An Honest WriterDuet Review by Industrial Scripts

 

WriterDuet is a software for writing and editing screenplays, focused on being modern, intuitive, and user-friendly.

It’s got a variety of different and innovative functions, such as

• real-time collaboration
• online and offline editing
• even tools that tell if your script has passed the Bechdel Test.

However, WriterDuet’s main selling point is exactly in the name; it allows for collaboration between two writers at the same time.

Even more impressive, is that it’s all browser-based.

That means writers don’t have to download a program, and they can see all their edits and changes in real-time.

But of course, it isn’t free. Well, the full feature mode isn’t at least —

• WriterDuet’s Pro tier costs $11.99/mo, or $89/yr.

This mode will give users access to everything WriterDuet has to offer, with no limitations on script count, time, or importing and exporting.

But is this investment worth it?

And more specifically, what makes WriterDuet stand out from other screenwriting software?

WriterDuet – Interface

 

In terms of layout, WriterDuet’s overall interface is quite accessible to users.

It doesn’t require a whole lot of fiddling around.

• The essentials of writing a script are displayed simply, making it easy for a writer to begin formatting scene, action, and dialogue in their script.
• The rest of the tools, such as the ones that break down a script into an outline, are off to the side a bit — leaving the focus solely on the writing itself.

Essentially, instead of taking time to teach oneself about the functions of the software, one can almost immediately begin working.

Furthermore, their self-published tutorial makes it pretty handy.

Especially when considering other screenwriting programs such as Celtx and Final Draft can be a little more tricky for an amateur screenwriter to pick up – WriterDuet feels accessible.

Writer Duet – Simple but versatile

 

WriterDuet may look simple, but it has many more functions than meets the eye.

• One of the handiest functions is importing scripts from another program.
• Sure, it won’t contain the specific fonts you may have used, such as “Final Draft Courier”, but hey: all screenplays should be written in 12 point Courier anyway as that is the standard screenplay font.
• Furthermore, the import doesn’t take much time, and the script gets placed into the program with formatting already 95% accurate.
• Occasionally, WriterDuet’s system won’t catch a transition and tag it as something else. But those are usually minimal errors and easy to spot.

All edits are saved in WriterDuet, too.

Any change to the script is logged into the system, alongside the name and date of whoever changed it. This is very useful because no work is lost, only preserved in the history of your script.

This doesn’t even broach half the tools that WriterDuet has to offer.

For example, it also has:

• writer’s room notecards
• and scene numbering

That and more features are the kind you’d expect in more expensive, more comprehensive software.

Even though WriterDuet markets itself as a collaboration software then, it’s pretty nifty for a solo writer, too.

WriterDuet – Collaboration

 

WriterDuet – being cloud-based – allows for writers to collaborate in real time, provided they have a good Internet connection.

And to be honest, the collaboration angle works really well.

It’s a perfect fit for writing teams looking to develop screenplays together.

If you’ve ever used anything like Google Docs, it serves a similar function.

• Once added via email, two people or more can work on a single script at once.
• They can work anywhere on any of the pages, and changes made by either collaborator will pop up with a red highlight.
• From this author’s experience, there didn’t seem to be much lag to either writer’s work and it operated smoothly no matter the action.

So essentially, WriterDuet is what it says on the tin – a Duet.

Its cloud-based collaborative functions are unique to its program and allow screenwriting teams to work together simultaneously without any real bugs or issues.

For writers looking for a program that will allow them to work side-by-side, this is a great place to start for a reasonable price.

WriterDuet – Conclusion

 

Amidst a sea of scriptwriting software out there, it is safe to say WriterDuet is one of the better ones.

For everything it has to offer, its price point is really very reasonable:

• In comparison to a lot of other applications, it provides a lot for the money’s worth.
• Plus, it has an intuitive, forward-thinking collaborative angle unlike many other programs available right now to writers.

What this author took away most, however, is that WriterDuet is as complicated as you want it to be.

Essentially, it is incredibly forgiving and unimposing.

• For the writers who are simply there to write, it will allow them to do exactly that — write and format with a breeze.
• And for those seeking to take advantage of more complicated toolsets, such as those for film production or granular analysis? They can be met with something easy to grasp and incredibly efficient for their needs.
• WriterDuet somehow manages to be both a simple and intricate software that can serve just about any purpose a screenwriter needs.

Try before you buy

 

Now, it goes without saying that you should probably try WriterDuet out for yourself first.

Not all screenwriters are looking for the same thing in a software, and for some beginners it might come off as harder to grasp at first glance.

• Whilst there was no real learning curve experienced — it’s a pretty straightforward and accessible program — it is best to try out a trial version of it before making any great leaps.
• If you’re on your way to becoming a pro scriptwriter, you’ll want to have tried many different programs and see what works best for you.
• Especially if you are just beginning your screenwriting journey, learning what software works best for you is another crucial part of learning how to write a screenplay.

WriterDuet boasts of being professional, intuitive, and user-friendly… and all pretty much hold up to be true when looking at the overall accessibility and features offered to writers.

Whether you’re a collaborative writing team or a screenwriter flying solo, almost anyone can find something of value in WriterDuet.

 

– What did you think of this article? Share It, Like It, give it a rating, and let us know your thoughts in the comments box further down…

– Struggling with a script or book? Story analysis is what we do, all day, every day… check out our range of script coverage services for writers & filmmakers.