Managing Storybeats
Illustrating Storybeats is one thing, managing them as you move from one to the next is quite another. Subtxt provides some simple tools to help you manage the workload.
Entering Edit Mode and Deleting Storybeats
In order to make it easier to avoid making any mistakes while working on your story, Subtxt hides the Delete Storybeat button during normal use. In order to enter the Edit Mode and delete Storybeats, you first need to click Edit at the top of the page. When you do that, the Red delete buttons will scroll into place on the left side of each Storybeat.
As simple as it sounds—click here to remove this Storybeat from your story permanently. You’ll be presented with a warning, but once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
If the Storybeat in question has been broken down into smaller Beats, you will have first to remove those smaller Beats. Then you can lose that bigger Storybeat.
Leaving Edit Mode
Once you’ve completed your changes, click or tap Done and the Storybeats view will return to its original state. Note that it is not essential to touch Done to save your changes—as with all things in Subtxt, the moment you make a change, your actions are recorded and saved to your story.
Duplicating a Storybeat
When brainstorming ideas for Storybeats in a particular Throughline, you may find yourself wanting to duplicate the current Storybeat so that you can keep track a thematically similiar-Beat that might end up in a different part of your story. Theoretically, this is perfectly acceptable behavior--especially in context of the Objective Story Throughline where several different Players may illustrate their version of a Storybeat. Just know that too much of a good thing is not good for your Audience, and that if you repeat a Storybeat too much, you risk "hitting the Audience over the head" with your theme. 😊
To Duplicate a Storybeat, tap the Duplicate button located at the top of the Storybeat view:
Subtxt will then duplicate the important thematic aspects of this Storybeat, not the specific Storytelling or Subtext. You can then decide what to copy over, or start over fresh with a brand new idea.
Crafting Consistent Thematic Stories
Let's make your story come to life!
One common question we often receive from our beloved users is related to duplicating storybeats in Subtxt. You might be wondering something along the lines of:
"When I copied these gray boxes to add beats, it puts something like 'Illustration of Learning - schooling a group'. But it was 'Learning - gathering intelligence' in the one above. Do those matter?"
The answer, my friend, is yes, they do matter.
In Subtxt, every detail is intricately designed to help you craft a compelling and thematically consistent story. When you duplicate a Storybeat, Subtxt generates a new "Illustration of Learning," which you might notice, is slightly different from the one before. This is no accident.
Why does Subtxt change the 'Illustration of Learning'?
Think of it this way: within each Act, the Beats should revolve around a central theme. In this case, our theme is 'Learning'. However, there are many different ways to depict or illustrate 'Learning'. Subtxt gives you a helping hand by randomly picking an illustration of that theme.
This is not just a neat trick, but a powerful tool to stimulate your creativity, sparking new ideas while keeping them aligned with the overall theme of your story.
How can I customize these Illustrations?
You're not just stuck with what Subtxt gives you. You can absolutely tailor it to fit your story better!
When you see the randomly generated illustration, you can click it to see a range of alternative illustrations. If you're feeling extra creative, you can even input your own illustration.
Just remember, it should match the idea of 'Learning'. Subtxt will verify your idea and if it aligns with the theme, you can use it in your Storybeat! If not, don't worry – it's a chance to dive back into your imagination to come up with something else that fits better.
Key Takeaway
In the creative chaos of storytelling, Subtxt is your guiding light. It helps you maintain thematic consistency, stimulates your creativity with fresh ideas, and gives you the flexibility to add your own touch. Remember, every detail matters, so embrace this process, explore new ideas and let your story flourish!
Happy storytelling!
Randomizing Storytelling
If you’re not “feeling” a particular Storybeat, or can’t come up with Storytelling on your own, you can turn to Subtxt to randomly suggest appropriate Storytelling for a particular Beat.
Once in Edit mode, click or tap the gold “shuffle” button just to the right of the Storybeat’s text. Subtxt will automatically reach into its extensive vault of comparable Storytelling ideas and present you an alternate way of thinking of that Storybeat.
The structure that forms the foundation for a Storybeat is not “random”—it’s specific and essential towards communicating the story’s Narrative Argument. The Storytelling on top is literally the icing on the cake—it can change and alter while still saying the same thing.