352 lines
6.9 KiB
Plaintext
352 lines
6.9 KiB
Plaintext
# PlotDirector
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## Product Overview
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PlotDirector is a web-based planning and continuity platform created for fiction writers. It is designed to help authors organise every aspect of a story while maintaining consistency across novels and book series.
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The application combines planning, writing support and continuity analysis into a single environment. Rather than acting solely as a manuscript editor, PlotDirector models the structure of a story, allowing authors to understand how characters, locations, assets and plot threads interact over time.
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The system is intended for projects ranging from short novels to large multi-book series.
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---
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# Primary Goals
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PlotDirector helps authors:
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* Plan stories before writing.
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* Develop books while writing.
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* Detect continuity issues.
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* Manage large casts of characters.
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* Track objects and locations.
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* Visualise story structure.
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* Organise research.
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* Schedule writing.
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* Synchronise planning with Microsoft Word.
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---
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# Story Structure
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Stories are organised into a hierarchy.
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Project
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A project represents an entire fictional universe or series.
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A project may contain one or more books.
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Book
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Each book contains its own chapters and scenes while sharing characters, locations and other information with the wider project where appropriate.
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Chapter
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Books are divided into chapters.
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Scene
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Scenes are the fundamental planning unit within PlotDirector.
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Scenes can contain:
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* characters
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* locations
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* plot thread activity
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* notes
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* writer guidance
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* story metrics
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* relationships
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* knowledge changes
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* assets
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* attachments
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---
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# Story Timeline
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The Story Timeline provides a chronological overview of the story.
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Authors can:
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* visualise chapters and scenes
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* identify pacing
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* analyse gaps
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* view plot progression
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* display optional lanes for characters and assets
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* view story metrics across time
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The timeline is intended to give both high-level and detailed views of a manuscript.
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---
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# Plot Threads
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Plot Threads represent storylines that continue through multiple scenes.
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A thread may represent:
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* a mystery
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* a relationship
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* a conflict
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* a character goal
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* a subplot
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* an investigation
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* a journey
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Threads can be marked with progression events such as:
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* Start
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* Progress
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* Reveal
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* Twist
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* Branch
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* Split
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* Merge
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* Resolve
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* Abandon
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This allows authors to visualise how individual storylines develop across the narrative.
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---
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# Character Management
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Characters are central to PlotDirector.
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Each character may contain:
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* biography
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* appearance
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* personality
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* relationships
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* timeline appearances
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* photographs
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* notes
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* custom attributes
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Characters can appear in scenes, participate in plot threads and influence continuity analysis.
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---
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# Relationships
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Relationships describe how characters know one another.
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Relationships can evolve throughout the story.
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This allows authors to understand how social connections change over time.
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---
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# Character Knowledge
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PlotDirector tracks what individual characters know.
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Knowledge items may progress through different awareness levels.
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This allows the application to identify situations where a character appears to know information before they should, or unexpectedly forgets information already established.
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Knowledge tracking is one of the application's unique continuity features.
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---
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# Locations
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Locations represent places within the story.
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Locations can:
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* contain scenes
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* contain floor plans
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* participate in continuity analysis
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* record occupancy
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---
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# Floor Plans
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Floor Plans allow authors to create visual layouts of important locations.
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Plans support:
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* multiple floors
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* linked rooms
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* transitions
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* stairs
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* occupancy analysis
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These plans are intended for writers who need to understand how characters move through physical spaces.
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---
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# Assets
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Assets represent important objects within the story.
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Examples include:
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* documents
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* jewellery
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* weapons
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* vehicles
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* keys
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* letters
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Assets may change ownership throughout the story.
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PlotDirector records these custody changes to help prevent continuity mistakes.
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---
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# Continuity Explorer
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The Continuity Explorer analyses story state at any point in the narrative.
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It can report:
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* character locations
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* asset locations
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* current ownership
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* occupancy
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* appearances
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* continuity warnings
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This feature is intended to reduce continuity errors in complex stories.
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---
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# Story Health
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Story Health summarises structural information about the manuscript.
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Metrics may include information about pacing, balance, activity and other indicators that help authors evaluate the overall structure of their work.
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Story Health provides guidance rather than automatic judgement.
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# Writer Workspace
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The Writer Workspace helps authors focus on current writing tasks.
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It organises scenes into practical queues based upon revision status, allowing authors to concentrate on drafting, revising or polishing work.
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# Writing Schedule Planner
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The Writing Schedule Planner creates realistic writing plans.
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Schedules are generated from:
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* project scope
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* deadlines
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* available writing time
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* desired writing pace
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Plans can be adjusted as work progresses.
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---
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# Microsoft Word Companion
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The PlotDirector Word Companion is a Microsoft Word add-in.
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It synchronises manuscripts with PlotDirector while authors continue writing inside Microsoft Word.
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The companion can:
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* recognise chapters and scenes
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* synchronise word counts
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* update scene information
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* display planning information alongside the manuscript
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This allows writers to continue using Microsoft Word while benefiting from PlotDirector's planning features.
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---
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# Collaboration
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Projects may be shared with collaborators depending on subscription level.
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Permissions allow project owners to control who can contribute to planning data.
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# Import and Export
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Projects can be exported for backup and transfer.
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This allows authors to retain ownership of their planning information.
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---
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# Intended Audience
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PlotDirector is suitable for:
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* novelists
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* fiction writers
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* series authors
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* thriller writers
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* mystery writers
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* historical fiction authors
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* fantasy writers
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* science fiction writers
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* editors
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It is designed primarily for long-form fiction rather than screenplay production.
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---
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# Design Philosophy
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PlotDirector is built around several core principles:
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* Stories become easier to manage when information is connected.
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* Continuity should be assisted by software rather than memory alone.
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* Planning and writing should work together.
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* Writers should remain in control of creative decisions.
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* Software should highlight possible issues rather than dictate how stories should be written.
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---
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# Official Resources
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Website
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https://plotdirector.com/
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Features
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https://plotdirector.com/features
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Help
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https://plotdirector.com/help
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Pricing
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https://plotdirector.com/pricing
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About
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https://plotdirector.com/about
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Contact
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https://plotdirector.com/contact
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Privacy
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https://plotdirector.com/privacy
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Terms
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https://plotdirector.com/terms
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---
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Copyright © PlotDirector. All rights reserved.
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