Getting your script in sync, or How I learned write in the clouds

With the price of computers dropping, it's common nowadays for writers to have more than one computer. Perhaps you're like me and have a main desktop computer as well as a laptop computer. If you're one of those people who work on multiple computers, than you will eventually need to sync up your script file.

Now, there are several ways to do this. The old fashioned way entails by copying a script back and forth from your desktop to your laptop before you go on your next Starbucks writing session. But really, how 80's. The 90's way would be to email your script back and forth. The problem you run into is you will end up managing multiple versions of your script, and the whole point is to save you time.

If you're a windows user, Microsoft has a built in tool that is supposed to automatically sync up your files. It is called Briefcase. I call it Shitcase. I'm a computer programmer, and even I couldn't get it to work properly.

So, what to do?

Enter the cloud. That's the new buzzword. Cloud computing is all the rage. It simply means working online. Whether you're using Google Documents, or Gmail, you're cloud computing.

Microsoft has a great program called Windows Live Foldershare. It's supposed to work on both Mac and PC. Since I'm ashamedly a Windows user, I can't comment on how well it works on the Mac. But let me just say, Foldershare works amazingly well on PC.

First, you start by going to https://www.foldershare.com and downloading the Foldershare application. Once you've installed it, the program will prompt you to create an account. Than it will ask you to share a folder on your hard drive. I shared My Documents/Writing.

Than you go to your laptop and repeat the same steps, although this time, after installing the software, you don't create another account. You just log in to the account you just created. Than you select the local folder on your laptop to share.

Now, since my script is on my desktop pc, I went back to my desktop, opened up my script file and added some brilliant lines of dialogue. I save it and closed the program.

Then I went to my laptop, clicked on the foldershare icon in the system tray, and clicked on the Writing menu item which opened up an explorer window showing my share Writing folder from my Desktop PC. I opened my script file and there was the updated script with my changes. Than I added some more lines of text, saved it and viola, it is automatically synced to your file your desktop.

You can check out Foldershare here.

CELTX Writing Software

So I was thinking the other day, if writers' heads are always up in the clouds, why shouldn't their files be as well?

Let me explain. A useful feature to have for any writing software would be to store and access your scripts/files from the cloud. That way you would have a central repository that would provide a safe backup and allow you to access your script file anywhere you have an internet connection. Currently the major writing software companies (Final Draft, MM Screenwriter) does not support this feature.

Behold CETLX. This is an open source writing software that is kind of a complete pre-production environment, and it has web services that allows you to store and access your script files online. Go to the website and check out the screenshots and screencasts to learn more about the software. It looks promising and is definitely where modern writing software should be heading.

Montage Screenwriting Software

Montage Screenwriting Software

The only screenwriting software exclusively developed for Mac OS X. Melding the theory that a simple user interface, combined with powerful and intuitive features, provide the best writing experience, Montage makes it easy to create, edit, and manage screenplays on your Macintosh. From the ability to import Final Draft documents, to using custom, pre-formatted templates for film, TV, and theater, Montage guides both the first time screenwriter or the seasoned veteran, from start to finish.

But Montage doesn't stop there.

Once your masterpiece is complete, Montage allows you to submit, track, and send your query, synopsis, and scripts to hundreds of included industry contacts through Montage's integration with Apple's Address Book. A Montage-only feature throughout the industry.

Script Buddy Online Screenwriting Software

Script Buddy is a full featured online screenwriting program. Not only does it incorporate all the industry-standard screenplay formatting rules, but it also combines the WYSIWYG features of a modern day wordprocessor.

What seperates this program from others, besides the fact that it's online, is that it has a built in Online Community, where you can submit your script for feedback.

Advantages:

• Script files remain online - automatic backup!
• Your file is accessible anywhere you have an internet connection.
• Full Featured screenwriting software
• Online community gives you highly desired script coverage/feedback.