Getting started
Your creative journey begins here. A step-by-step guide for first-time creative story tellers.
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Your creative journey begins here. A step-by-step guide for first-time creative story tellers.
Last updated
Was this helpful?
This guide has already been updated for our upcoming 4.0 release. Learn more .
Setting sail on the creative seas of Fortelling can seem a bit daunting at first, but remember, you're not alone on this journey! This guide is designed to help you get started with Fortelling. It's important to know that there's no one-size-fits-all approach; every storyteller has their unique style. The steps outlined below are more like a flexible framework to cheer you on in your planning and development. Don’t hesitate to skip around, tweak sections, or revisit steps as your project grows and changes. Fortelling is here to fit your storytelling style comfortably!
Many people I’ve met share that they have a story all mapped out in their minds. However, it often turns out they have a setting in mind. A creative story, though, is so much more! That’s where this tool comes in handy, helping you to see the big picture of your plot.
If you’re still looking for a great plot, don’t stress about it! Look for inspiration in your everyday life, make a little twist, et voilà! I wish my app could assist you with this, but I genuinely believe that creativity is a gift unique to humans; it’s not something I can program.
You can start by capturing a wide range of ideas directly within Fortelling using or the . Once you’ve laid everything out, look for patterns or standout concepts that resonate with your creative vision. Highlight the most promising ones and see if any can be combined into a compelling plot with a strong, natural progression. Fortelling gives you the freedom to explore and shape your story in a way that best fits your imagination.
So, you’ve developed a fantastic plot, and it's wonderful to hear you're excited about it! It’s unique and fresh, sure to leave readers bursting with anticipation for the ending (and we hope that doesn’t mean literally!). Now, let’s explore how you can build your plot. How will your story unfold? What journeys will your main character(s) embark on? What background events will enrich the tale? These can be details that aren’t directly conveyed but add depth to the backstory.
Using the , you can easily create and rearrange your events! I suggest assigning each event a concise title along with a description that addresses: what’s happening, why it’s significant, and how it impacts the plot.
Quick tip: ensure that nearly every event plays a meaningful role in your story. This will help keep your story clear and engaging for your readers!
You’ve wrapped up the timeline of your story! Even if you’ve already imagined some characters, the next exciting step is to list them all. This approach helps you keep track of their habits, emotions, and personal backstories. The app empowers you to plan your characters in great detail. You can fill out a wonderful collection of forms across various areas: General, Appearance, Personality, History, and Story.
Utilize the handy built-in label system for your key characters! It’ll help you identify the ones you need so much faster. Plus, you can easily group characters by tagging them. For example, all villains can receive the ‘Villain’ tag, making it super simple to search for a specific group whenever you need them!
The next step is to record and document all your locations hierarchically. When done right, this will allow you to navigate through your virtual world. With Fortelling, you have the exciting ability to create endless sub-locations for each item. Focus on the most encompassing location first and then gradually add sub-locations to enrich your experience. Take a look at the example below.
This approach lets you keep a clear overview of your locations and world. You'll never have to worry about searching for details about a specific location again. And the best part? The location tool provides several default templates that include the attributes for any type of location.
Now that we’ve mapped out our story - at least in a rough sense - it’s time to think about how to present these events to our readers. There are many exciting ways to do this: we can go chronologically or mix it up with some flashbacks! Rather than revealing the entire story all at once, we can unveil the past bit by bit. Another crucial aspect to consider is the perspective we’ll adopt. Will we share the story solely through the main character's eyes or include some moments from the antagonist's viewpoint?
In the previous step, we’ve figured out what each chapter will focus on together. Now, let’s transform that central idea of these various scenes that beautifully express everything we want to share in words.
The Fortelling editor has two tabs. A writing tab with an editor and a quick-access tab that allows you to open scenes, story elements, and much more. By switching between the two tabs, you’ll always have a clear idea of what to write next. This way, you can keep your writing on track and avoid straying into unrelated topics!
Many others are also working on their stories! Having conversations and brainstorming together can really help you push through writer's block. Fortelling provides fantastic community aspects to help you connect with fellow writers and share your journeys. Participate in our weekly challenges or join our Telegram/Discord channel!
Now it's time to truly get started! Fortelling is available on all platforms. You can download the app on:
Try using the to help you create multiple chapters in a practical overview! A great approach is to start by breaking your story down into key elements of a story arc. This way, you can organize your chapters according to each part of the story and then create engaging scenes to bring those chapters to life. Link your characters and other story elements to the different scenes for a better overview.
