Scriptwriters will have an opportunity to acquire a powerful, yet expensive writing tool at half price on Tuesday, 26 January.  Bits du Jour will offer a one-day special on Movie Outline 3, normally costing $199.95, but available for purchase that day for $99.97.  You can download it in advance from Bits du Jour for a test drive, but the purchase itself must be made via the Bits du Jour discount page on the 26th.

The software website offers an excellent and clear 8-minute video demo.  Even if you do not purchase the software, scriptwriters will benefit from viewing the demo to understand its conceptual approach to scriptwriting.  The software website also offers many more useful resources, including a description of the “step outlining” process, articles about the craft, a screenplay format guide, suggested readings and a list of important links for scriptwriters.  And the software company issues a free monthly e-zine, with substantive articles rather than repetitious sales pitches — sign up for a subscription.  One can also buy on the site a 293-page PDF e-book which analyzes 12 successful recent movies — it costs $19.95.

Also check out the feature comparison chart of Movie Outline 3, Movie Magic 6 and Final Draft 8.

I’m not a scriptwriter myself, so I do not know exactly how to rate this software.  However, the software website offers a remarkable list of links to full reviews in such magazines as Creative Screenwriting, Writer’s Journal and MacWorld, among others.  The software package is available for both PC and Mac computers.

Do any of you scriptwriters out there have insights to share about scriptwriting software?  If so, please leave a comment for our readership.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Question: “How to make characters’ dialogue not sound like me?” (gointothestory.com)

WRIDEA

Wridea is a new online application to facilitate your own brain-storming — and it allows you to invite others to chip in their ideas too.  One must sign up for an account, but it’s FREE.

I’ve just tried it out and am intrigued.  I can enter my ideas, categorize them, add notes for each idea, set up separate pages for different projects and invite friends to take a look and add their own thoughts.  Pretty neat.

As it happens, I’m working on three projects right now that require collaboration across distances.  I’m therefore beginning to search for powerful, yet inexpensive collaboration tools.  DO YOU HAVE ANY COLLABORATION TOOLS TO RECOMMEND?  Please leave your comments.

The major difficulty I’m finding is that some of my collaborators just never log in to the collaboration site.  Have not yet figured out how to get these people actively involved.

TWELVE POINT — for scriptwriters

TwelvePoint is an online resource center for scriptwriters.  It is jam-packed with information and useful tools.  But it’s NOT FREE.

The site, however, has just issued an invitation for a one-week free trial.  This is an excellent opportunity to see if this site will be helpful to you.  Here’s what the site developer sent me as a teaser:

It’s easy to apply for your free trial. Just email jonquil@twelvepoint.com with ‘free trial’ as the subject and she will contact you with details of how to access the site. Please note, because TwelvePoint.com provides such a wealth of information, you may not apply for more than one free trial a year.”

NOTE:  I’ve accumulated quite a number of links about other collaboration applications below.  If this topic interests you, take a look.  To be honest, I’ve added them for my own reference, but you might have this list useful as well.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Wridea Is an Online Organizer for Your Ideas (lifehacker.com)
• Flooded inbox? Onehub is one-stop shop for collaboration (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Bubbl.us – free brainstorming online (jonathancamp.com)
• AlmostMeet.com – Online Collaborative Group Meetings (killerstartups.com)
• Doodle.gegn.net – Collaborate Over The Web (killerstartups.com)
• Revizr.com – Document Collaboration Made Simple (killerstartups.com)
• oDesk Adds Facebook Connect. Will it Be Useful? (allfacebook.com)
• The case for collaborative tools (therunninglibrarian.co.uk)
• How to Collaborate (myventurepad.com)
• Finishing Each Other’s Sentences (petercherches.blogspot.com)
• Tools for online academic collaboration? (academicproductivity.com)
• e-Tipi.com – Idea Management Software (killerstartups.com)
• The best Web-based task managers. (slate.com)
• Timeglider.com – Web-based Timeline Software (killerstartups.com)

Scriptwriters usually turn to one of the heavy-weight scriptwriting software, such as Final Draft.  But there are now several online applications that will do the job for you.

Scripped:  Scripped is an online scripting application.  It’s free, and writers can manage their scripts in an online vault.

Zhura:  Zhura provides free, online scriptwriting software and the ability to connect with writers around the globe.  With Zhura you can work on screenplays, stage plays, sitcoms, audio plays and comics on your own, with friends, or in the public area.  The application offers a remarkably broad array of features.

Thanks to Australia’s  The Story Department for bringing these online applications to my attention with its useful post about Zhura CEO Eric MacDonald.

Other, less-developed online script applications are Plotbot and ScriptBuddy.

CELTX:  FREEWARE SCRIPT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FOR WINDOWS

The current issue of PC Utilities, number 112, carries a  description, with screenshots, of the free scriptwriting and pre-production program Celtx .  The software website describes the software as “integrated media pre-production for film, theater, audio, AV and comics.  Not only can one write and format a script.  One can also develop storyboards and track such related information as props required and shooting schedule. The magazine’s DVD contains a copy of the software for convenience installation, and it can also be downloaded from the Celtx website.

