Timeline - Starter Templates

Scene Cards are the building blocks of the Plottr Timeline, which you use to record your thoughts on each scene, plot point, or idea you want to organize in your project. This article explains how you can use them in Plottr for Desktop and Web.

Getting Started

Here are some things to know about Scene Cards before diving in:

• Scene Card lay at the intersection of Chapters and Plotlines
• You can add unlimited Scene Cards to the Timeline 
• You can drag and drop Scene Cards to move them around the Timeline
• You can add a title and description to Scene Cards
• You can link and filter Scene Cards with Characters, Places, Tags, Custom Attributes, and Colors via the Sidebar

Adding Scene Cards

You can add blank Scene Cards OR you can add Scene Cards from an existing Template (with Custom Attributes).

To add a blank Scene Card to the Timeline:

1. Hover over the space on the Timeline where you wish to add your Scene Card
2. Click the plus (+) button in the dashed box that appears
3. Enter a brief title for your Scene Card
4. Click Enter / Return on your keyboard to save

To add a Scene Card from a template to the Timeline:

1. Hover over the space on the Timeline where you wish to add your Scene Card
2. Click the "Use Template" button in the dashed box that appears
3. Click on the Scene Card Template you wish to use
4. Click the "Choose" button
5. Enter a brief title for your Scene Card
6. Click Enter / Return on your keyboard to save
7. Click on the Scene Card and click on the name of the Template to start filling in your details

➡️ You can learn more about Scene Card templates here.

Moving Scene Cards

You can drag and drop your scene cards around the Timeline to connect them with different Chapters and Plotlines.

To move a Scene Card on the Timeline:

1. Hover over the scene card you wish to move
2. Click and hold the Scene Card with your mouse and drag it to a new location
3. Release your mouse to drop the Scene Card in a new location

To move a Scene Card within the Card Editor:

You can also change the Plotline and Chapter location of a Scene Card from within the card editor.

To move a Scene Card within the Card Editor:

1. Click on the Scene Card to open the Card Editor
2. Click the dropdown menu next to Plotline or Chapter
3. Select the Plotline or Chapter where you’d like to move the Card

Editing Scene Cards

To edit a Scene Card:

1. Click the Scene Card on the Timeline you wish to edit
2. Update the elements you wish to change (e.g. text, characters, places, tags, color)
3. Click the "Close" button

Deleting Scene Cards

To delete a Scene Card:

1. Click the Scene Card on the Timeline you wish to delete
2. Click the “Delete” button
3. When prompted, click “Delete” to confirm 

Using Scene Cards

Scene cards can be linked with Characters, Places, and Tags to help you organize your narrative. By linking your Scene Cards, you can then filter the Timeline to see precisely where those Characters, Places, and Tags appear on your Timeline. 

To link a Character, Place, or Tag to a Scene Card:

1. Click on a Scene Card to open the Card Editor
2. Hover your mouse to the right of the element you wish to add
3. Click the plus (+) button that appears
4. Select the name of the character, place, or tag you wish to link with the scene card

To remove a Character, Place, or Tag from a Scene Card:

1. Hover over the character, place, tag, or color box you wish to remove in the sidebar
2. Click the "X" button that appears

Coloring Scene Cards

You can assign unique colors to Scene Cards for further visual organization. 

To assign a color to a Scene Card:

1. Click on a Scene Card to open the Card Editor
2. Hover over the Color box (defaulted as white)
3. Click on the Color box or droplet icon that appears to the right to open the color menu
4. Click on the color you’d like to assign to that scene card
5. Click off the Scene Card OR on the "Close" button to see the color on the Timeline

To remove the color from a Scene Card:

1. Click on a Scene Card to open the Card Editor
2. Hover over the Color box 
3. Click on the remove / strikethrough icon that appears to the right
4. Click off the Scene Card OR on the "Close" button to see the color removed on the Timeline

Scene Stacks

Scene stacks are groupings of multiple scene cards in custom order on the Timeline. They allow you to visually configure how multiple scenes flow within a particular Plotline or Chapter.

Creating Scene Stacks

To create a scene stack:

• Hover over an existing Scene Card and click the plus (+) button below it
• Give the new Scene Card a title
• Click Enter / Return on your keyboard to save

Moving Scene Cards within a Scene Stack

To move Scene Cards within a Scene Stack:

1. Hover over the Scene Card you wish to move within the Stack
2. Click and hold the Scene Card with your mouse
3. Drag and drop the Scene Card into a new location within the Stack

Collapsing and Expanding Scene Stacks

You can collapse and expand Scene Stacks to view your Timeline the way you want.

To collapse Scene Stacks:

1. Hover over the name of the Plotline containing the Scene Stack
2. Click the “Collapse” button (arrows pointed toward each other) to collapse the Scene Stacks on that Plotline
3. Click the "Collapse All" button to collapse Scene Stacks on ALL Plotlines

To expand Scene Stacks:

1. Hover over the name of the Plotline containing the Scene Stack
2. Click the “Expand” button (arrows pointed away from each other) to expand the Scene Stacks on that Plotline
3. Click the "Expand All" button to expand the Scene Stacks on ALL Plotlines

Editing Collapsed Scene Stacks

To access and edit Scene Cards in a collapsed Scene Stack:

1. Click on the Scene Stack to view the Scene Cards within it
2. Hover over a Scene Card within the Scene Stack to view its description and tags
3. Click on a Scene Card within the Scene Stack to edit its details

To move Scene Cards out of a collapsed Scene Stack:

1. Click on the Scene Stack to view the Scene Cards within it
2. Hover over the Scene Card within the Stack you wish to move
3. Click and hold the Scene Card with your mouse
4. Drag and drop the Scene Card into a new location on the Timeline