52 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
52 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Scenarios
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category: Scenarios
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tags: scenarios, structure, revision, sandbox, scene order
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contextKey: scenarios.overview
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micro: Test alternate scene orders without changing the main timeline.
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quickTitle: What are Scenarios?
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quickSummary: Scenarios let you copy the current scene order into a sandbox so you can test structural ideas before applying them to the main story.
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screenshot:
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---
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# Overview
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Scenarios are planning sandboxes. They let you explore a different scene order without immediately changing the main timeline.
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This is useful when a structural idea is promising but risky. You might want to move a reveal earlier, delay a confrontation, split a chapter, or test whether a subplot works better in another position. A scenario gives you room to experiment before committing.
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Scenarios do not duplicate the whole story. They copy the order into a separate planning view so you can compare the alternative against the main version.
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# When Should I Use This?
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Use Scenarios when you are considering a structural change that affects several scenes or chapters. If the change is small and obvious, editing the main timeline may be simpler.
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Scenarios are especially useful during revision, when you are testing pacing, reveal order, suspense, emotional build or chapter endings.
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# How To Use It
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Create a scenario from the current order. Give it a name that describes the experiment. Open the scenario timeline to review the alternate order, then compare it with the main version.
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Only apply a scenario to the main story when you are confident the new structure is stronger.
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# Example
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You create a scenario called "Reveal Later Draft" to test whether the identity of a key witness should be delayed until chapter six. You can compare the sandbox against the main structure before changing the project.
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# Writer Tip
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Name scenarios after the story question they test. "Reveal Later" is more useful than "Scenario 3".
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# Common Mistakes
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- Creating scenarios for tiny edits that do not need a sandbox.
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- Applying a scenario before comparing its consequences.
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- Forgetting that the scenario is a test, not automatically the new truth.
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- Keeping old scenarios active after the decision has been made.
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# Related Guides
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- [Project Dashboard](/Help/Article/projectDashboard.overview)
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- [Scenes](/Help/Article/scenes.overview)
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- [Warnings](/Help/Article/warnings.overview)
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