Skip to main content
Inkwell includes powerful navigation tools to help you move through long scripts quickly and write more efficiently. This guide covers typewriter scrolling, the minimap, the navigation panel, and productivity shortcuts.

​
Typewriter scrolling

Typewriter scrolling keeps your cursor vertically centered while you write, eliminating the need to look at the bottom of the screen.

​
Enable typewriter scrolling

1

Open View menu

Go to View → Typewriter Scrolling or press Cmd/Ctrl+T
2

Start writing

As you type, the page scrolls automatically to keep your cursor in the center of the window. Your eyes stay in one place—no more looking down.
3

Toggle off (optional)

Press Cmd/Ctrl+T again to disable typewriter scrolling and return to standard scrolling behavior.

​
Benefits

  • Reduces eye strain: No more scanning up and down the page
  • Maintains focus: Your writing always stays in the center of your vision
  • Faster writing: Less visual distraction means more words per session
Many professional screenwriters enable typewriter scrolling permanently. Try it for a writing session—you may never go back!

​
When to disable it

Typewriter scrolling works best when writing new content. You might want to disable it when:
  • Reviewing or editing existing scenes
  • Jumping around the script frequently
  • Working on specific revisions
The minimap on the right edge of the editor is one of Inkwell’s most powerful navigation features. It provides a visual, interactive overview of your entire script with intelligent highlighting.
Inkwell’s ScrollMap is a unique feature that goes beyond a simple minimap—it dynamically shows scene structure, character distribution, search results, and unsaved changes all in one visual interface.

​
What the minimap shows

Always visible:
  • Script overview: Compressed visualization of all pages as a vertical canvas
  • Scroll handle: Semi-transparent bar showing your current viewport (fades in on hover)
  • Cursor position: Thin line indicating where you’re currently typing
Dynamic highlights (appear based on context):
  • Current scene length: Left side shows the full extent of the scene you’re in
  • Character distribution: Middle section highlights all locations where a selected character appears
  • Unsaved changes: Right side shows patches and edits since last save
  • Search results: Blue highlights show all instances of your search term

​
How to use the minimap

​
Jump to any location

Click anywhere on the minimap to instantly jump to that part of your script. This is the fastest way to navigate long scripts (90+ pages). How it works:
  1. Click anywhere on the minimap
  2. Your viewport instantly scrolls to that position
  3. Works even while dragging for smooth scrolling

​
Track your progress

The scroll handle (semi-transparent overlay) shows your current viewport position:
  • Appears when you hover over the minimap
  • Increases opacity when you interact with it
  • Shows exactly what portion of your script is visible
  • Drag it to scroll smoothly through your script

​
See current scene length

The left side of the minimap highlights the current scene:
  • Automatically calculates scene boundaries
  • Shows from scene heading to next scene heading
  • Helps you identify long scenes that might need splitting
  • Updates as you write
Use this to:
  • Identify scenes that are too long (20+ pages)
  • Balance scene lengths throughout your script
  • Quickly see how much more you need to write in a scene

​
Find character distribution

1

Click on a character line

Place your cursor on any Character line in the editor (the ALL CAPS name before dialogue)
2

View highlights

The minimap middle section automatically highlights every location where that character appears in the script
3

Jump to scenes

Click any highlighted section to jump directly to that character’s dialogue
Use this to:
  • Balance character screen time across the script
  • Find specific character moments quickly
  • Track character arcs visually
  • Identify long gaps where a character is absent
Click on your protagonist’s name to see their distribution. If there are large gaps (30+ pages), consider adding a scene to keep them present in the story.

​
Track unsaved changes

The right side of the minimap shows unsaved edits:
  • Small bars indicate lines with changes since last save
  • Helps you remember where you made edits
  • Disappears after saving
  • Useful for tracking revision progress

​
View search results

When you search (Cmd+F), the minimap highlights all instances:
  • Blue bars show every search result
  • See the distribution of a word or phrase across your entire script
  • Click any result to jump directly to it
  • Updates dynamically as you type
Use this to:
  • Track how often a specific word appears
  • Find all references to a character, location, or prop
  • Identify overused words or phrases
  • Navigate between search results visually

​
Minimap tips

Assess script balance:
  • Long continuous blocks = long scenes or acts
  • Gaps in character highlights = character absence
  • Many right-side bars = lots of unsaved changes
Quick navigation workflow:
  1. Click character name to see distribution
  2. Use minimap to jump to their scenes
  3. Review or edit dialogue
  4. Check right side for unsaved changes
Scene length at a glance:
  • Small left-side bars = short scenes
  • Large left-side bars = long scenes
  • Use this to pace your script (alternate short/long scenes)
The minimap is interactive—click, drag, scroll, and hover to explore. It’s designed to give you a macro view of your script structure while you focus on micro-level writing.
The Navigation panel (Project Panel → Navigation tab) displays a hierarchical outline of your script’s structure.

