor Window:
Make your selection from the 'Ch' (Chapter) and/or 'Sc' (Scene) drop-down menus to go to that Chapter and/or Scene.
Formatting text
You may have already selected a default font for scenes but you can also select a different font and font size for your scene from the drop-down lists on the right just above the content box. Or you may add emphasis by selecting all or a portion of the text and pressing the 'B' for bold, 'I' for italics, 'U' for underlined buttons on the left just above the content box.
Characters Tab
If you have not created a character yet, do so now.
Adding Characters to your Scene
To indicate a character is present in the current scene from the Scene Editor Window:
1.Click the 'Characters' tab.
2.Click, drag and drop the character from the 'All characters' list (on right) to the 'Present in scene' list (on left).
Warning: If you wish to edit the 'Description' and 'Details' of a character then double-click on their name to open their character box. DO NOT try to edit them in the 'Description' and 'Notes' text fields in the 'Characters' tab because your changes will not be saved. (Editor: Is this an old bug?)
Setting Viewpoint Character
If there are multiple characters in the left-hand list, the first listed will be the viewpoint character. This is indicated by the darker character icon. To promote a different character to viewpoint, simply right-click any other character in the left-hand list and click 'Set as viewpoint' You can also change the viewpoint character on the Content tab.
Picture Tab
Adding a picture to the scene
1.Click the 'Picture' Tab.*
2.Press the 'Select' button.
3.Locate the picture and double-click on it or click it once and press 'Open'.
* A picture no larger than 300 pixels long and 400 pixels wide is recommended as large images are slow to load.
Details Tab
Setting Optional Scene Details
Open the scene you wish to set details for by double-clicking it in the Scene List Area of the Main Screen then click on the 'Details' tab of the Scene Editor Window.
Reaction or Action scene
Set the 'Type of Scene' by selecting 'Action' or 'Reaction' from the drop-down list. The concept of Action/Reaction scenes is used in some fiction-writing handbooks. Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain is one example.
"In Chapter 4 Swain answers the question on how to build a story. Each scene, he says, will have a goal, conflict, and disaster. yWriter refers to this as Action: goal, conflict, outcome. Swain says that a scene is followed by a sequel which is reaction (to the disaster), dilemma, and decision. yWriter refers to this as Reaction: reaction, dilemma, decision. For Swain, the sequel turns the disaster of one scene into a goal for the next scene. He suggests that a scene will be at least four pages long with the sequel's length somewhere between a paragraph and a page."
Scene Ratings
Give a rating from 1 to 10 for the four aspect names you defined in Project Settings (if you have not defined them yet then they will be set to the default titles)
Plot or Subplot
Set the 'Importance' by selecting 'Main plot' or 'Subplot' from the drop-down list.
Completion Status
Set the 'Status' by selecting 'Outline', 'Draft', '1st Edit', '2nd Edit' or 'Done' from the drop-down list. (You can also set the status in two other ways: By selecting one or more scenes in the Scene List on the main screen, right-clicking and setting the status. Or by displaying the special list of all scenes in the project, selecting one, some or all of them, and setting the status there.)
Time of Day
Set the 'Day/Hour/Minute' the scene begins in with the three drop-down lists.
Length of scene
Set the 'Amount of time scene lasts' with the three drop-down lists.
Goal, Conflict, Outcome
Enter information for the current scene into the narrow text boxes entitled 'Goal', 'Conflict' and 'Outcome'. For reaction scenes it's Reaction, Dilemma, Choice.
Scene Notes
Add Notes for the scene in the large text box (if you do so the scene will have this icon
in the Scene List until the notes are removed).