Check VIDEO FOR WRITERS for a demo.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Review: Movie Outline 3.0.5 (macworld.com)
• Writing Question: What screenwriting software do you use? (gointothestory.com)
• Celtx: Powerful Free App for Script Writing, Pre-Production, and Collaboration (43folders.com)
• Four Great Tools for Writers (darcknyt.wordpress.com)

Many of you already know about NaNoWriMo, the amazingly popular online challenge to fiction writers to turn out a novel during the month of November.  What you may NOT know is that there is a similar challenge for scriptwriters callend ScriptFrenzy:  100 pages during the month of April.

This challenge is open to anyone interested in script writing, whether is be for stage, TV or screen.  At the challenge website, one will find a very useful list of resources.  And participants even have their own dedicated online video channel, hosted by Viddler.

If you have a bent for scripts, it’s not too early to start gearing up for this April’s challenge.

Related articles by Zemanta

• How to Achieve Your Writing Goal Every Day

This year the review is written by WD Contributing Editor Jenna Glatzer.  She’s certainly done her homework.  Out of 39 products reviewed,  twenty-three are new to me.  Twenty-three!  And I make it my business to track down such software programs.  On the other hand, only nine of them are freeware, which is more of my focus, since I never receive evaluation copies from program developers.  Out of curiosity, I got out my calculator and discovered I would have to pay $1590.55 to buy them all, not counting shipping costs.  The commercial packages cost from $19.95 to $299.95.

Equally surprising to me are the omissions.  Virtually none of the programs I actually use are listed.  And I have on my computer only six from the WD list.

General word processors are not included.  But the article does review a number, though by no means all, of the word processors developed especially for writers.

With all those observations registered, the article still is extremely valuable.  Each software gets a paragraph or two, identifying its focus and where it fits into the market.  I especially like the tear-out, single-sheet chart listing all the of programs, along with their websites, price, operating system and capability.  The chart is divided into three sections:  general writing, fiction and scriptwriting.  Some of the programs assist with story and character development, plotting and structure.  The scriptwriting programs tilt toward formatting assistance, some with story development aids tossed in.  Therer are grammar and style checkers.  On the business side, the review identifies several submissions trackers, as well as bacoup programs.

Last night, while browsing in a London newsstand, I noticed the computer magazine Linux Journal. To my own surprise, I’m beginning to develop a hint of interest in this alternative, open-source and free operating system, especially since Microsoft plans to pull the plug on Windows XP [whose life, by the way, Microsoft announced this week has been extended from the announced discontinuation date of June 30 until the end of the year].

It turns out that the June 2008 issue of the magazine carries an extensive review of CeltX, an open-source, free scriptwriting program. I read enough of the review to become very intrigued with this program. It’s been more than two years in development. And it looks now to be powerful enough to give the very expensive Final Draft some genuine competition. A google search will bring up several recently updated websites where you can additional information, especially if you can’t find a copy of the June issue.

An Apology

I noticed a few minutes ago that the blog was coming up with a blank page. I have yet to figure out why Word Press malfunctions in this manner from time to time. Anyway, it’s running properly again. Thanks for your patience.

A Rushed Update

I’ve been in London now for one week. It’s been enormously productive. I’ve spent almost every waking minute at the fabulous British Library, where I am tracking down substantial information for my book research. Last night was my first night out on the town — it’s been all work and no play — but at $2 for each pound spent, I can’t afford much fun anyway.

On July 1st we will be launching the new TwelvePoint.com website: We are keeping the quality articles from ScriptWriter magazine and publishing them at the same rate, and adding much more besides.

Same quality articles, for less money

The old print-based magazine cost £40pa in the UK (more abroad because of postage). There were approximately 100 articles a year.

The new magazine will deliver two new ScriptWriter Magazine articles a week to its subscribers online for only £29 pa (anywhere in the world!).

Sounds like a good deal for those with scriptwriting interests. The magazine is a good one; I often pick it up from Barnes & Noble whenever I fly through the US enroute to some international destination. You can read more about the new Twelve Point venture HERE.

Dr. Richard Toscan, Dean of the School of Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been building a resource for scriptwriters on the internet for over 10 years now — The Playwriting Seminars: The Full-Length Play. Toscan calls his effort “An Opinionated Web Companion on the Art and Craft of Playwriting.” It is an assemblage of 230 interlinked webpages, a full-fledged and free seminar. Experienced playwrights may prefer to jump through the course from link to link. Beginning writers, however, are advised to follow a more structured route, which Toscan provides in a WHAT’S HERE GUIDE, the best starting place. I recommend that you read the reviews of this website to get a professional overview of what’s on offer. Helpful also is the course summary on the Seminar Homepage.

While speaking of Virginia Commonwealth University, Downend also pointed me to the English Department’s online literary magazine Blackbird, also worth a look.