​
What it includes

  • Sections: Acts, sequences, or scene groups (marked with #, ##, ###)
  • Scene headings: Every INT. and EXT. scene in your script
  • Notes: Inline notes marked with [[ note ]]
  • Synopses: Scene summaries prefixed with =
Sections nest to show your script’s structure: 
# ACT ONE
  ## Opening Sequence
    INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
    EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
  ## Inciting Incident
    INT. ALICE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
# ACT TWO
  ## Rising Action
    INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY

​
Collapse and expand sections

Click the arrow icon next to any section to collapse or expand it:
  • Collapsed: Hides all nested scenes and subsections
  • Expanded: Shows full hierarchy
Use case: Collapse Act One while you focus on writing Act Two, reducing visual clutter in the panel.

​
Jump to any scene

Click any scene heading in the Navigation panel to instantly jump to that location in your script. The editor scrolls to the scene and places your cursor at the beginning.

​
Filter by element type

Use the filter dropdown at the top of the Navigation panel to show only:
  • All: Everything (sections, scenes, notes, synopses)
  • Scenes: Just scene headings
  • Notes: Only inline notes
  • Synopses: Only scene summaries
Filter to “Notes” to review all your TODO items or production notes in one view.

​
Search and find

Inkwell provides powerful search tools to locate specific text, character names, or dialogue.
1

Open Find

Press Cmd/Ctrl+F to open the Find bar at the top of the editor
2

Enter search term

Type any word, phrase, or character name. Inkwell highlights all matches in the editor.
3

Navigate matches

  • Press Enter or click the down arrow to jump to the next match
  • Press Shift+Enter or click the up arrow to jump to the previous match
  • The status bar shows match count (e.g., “3 of 42”)
4

Close Find

Press Esc to close the Find bar and clear highlights

​
Find and replace

1

Open Find and Replace

Press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+F or go to Edit → Find and Replace
2

Enter search and replace terms

  • Find: The text you want to change
  • Replace: The new text
3

Choose replace mode

  • Replace: Replace the current match and move to the next
  • Replace All: Replace every match in the entire script
4

Review changes

Inkwell shows a preview of each replacement. Click Undo (Cmd/Ctrl+Z) if you made a mistake.
Use “Replace All” carefully. Always preview replacements to avoid unintended changes. For example, replacing “Bob” with “Robert” might also change “Bob’s” to “Robert’s” incorrectly.

​
Search tips

  • Case-sensitive search: Click the Aa icon in the Find bar to match exact case
  • Whole word only: Click the W icon to avoid partial matches (e.g., “Bob” won’t match “Bobby”)
  • Regular expressions: Advanced users can enable regex for complex patterns

​
Go to scene

The Go to Scene dialog provides quick navigation by scene number or title.
1

Open Go to Scene

Press Cmd/Ctrl+G or go to Edit → Go to Scene
2

Choose navigation method

  • Scene number: Enter “5” to jump to the fifth scene
  • Scene title: Start typing a scene heading and select from the autocomplete list
3

Jump

Press Enter to jump to the selected scene
Use Go to Scene when you know exactly where you’re going. It’s faster than scrolling or using the minimap for specific scenes.

​
Keyboard shortcuts for navigation

Master these shortcuts to move through your script lightning-fast:
ActionmacOSWindows
Go to SceneCmd+GCtrl+G
FindCmd+FCtrl+F
Find and ReplaceCmd+Shift+FCtrl+Shift+F
Jump to top of scriptCmd+HomeCtrl+Home
Jump to end of scriptCmd+EndCtrl+End
Scroll one page upPage UpPage Up
Scroll one page downPage DownPage Down
Toggle Typewriter ScrollingCmd+TCtrl+T
Toggle Project PanelCmd+\Ctrl+\
Focus on editorEscEsc
See complete keyboard shortcuts →

​
Productivity tips

​
Use sections for outlining

Before writing, create a rough structure with sections: 
# ACT ONE - ORDINARY WORLD
## Opening Image
## Introduction of Characters
## Inciting Incident

# ACT TWO - UPSIDE-DOWN WORLD
## Rising Action
## Midpoint Reversal
## Dark Night

# ACT THREE - RESOLUTION
## Climax
## Resolution
## Closing Image
Add synopses below each section to sketch your beats. This gives you a roadmap before diving into scenes.

