Narrative Aspects

Perspectives

Introduction

Perspectives in Subtxt enable you to explore different viewpoints within your story’s structure, adding depth and complexity to the narrative. By assigning Storypoints and Storybeats to various Perspectives, you can see how different characters or thematic arguments address the same central conflict, making it easier to track how each viewpoint contributes to the overall Throughline.

Understanding Perspectives and Throughlines

Perspectives in Subtxt operate within the framework of the four primary Throughlines, which represent the different vantage points that encompass a story’s thematic conflict:

  1. Objective Story: The "big picture" view of the story, focusing on the overall conflict that affects all characters.
  2. Main Character: The story as experienced through the personal journey of the protagonist.
  3. Obstacle Character: The perspective of a character who challenges the Main Character’s beliefs and actions.
  4. Relationship Story: The emotional and thematic conflict between the Main Character and the Obstacle Character.

These Throughlines provide a structure for analyzing how different characters interact with the story’s central themes and conflicts. By utilizing Perspectives, you can present these Throughlines not as isolated elements, but as interconnected views that shift from one character or thematic argument to the next, creating a more cohesive and dynamic story experience.

Creating Multiple Perspectives within a Throughline

The Perspectives feature allows you to break down a single Throughline into several different viewpoints, making it easier to see how various characters address or expose the same thematic conflict. This process is called a handoff: one character’s perspective on the Throughline hands off to another, maintaining the same thematic argument but enriching it with a fresh angle.

Example: The Lego Batman Movie

In The Lego Batman Movie, the story revolves around Batman’s struggle with relationships and teamwork. The thematic issue of "needing to work together" is explored through the perspectives of several characters in the Obstacle Character Throughline:

  1. Alfred starts by emphasizing the importance of family and teamwork, pointing out Batman’s resistance to it.
  2. Robin continues this argument by showing excitement about joining Batman, representing the potential joy and fulfillment that can come from partnership.
  3. Barbara Gordon picks up the argument by pushing Batman to work within the law and consider collaboration with Gotham PD.
  4. The Joker then drives home the same thematic conflict by challenging Batman’s refusal to acknowledge the need for relationships, even with his adversaries.

Each of these characters hands off the thematic conflict to the next, providing a cohesive yet multifaceted exploration of the same Throughline: Batman’s need to accept help and work with others.

How to Use Perspectives in Subtxt

The Perspectives feature allows you to create and assign Story Points and Story Beats to specific viewpoints within a Throughline. This organization helps you track and develop the narrative without losing sight of the overarching thematic exploration.

Assigning Storypoints and Storybeats to Perspectives

  1. Accessing the Perspectives Tool: Click on the Perspectives button (represented by a dashed circle icon) available throughout the Subtxt interface.

  2. Filtering Perspectives:

    • All: This view displays everything, including all Storypoints and Storybeats, regardless of whether they have a Perspective assigned or not.
    • Assigned: This view shows only those Storypoints and Storybeats that have been linked to a specific Perspective. This view helps you see the development of each Throughline and how different Perspectives contribute to the narrative.
    • Unassigned: This view lists all Storypoints and Storybeats that exist but have not been assigned to any Perspective. This view helps identify elements that still need to be connected to a particular Throughline or Perspective, ensuring all parts of the story are accounted for.

  3. Assigning to a Perspective:

    • Open any unassigned Storypoint or Storybeat.
    • Choose the appropriate Perspective from the dropdown menu to attach it to the correct Throughline and Perspective.
    • This assignment process enables you to structure your story systematically, ensuring each Perspective is properly represented.

  4. Creating Storypoints or Storybetas for a Specific Perspective: If a Perspective is chosen and no Storypoints or Storybeats exist yet, you can select the “Illustrate” button to automatically create and attach a new Story Point to that Perspective. This feature streamlines the process of fleshing out the story’s structure.

Filtering and Managing Perspectives

By using Perspectives, you can filter your view based on specific characters or thematic angles. This way, you can see only the Storypoints or Storybeats related to a particular character’s perspective, or choose to view all existing elements at once. The filtering options include:

  • All: Displays all Storypoints and Storybeats, regardless of their Perspective assignment status.
  • Assigned: Displays only those Storypoints and Storybeats that have been linked to a specific Perspective, allowing you to track development and progress within each Throughline.
  • Unassigned: Displays all Storypoints and Storybeats that have yet to be assigned to any Perspective, helping you see what still needs to be integrated into the story.

This filtering system provides greater control over the narrative’s development, making it easy to identify which parts of the story have been fully developed and which still need attention.

The Perspectives feature in Subtxt thus provides a clear pathway to building complex narratives that reflect the diverse viewpoints of multiple characters, all while staying aligned with the central thematic conflict. By utilizing handoffs and focusing on specific perspectives, you can craft a story that’s both cohesive and richly detailed.