How to Use StoryWeaver Story Development Software

A writer recently asked:

Hello, I am new to the idea of writing software and have only watched a few youtube videos to aquatint myself. Storyweaver seems to be the right fit for me because I don’t have a hard time writing I just have a hard time driving the action forward in a consistent way to meet an end. I have been trying to write a novel for a while and find that the sheer magnitude of the story makes me feel confused about what to do next!

Storyweaver is a program that helps you develop an over all blue print which you then use as your guide when you actually sit down to compose your story, is that correct?

I have the demo version and I was a little unsure about how much to write in response to each question. My inclination is to just launch into the story full board. I wonder if there are any example stories that could be referenced for first time users of the program?

Does a short story work in the same way as a novel with this software?

Thank you for your time

My reply:

Howdy!

Yes, StoryWeaver is designed to help you create your story’s world, who’s in it, what happens to them and what it all means.

It does this by taking you through a step-by-step path of creative discovery through four stages: Inspiration, Development, Exposition, and Storytelling.

Each stage follows the creative process and focuses on what is needed to come up with ideas, rather than forcing the author to focus on what the story requires. In the end, the story gets all it needs, because the author creates an entire world.

We don’t supply any finished examples as that tends to move the author away from his or her own ideas. But, there are small examples from different stories in many of the 200+ “Story Cards” – each of which has you focus your creativity on a particlar step in the process.

While you can use StoryWeaver for short stories, you’ll want to skip some questions and answer others with less depth because that degree of detail simply won’t be called upon in a short story.

As for how much to write in response to each Story Card or in the regular “synopsis” breaks, there is no minimum nor upward limit. It just depends on how far your Muse takes you. Just remember, the process is idea generation – the actual writing will be done after that process by referring to what you have written about your story’s world.

Melanie