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I'm looking for a tool, that lets me enter and rearrange plot points into an outline and link them to other events and storylines in a graphical way.

Traditionally done with post-it's on a whiteboard.

Also I want to be able to use it on the road, without access to the internet, so it shouldn't be web based.

Is there a preferably free software that is able to do this?

5 Answers 5

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You could use either YWriter or Shaxpir to move parts of a manuscript around and rearrange things.

Not strictly for writing but you could use ToDoist as a simple outlining tool, or else try something like Trello, Asana or even Evernote to write a bunch of notes inside a project file and then mobe them around as needed.

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You might use Twine

This is an open source tool that is originally made to create interactive stories. So, writing in blocks and visualize the structure of your story can be easily done.

If you use the "online" version (means only without installing), you can still use it offline (everything is inside your web browser). But remember to backup (archive) regularly or export your story, in case of crash of your browser.

https://twinery.org/2/#!/welcome

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You could try WikidPad. It is basically localised Wiki software with all the inter-linking features you may expect from such a tool. I've been using it to organise all my writing and outlining for nearly a year now, and I've yet to doubt it.

The only downside, if I could name one, is that 'pages' can't have one-word or purely numerical titles. I mainly solve this by prefixing my projects, but it has to be named.

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You could also try Minder. It's not for handling plots, but you could use it for a graphic overview and organizing of your plots and stories, and then one of the tools suggested in the answers above just for text-handling part of it. You can install Minder from the AppCenter (if you use a Linux-based OS). But there are also similar software for windows, and some are even free. And they are downloadable, so you can work offline.

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  • Hi Joy, welcome to writing.se! Take the tour and visit the help center for more information. FYI, answers on this page can get rearranged based on voting, so it's usually better to include and link or just quote them directly rather than say "answers above". Thanks for participating and happy writing.
    – linksassin
    Nov 12, 2019 at 23:10
  • Minder is mindmapping software for many Linux flavours github.com/phase1geo/minder but you can also try other mindmapping software like freeplane or freemind or...
    – paulzag
    Nov 21, 2019 at 6:32
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    @paulzag Exactly. But one can very well use it to organize her thoughts, her plots, her character traits... imagination is the only limit, but that, I assume, is in no shortage among writers.
    – Joy
    Nov 21, 2019 at 16:46
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Libre Office for computer or even MS Word.

3x5 cards and a tabletop work best for me initially.

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