Description
Return three signed narrative time offsets.
Story planning separates the order of telling from fictional chronology, continuity records and practical writing budgets. Explicit labels, counts and invented calendar rules can make a local convention consistent without deciding narrative quality or inferring facts from manuscript prose.
Return three signed narrative time offsets.
When to use this tool
Use Scene Present Time Reference Gap when checking a supplied story-continuity, chronology, calendar or drafting-budget convention.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter eventTime, scenePresent, narrativeReference. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read eventFromPresent, presentFromReference, eventFromReference. Use the output convention below.
Return three signed narrative time offsets. eventFromPresent = eventTime-scenePresent, presentFromReference = scenePresent-narrativeReference, eventFromReference = eventTime-narrativeReference.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| eventTime | Event Time | Required. Finite number. |
| scenePresent | Scene Present | Required. Finite number. |
| narrativeReference | Narrative Reference | Required. Finite number. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| eventFromPresent | Event From Present | Required. Finite number. |
| presentFromReference | Present From Reference | Required. Finite number. |
| eventFromReference | Event From Reference | Required. Finite number. |
{
"input": {
"eventTime": 15,
"scenePresent": 10,
"narrativeReference": 2
},
"output": {
"eventFromPresent": 5,
"presentFromReference": 8,
"eventFromReference": 13
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Use one coordinate unit and origin convention; the tool does not infer tense, event order in prose or calendar dates.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use the manuscript, scene outline and the chosen style/calendar policy for a complete editorial review; interpret numerical budgets in their narrative context.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Scene Elapsed Time Slack
Compare scene duration with action time after simultaneous credit.
- Scene Clock Timezone Difference
Shift a scene clock between supplied fixed offsets.