Screenwriting Software: Try Before You Buy

screenwriter.ca
by Andy Riga

It won't do the heavy lifting for you, but screenwriting software can definitely make the writing process easier by letting you focus on creativity rather than niggling formatting rules.

The rush to cash in on professional and wannabe screenwriters has spurred the development of all kinds of specialized software. You'll find everything from programs that format scripts as you work, read them back to you, and allow you to collaborate online, to ones that can keep notes in order, organize ideas and structure stories. But convenience can be expensive. Good screenwriting software can set you back more than $200 US.

The good news is that you can research programs online, then try before you buy. Most popular screenwriting packages offer free demo versions. Typically, some features are disabled, or the program only works for a set number of days. If you can, download the manual from the software publisher's website to help you learn the ins and outs before you jump in.

Many sites offer software reviews that give you a feel for a program's strengths and weaknesses and its industry reputation. You'll see whether the software stands up to the hype and whether its bells and whistles are worth the cost. (Will your work really be improved if your computer can read back your script in tinny, lifeless monotones?)

One warning: because of frequent updates and the small target market, you might not find online assessments of the very latest versions.

Reviews

Start at the Writers Guild of America, west (www.wga.org/tools/ScriptSoftware/), which offers in-depth reviews of four script-formatting programs and three add-ons that work with word processors. The WGAw also offers reviews of other types of writers' software. To read those, click on "Software for Creating Stories." This site is a great launching point because along with each review is a link to the software publisher's site, where, more often than not, you'll find the trial versions you need.

More reviews are available at New York Screenwriter Magazine (www.nyscreenwriter.com/software.htm) and Filmmakers.com (www.filmmakers.com). Much of its content is dated, but Online Communicator (www.online-communicator.com/swsoftin.html), has reviews of some older versions of popular software, in addition to a sobering essay titled "Seven Basic Truths about Screenwriting Software."

A site called Done Deal (www.scriptsales.com) also offers reviews (click on "Software"), but its major attraction is its lively chat and forums section. In one of its discussion areas, writers discuss software. Scroll down to "Script Services, Software, & Supplies." Forum users were discussing the flaws and strong points of a new version of Final Draft within days of its March launch.

Trial Versions

Movie Magic

Write Brothers Inc. (www.screenplay.com) gives away a demo version of its flagship Movie Magic Screenwriter script-formatting program. During testing, you can't write a script of more than 40 pages. And if you try to put it on paper, the printout will have watermarks. The demo version comes with a handy, six-page guide to using the program. Be sure to print it and follow the instructions. It will help you put together a sample script and try several features. Write Brothers has other programs of interest, some of which you can try out for free. Dramatica Pro, which acts as a writing coach to help develop stories and characters, comes in a demo version. It won't let you save or print. StoryView creates a "visual outline" to help organize ideas. The demo version has limited saving and printing capabilities. A 14-day trial version of the WordMenu reference tool is also available. Screenwriter, Dramatica and WordMenu work with either Windows or Macintosh operating systems. StoryView is only available for Windows.

Final Draft

The popular Final Draft (www.finaldraft.com) program's demo version prints with watermarks. Before you start fooling around with this application, you'll want to take a look at (or better yet print out) the 71-page tutorial section of the huge user's guide that comes with the download. You'll find the guide in the folder where the program resides. Final Draft is available for both Windows and Mac.

Page 2 Stage

Page 2 Stage, from Windward Studios, (www.page2stage.com) offers a trial version. You won't be able to copy text from it to another program and it will only run for one month. When you first fire up the demo, you're asked if you want to use the tutorial. Page 2 Stage only runs on Windows.

Lots More

The Google Directory (http://directory.google.com/Top/Arts/Writers_Resources/Software/) offers a compendium of links to tools of use to writers–from software that stores and organizes notes and ideas (like GRiM Software's Writer's Deskbook) to a site, www.wordcounter.com, which ranks the most frequently used words in any text.