Getting Started with Yavanika

Creating Your Account

To get started with Yavanika, click Get Started on the homepage. You can then create an account using your email address or Google account.

Project Dashboard

After you sign in, you'll be taken to your Project Dashboard.

The Project Dashboard is your main workspace. From here, you can create, open, edit, and remove your projects.

Create a new project

To create a new project:

1. Go to your Project Dashboard.
2. Click Create New Project in the top-right corner.
3. You'll be taken to the Project Creation page.
4. Enter the project name, logline, and synopsis.
5. Click Create Project.

Your new project will appear on your Project Dashboard.

Open a project

From the Project Dashboard, click the project title you want to work on. This will open the screenplay editor.

Edit Your Project Details

If you need to change your screenplay's title, logline, or synopsis, you can update the existing project without creating a new one.

From your Project Dashboard:

1. Find the project you want to update.
2. Click the pencil icon next to the project.
3. Edit the project title, logline, or synopsis.
4. Save your changes.

Your project details will be updated immediately.

The Screenplay Editor

Once you open a project, you'll enter the screenplay editor. This is where you write and format your screenplay.

When you create a new project, Yavanika opens a sample screenplay to demonstrate the available formatting options.

If you'd prefer to start with a blank page:

Windows: Ctrl + A → Delete

Mac: Cmd + A → Delete

You can then begin writing your screenplay.

Writing

Yavanika uses different blocks for each part of a screenplay.

Available blocks include:

• Scene Heading
• Sub-scene Heading
• Action
• Character
• Dialogue
• Parenthetical
• Transition
• Intercut

As you write, Yavanika can suggest the next block based on the current context. You can also select a block manually using the block selector in the top menu bar.

Press Tab to move forward through the available block types.

Keyboard shortcuts

You can also switch directly to a block type using the following keyboard shortcuts:

Alt + 1	Scene Heading
Alt + 2	Action
Alt + 3	Character
Alt + 4	Dialogue
Alt + 5	Parenthetical
Alt + 6	Sub-scene Heading
Alt + 7	Transition
Alt + 8	Intercut

Tab	Move forward through blocks
Shift + Tab	Move backward through blocks

Navigate Between Scenes

As your screenplay grows, finding a specific scene by scrolling through the entire script can become difficult.

Yavanika provides a Scene Navigator to make navigation easier.

Where do I find it?

While you're in the screenplay editor, look at the right side of the screen for the list icon.

Click the icon to open the Scene Navigator.

The navigator displays your scene headings and sub-scene headings. Click any scene to jump directly to that section of your screenplay.

This is particularly useful when working with longer scripts.

Re-ordering Scenes

If you need to change the order of your scenes, you can move them without rewriting the screenplay.

Open the Scene Navigator using the list icon on the right side of the editor.

Your scenes will be listed in the navigator. Each scene has a drag handle, represented by two horizontal lines.

1. Click and hold the drag handle.
2. Drag the scene to the desired position.
3. Release the scene.

Yavanika will automatically update the screenplay with the new scene order.

Going back to Projects

You can return to your Project Dashboard at any time without closing the editor.

Open the Hamburger menu at the top of the editor and select Dashboard.

This will take you back to your Project Dashboard.

Edit Title Page

Every screenplay includes a title page. Yavanika provides a pre-formatted title page with fields for information such as:

• Screenplay title
• Writer's name
• Address
• Other relevant details

To edit your title page:

1. Open your screenplay.
2. Select the Title tab on the left.
3. Replace the placeholder information with your own details.
4. Select the Screenplay tab to return to your script.

Check Save Status

Yavanika automatically saves your work as you write, so you don't need to save every change manually.

To check when your work was last saved, look at the Status Bar at the bottom of the editor.

The Status Bar displays the last saved status and also shows the current scene and block you're working on.

If you're unsure whether your latest changes have been saved, check the Status Bar at the bottom of the editor.

Zoom In or Out

If the screenplay appears too small or too large, you can adjust the editor's zoom level.

Go to View → Zoom and choose the zoom level you prefer.

You can also use the following keyboard shortcuts:

Alt + → Zoom in

Alt - → Zoom out

Changing the zoom level only affects how the editor appears on your screen. It does not change the formatting of your screenplay.

Fullscreen Mode

Fullscreen mode gives you a larger writing area with fewer distractions.

Go to View → FullScreen.

You can also press F11 to enter fullscreen mode.

To exit fullscreen mode, press Esc.

Switching Language

Yavanika supports multiple project languages, allowing you to write in your preferred language.

If your project has more than one language enabled, you can switch between them using Ctrl + ~.

You can also select a language from the Current Language dropdown.

Scene format check

You may occasionally see a red squiggly line underneath a scene heading in the scene navigator.

This indicates that Yavanika's formatting check has detected something that may not follow the expected screenplay format.

For example, a standard scene heading might look like:

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

or

EXT. PARK - NIGHT

A scene heading normally follows this structure:

INT./EXT. + Location + Time of Day

If a required part is missing or formatted differently, Yavanika may highlight the heading with a red squiggly line.

The indicator is simply a formatting check to help you identify a possible issue. It does not prevent you from continuing to write.

Export

Export as PDF

When you're ready to create a PDF of your screenplay:

1. Open your screenplay.
2. Go to the File tab in the editor's top menu.
3. Select Export.
4. Choose Export as PDF.
5. Select your preferred export options.
6. Click Export.

Yavanika provides several PDF layout options, including a two-column layout and the option to start each scene on a new page.

PDF exports can also be customized with features such as password protection and watermarking.

Other Export Options

You can also export your entire screenplay in DOCX (Microsoft Word) format.

Sharing Screenplay

You can share your screenplay without sending someone the complete PDF file.

Inside the editor, go to File → Publish.

Then select Generate Unique Link.

Yavanika will generate a unique link for your screenplay. You can copy the link and share it with anyone you choose.

The published screenplay is read-only, so recipients can view your work without making changes to your original project.

Stop sharing a screenplay

To disable a published link, go to File → Publish and select Delete Generated Link.

The published version will no longer be accessible through that link.

Yavanika - Quick Map

Project Dashboard → Create and manage your projects

Project Name → Open your screenplay

Top Menu → Access formatting, File, View, and other editor options

Right-side List Icon → Open the Scene Navigator

Scene Navigator → Find and reorder scenes

View → Adjust zoom and enter fullscreen mode

File → Export → Create a PDF or DOCX copy of your screenplay

File → Publish → Create a shareable, read-only screenplay link

Bottom Status Bar → Check your save status and current scene or block