Customize your writing flow

You can change what happens after a completed block. For example, if you often write several parts of one speech, make Dialogue continue with another Dialogue instead of a new Character block.

These are settings for the current script. Next element changes how you continue writing; it does not convert blocks you have already written.

Change what comes after Dialogue

1. In the app header, use Open script settings.
2. In the settings sidebar, expand Block settings if it is collapsed, then choose Dialogue.
3. Under Next element, choose Dialogue.
4. Choose Close settings to return to the editor. Changes apply as you make them and are saved automatically.
5. At the end of We should go. in a Dialogue block, press ⏎ Enter.
6. The new block is also Dialogue. Continue with Before they find us.

You can choose the next element for other block types from their own Block settings pages. The available choices are Stage direction, Character, Aside, Dialogue and Lyrics.

When the next-element setting applies

The setting controls the normal transition from the end of a nonempty block. Other writing actions keep their own behavior:

• Splitting ordinary writing text in the middle preserves its type.
• At the end of a nonempty Dialogue or Lyrics block, ⇧ Shift + ⏎ Enter continues with the same type.
• Empty blocks have their own chooser or type change.
• An Aside within a sung passage resumes Lyrics.
• ⇥ Tab retains its type-specific behavior: switching a speech block to or from Aside, or indenting a Stage direction.

See Continue writing for cursor positions and empty blocks, and Write dialogue and asides for inserting a note within a speech.

Assign a different number shortcut

For example, use the number 6 to choose Dialogue instead of its default 5:

1. Use Open script settings, then choose Block settings → Dialogue.
2. Under Shortcut, choose 6. Give each block type a different number.
3. Choose Close settings.
4. Place the cursor in a writing block and press ⌃ Control + 6 on macOS, or Alt + 6 on Windows/Linux, to change it to Dialogue.

The editor toolbar’s Change block type menu displays your current assignments. Changing this number does not change formatting shortcuts or the keys used to cycle through types.

Return to the default flow

To restore only the Dialogue transition, open Block settings → Dialogue and set Next element back to Character. To restore only its number shortcut, set Shortcut back to 5.

For all defaults of that type, use Reset at the top of the Dialogue settings page. This button appears when the type has custom settings. It also resets its appearance, spacing and number shortcut, so use the individual fields when you want to keep those other changes.

Related tasks

• Understand the default writing flow.
• Find keyboard shortcuts.