Eric Edson Highlights 3 Valuable Screenwriting Software Packages

“…Are you leveraging the immense power of screenwriting software?”

In recent years, significant advancements in screenwriting software technology have enabled screenwriters all over the world to reach higher levels of productivity.  Screenwriting software, in many respects, has set the standard for the industry by providing many shortcuts and formatting advantages for screenwriters at all levels. 

In an effort to assist our fine community of screenwriters, we decided to review several well known screenwriting software packages this month.  Each of the software we reviewed provides a unique set of features, tools and resources for TV screenwriting, scriptwriting, playwriting, book writing, and screenplay writing.

Final Draft (Available at Writer’s Store)

Final Draft combines powerful word processing with professional script formatting in one self-contained package. There’s no need to learn about script formatting rules; this innovative program automatically paginates and formats your script to Industry standard as you write.  Final Draft was specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodes and stage plays.  This program’s ease-of-use and time-saving features have attracted professional writers for almost two decades, including Academy®, Emmy® and BAFTA® award-winning writers like Oliver Stone, Tom Hanks, Alan Ball, J.J. Abrams, James Cameron and more. 

From the Writer’s Store website, those interested in more information about this program can watch a tutorial that outlines the key features of this creative screenwriting tool.  The helpful screenwriting tips highlighted throughout the program, along with detailed and easy-to-use formatting functions, make this program a must-have for any screenwriting or scriptwriting professional.

Several price-points are available for the Final Draft software package, with upgrade options starting at $63.20 (sale price through January 31, 2013), and outright purchase options at $169 (also good through 1/31/2013 for most versions).  Box sets are available with specialty applications, including a “Platinum” package, and a special edition for studios and WGA applications.

MasterWriter (Available at Writer’s Store)

“MasterWriter is an absolute necessity for today’s creative writer.”

~Robert Zemeckis, Writer/Director, Back to the Future, Forrest Gump

MasterWriter is truly amazing.  This software package is essential for the novice screenwriter, offering a comprehensive word reference for any kind of writing.  This superb tool guides the user toward the right word or phrase for every situation, and helps the writer express himself or herself in a unique, meaningful way.

MasterWriter is an unlimited source of ideas pre-inspiration, and an invaluable tool during the creative process. Its most important role may be post-inspiration, when finding a better way or a more creative way to describe something, which can be the difference between good and great.

MasterWriter offers several unique features, with an amazing array of searchable reference dictionaries, that together provide scriptwriting, screenwriting, and book writing professionals  with everything they need in one easy-to-use program, including:

• Word Families—A unique and revolutionary reference dictionary that will open up a new world of possibilities for descriptive words and ideas
• Parts of Speech—A comprehensive list of descriptive words, with various filters including alliterations, that allow the writer to be more specific
• Phrases—A collection of over 33,000 phrases, sayings, idioms, and word combinations
• Rhymes—The ultimate Rhyming Dictionary with over 100,000 entries, 36,000 Rhymed-Phrases, and the most comprehensive list of Close Rhymes ever created. Rhymes from our Pop-Culture Dictionary are also included
• Pop-Culture—A Pop-Culture Dictionary with over 11,000 icons of American and World Culture
• Dictionary—The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary with 165,000 entries, 225,000 definitions, and 10,000 new words and senses
• Thesaurus—The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Thesaurus with over 340,000 synonyms, antonyms, related and contrasted words, and idioms

Screenwriting professionals often work under severe time constraints, making it difficult to find just the right word or phrase to make a scene pop.  MasterWriter will instantly provide all the possibilities, and from this rich source of descriptive words, the writer can find new and colorful ways to develop their storyline.  The MasterWriter software package is truly a must-have for any professional screenwriter, and can be a valuable resource for just about anyone interested in creative writing.  MasterWriter is available from Writer’s Store for $189 (boxed edition or download).

CharacterWriter (Available at Writer’s Store)

Complex and compelling characters are the key element in any truly great story.  In Fact, any elementary screenwriting course will focus a significant amount of the total course curriculum on character development.   CharacterWriter was specifically designed to assist professional screenwriters, scriptwriters, book writers, and others interested in creating believable, bankable characters.  Users can quickly create characters that connect with Character Writer 3.1, a development program that combines the power of the Enneagram personality-typing system with story-generating tools to help screenwriters create fully realized characters and perfectly organized plots, all in one easy-to-use interface.

Character Writer offers 70 complex types of characters, and offers a unique “Psychology” section, which allows the user to browse a large list of traits based on the American Psychiatric Association’s distinguished DSM-IV manual.  Writers can then generate full profiles as a starting point for building out the plot and world their characters will inhabit.

Character Writer also includes a built-in generator and organizer. Once the basic story structure and story skeleton have been established, the writer can edit, develop and organize it until it’s perfect.  CharacterWriter’s “Writing Mode” keeps the program in the corner of the screen to make notes about characters and have their traits and behaviors at the user’s fingertips.  Whether the writer is working in Final Draft, Microsoft Word, or any other writing and formatting tool, they always have access to their character profiles throughout the writing process.   CharacterWriter is available for download at $69.99, or as a box set (Windows only) for $74.99.

Part of our commitment to excellence includes serving our readers with a vast network of resources and specialists. It’s our hope that this review will help you connect with very best resources for TV writing and screenplay writing.  We hope this information save you a bit of time and energy when researching the top writing software and assists you in making an informed decision.

Do you have a favorite writing software that serves you well? Share your thoughts and comments in the form below. We would love to hear your insights.