​
Leverage synopses as beat sheets

Add synopses above scenes to track your story structure: 
= Alice discovers Bob's secret and confronts him

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
Review synopses in the Navigation panel to see your entire story arc at a glance.

​
Use notes for revision reminders

During first drafts, add inline notes for things to fix later: 
[[ TODO: Add more tension to Bob's response ]]

[[ Note: This scene feels too long—trim in rewrite ]]

[[ Research: Verify legal terminology here ]]
Filter the Navigation panel to “Notes” to see all your TODOs in one view.

​
Character highlighting for balance

Select a character in the Characters tab to see their distribution across the script. If they disappear for 30+ pages, consider adding a scene to keep them present in the story.

​
Zoom for different tasks

  • Zoom in (Cmd/Ctrl +): Reduce eye strain during long writing sessions
  • Zoom out (Cmd/Ctrl -): See more context when editing or restructuring
  • Fit to page (View → Fit to Page): Fill the window width for maximum readability

​
Scene numbering

Scene numbers help productions coordinate script changes, track shots, and ensure everyone is referencing the same version. Inkwell can automatically number all scenes in sequential order.

​
Add scene numbers

1

Number all scenes

Go to Screenplay → Number Scenes
2

View numbered scenes

Scene numbers appear on both sides of each scene heading:
1  INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY  1
The numbers appear before and after the heading for easy reference.

​
Clear scene numbers

1

Remove all numbers

Go to Screenplay → Clear Scene Numbers
2

Confirm removal

All scene numbers disappear from the script. The scenes themselves remain unchanged—only the numbering is removed.

​
When to use scene numbers

Use scene numbering for:
  • Production scripts: Once a script is locked for shooting
  • Revised scripts: Track which scenes changed between drafts
  • Collaboration: Help cast and crew reference specific scenes
  • Shot lists: Match shooting schedules to script scenes
Don’t use for:
  • Spec scripts: Agents and contests don’t need scene numbers
  • Early drafts: Wait until the script is more finalized
  • Personal drafts: Only add when sharing with others

​
Scene numbering best practices

Numbering sequence:
  • Scenes are numbered sequentially from beginning to end (1, 2, 3, etc.)
  • If you insert a scene between Scene 5 and 6, you’ll need to renumber
  • Productions typically “lock” numbers once shooting starts
Re-numbering:
  • Before production: Re-number freely as you revise
  • During production: Use letters for new scenes (5A, 5B) to avoid changing existing numbers
  • Inkwell currently numbers sequentially—manual lettering (5A) requires editing the scene heading
Exporting with numbers:
  • Scene numbers appear in PDF exports
  • Final Draft (FDX) exports preserve scene numbers
  • Fountain exports include scene numbers if formatted correctly
Inkwell’s scene numbering is automatic and sequential. If you need specialized numbering (like 5A, 5B for inserted scenes), manually edit the scene heading text.

​
Common navigation questions

Go to Screenplay → Number Scenes to add scene numbers. They appear on both sides of scene headings (e.g., 1 INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY 1). Remove them with Screenplay → Clear Scene Numbers.
Not yet, but this feature is planned for a future update. For now, cut and paste scenes in the editor to reorder them.
  1. Open the Characters tab
  2. Click the character name
  3. Their dialogue highlights in the editor and on the minimap
  4. Click a highlighted section on the minimap to jump there
The minimap is always visible in normal mode. Enter Focus Mode (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+F) to hide all sidebars, including the minimap.
Use sections (# IMPORTANT SCENE) or notes ([[ BOOKMARK: Key dialogue ]]) as bookmarks. They appear in the Navigation panel for quick access.

​
Try it yourself

Practice exercise:
  1. Write 3-5 short scenes with scene headings
  2. Add sections with # and ## to organize them
  3. Add a synopsis above each scene with =
  4. Use the Navigation panel to jump between scenes
  5. Enable typewriter scrolling and write a new scene
  6. Select a character in the Characters tab and observe the minimap highlights
You now know how to navigate efficiently and boost your writing productivity!

​
Next steps

Revisions

Track changes with revision marks and colors

Formatting basics

Master all Fountain elements and syntax

Keyboard shortcuts

Complete list of navigation and editing shortcuts

Customization

Personalize themes, zoom, and interface settings