Nu Image Ad Group Highlights 3 Santa Barbara Non-Profits

“Santa Barbara non profit marketing is essential…”

Santa Barbara has a long history of supporting charitable organizations. With more than 1,000 non-profits headquartered in Santa Barbara County, it is both impressive, and a little daunting, to have so many to choose from, when trying to select just three that exemplify the core tenants of a truly effective charitable organization.

The old saying by Mark Twain; “Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising…” rings true to many non profit business owners. Non profit businesses rely heavily on community advertising spread awareness for their cause. When it comes to non profits, there are those that just survive, and those that THRIVE, with the use of smart advertising.

This month Nu Image Ad Group highlights three Santa Barbara non-profits that have effectively used marketing materials to convey their core message, to pursue their missions. Each of these three organizations, through strong leadership, hard work, and adherence to their core principles, has effected real improvement in people’s lives.

The criteria used to select the three most effective local Santa Barbara charities included an analysis of their use of the various types of marketing materials and techniques to convey their core message to supporters while, at the same time, spending the smallest percentage of the money raised on fundraising and administration costs. These materials include: display banners, tradeshow banners, direct mail services, brochures, business cards, and signage. Nu Image Ad Group placed special emphasis on those charities that support local Santa Barbara printing companies, sign companies, and marketing services providers.

Direct Relief International (www.directrelief.org)

Direct Relief International, established in 1948, provides medical assistance to improve the quality of life for people affected by poverty, disaster, and civil unrest at home and around the world. In recent years, Direct Relief has spent less than one-half of one percent of annual support on fundraising and less than one percent on administration. That simple math is why Direct Relief’s efficiency and expense ratings are consistently among the best in the U.S. Direct Relief used a wide array of online and traditional methods to connect and stay in touch with donors—both corporate and individual. According to Kerri Murray, Direct Relief’s VP of Marketing and Development, Direct Relief prints newsletters, which are typically published in the Santa Barbara Independent, with additional copies distributed to key donors. They will also print and sometimes publish periodic updates and announcements to maintain front-of-mind with donors. While Murray states that Direct Relief avoids using direct mail services due to cost constraints (they have a massive number of donors), they do use display banners, tradeshow banners, brochures, business cards, and other marketing materials to connect with their donors. Whenever possible, Direct Relief works with local Santa Barbara printing companies and sign companies for their marketing materials. Visit their website and Facebook page

Cancer Center of Santa Barbara (http://www.ccsb.org)

Cancer Center of Santa Barbara is an independent, not-for-profit corporation, providing state-of-the-art cancer treatment. Since 1949, through the charitable giving of families and foundations, the Cancer Center has stayed in the vanguard of comprehensive, non-surgical, outpatient cancer care. By retaining highly trained and devoted medical personnel, acquiring the latest technology and protocols, and integrating patient support and wellness programs, the Cancer Center treats those on the journey to live with, through, and beyond cancer. Charitable gifts allow Cancer Center to provide clinical trials, new technology, complimentary wellness services, and patient support for the under-insured. Cancer Center of Santa Barbara uses marketing materials to connect with donors, including brochures—online and printed, business cards, newsletters, magazines, announcements, and more. Direct mail services can be highly effective, especially for donors that have firsthand experience with cancer, or have suffered with a family member or friend who has been diagnosed with cancer. Those who have been touched by cancer tend to be active supporters of top-quality cancer treatment organizations, such as Cancer Center of Santa Barbara. Active, ongoing, and regular communication with donors is critical to the long-term survival of organizations like Cancer Center, and using a local Santa Barbara printer for marketing materials production can be a cost-effective solution. Through the use of a local printing company and/or sign company, local non-profits like Cancer Center can typically secure attractive discounts on their marketing materials. Visit their website and Facebook Page

Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care (www.vnhcsb.org)

Visiting Nurses & Hospice Care, established in 1908, provides high quality, comprehensive home health, hospice, and related services necessary to promote the health and well-being of all community residents, including those unable to pay. VNHC clinicians meet competencies in clinical excellence and they ensure that patients are cared for with concern and compassion. They also meet all credentialing requirements and are members of several professional organizations. Their services include Bereavement Support & Counseling, Care Management, Equipment Loans, Hospice Care at Home, Nursing & Rehabilitation, Palliative Care, Payment for Services, Personal Care, Respite Care, and more. They have locations in Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, and Lompoc. As a locally-focused non-profit organization, Visiting Nurses must rely on the generosity of local donors. In this highly competitive market, it is critical for marketing materials to effectively convey the core message of the charity to donors. Santa Barbara printing companies that specialize in direct mail services, brochures, business cards, display banners and other marketing materials can play an key role in the longevity of local non-profits. For more information about Visiting Nurses & Hospice Care: Visit their website and Facebook page

Local non-profits face significant challenges each year. With the poor economic environment and the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming fiscal cliff—the expiration of the Bush tax cuts on December 31, 2012, and the spending cuts set to go into effect January 1, 2013, charities will continue to struggle to raise the funds they need to pursue their missions. In this context, effective marketing materials have never been more important. By working with local Santa Barbara printing companies and sign companies, local non-profits can design campaigns that target the right donors with the most effective message, to generate sufficient funds to support their ongoing operations and secure their longevity.

About Nu Image Ad Group – Nu Image Ad Group offers a comprehensive suite of targeted marketing materials, including direct mail services, business cards, display banners, brochures, and related printing services. They have more than 2,000 templates and focus on the use of green materials to protect the environment. For more information, Visit their website and Visit their Facebook page