Welcome to MarkPlot!

MarkPlot is a semantic annotation language that extends Markdown to help you keep track of characters, places, events, and relationships in your creative writing. Let’s dive in!

Where to start?

As MarkPlot is only a annotation langage, it does not do much by itself. Your first step as a writer should be to choose a tool that supports it and fits your needs. As MarkPlot is still very new, curently, there is none. Sorry. Please come back later. Drop me a email if you want to get an update. I promise I won’t use it for anything else. Or, if you are also a coder, you may want to implement MarkPlot in existing tool or a new one. In this case, please have look to the complete specifications.

What is Markdown?

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that you probably already know. It uses simple symbols to format text:

# Heading
**Bold text**
*Italic text*
[Link](https://example.com)

If you’re new to Markdown, you can check out the Markdown Guide for the basics. But this is not a requirement to start using MarkPlot right now.

The 5-Minute MarkPlot Basics

1. Annotate Entities (Characters, Places, Moments or whatever)

@@Sherlock examined the crime scene at @@Baker_Street.

Result for readers:

Sherlock examined the crime scene at Baker Street.

Behind the scenes: MarkPlot-enabled tools can automatically generate entity cards:

# Sherlock
- Type: Character
- Appearances: Chapter 1, Chapter 3
- Related to: Watson, Lestrade

2. Make Entities invisible in Text

Want to hide the entity name in your text but mark its presence? Add parentheses:

@@(Sherlock)He examined the crime scene at @@Baker_Street.

Result for readers:

He examined the crime scene at Baker Street.

Behind the scenes: The entity is still tracked, but its name is now hidden in the narrative text.

3. Add Visible Details with Modifier Parameters

Want to show additional information about a character in the text? Use square brackets:

The @@(Watson).PROFESSION[Doctor] assisted with the investigation.

Result for readers:

The Doctor assisted with the investigation.

Behind the scenes: The information is stored in Watson’s entity card:

# Watson
- Type: Character
- Profession: Doctor
- Appearances: Chapter 1

4. Store Hidden Metadata

Use parentheses to store information that doesn’t appear in the text:

The @@(Watson).age(35).PROFESSION[military doctor] served in Afghanistan.

Result for readers:

The military doctor served in Afghanistan.

Behind the scenes:

# Watson
- Type: Character
- Age: 35
- Profession: military doctor
- Appearances: Chapter 1

5. Track Timeline and Events

Dates are special entities that help you manage your story’s timeline:

@@(1891-05-04) It was a foggy London morning when @@(Lestrade) arrived with news.

Result for readers:

It was a foggy London morning when arrived with news.

Behind the scenes: MarkPlot-enabled tools can generate chronological timelines:

# Timeline
- 1891-05-04: Lestrade arrives with news (Chapter 2)
- 1891-05-05: The investigation begins (Chapter 3)

6. Indicate Point of View

Use modifiers to show whose perspective a scene is from:

## Chapter 1 @@(Watson).Pov

I had not seen @@Holmes for several days...

Result for readers:

Chapter 1

I had not seen Holmes for several days…

Behind the scenes: MarkPlot-enabled tools track narrative structure:

# Narrative Structure
- Chapter 1: Watson's POV

A Complete Example

# A Study in Annotation @@.GENRE[mystery]

## Chapter 1 @@(Watson).Pov

@@(London) @@(1881-03-04)

I had just returned from @@Afghanistan when I met a @@(Holmes).PROFESSION[consulting detective] through a mutual acquaintance. He was looking for someone to share his lodgings at a @@(221B_Baker_Street).Place[comfortable apartment].

"You have been in @@Afghanistan.Place, I perceive," were his first words to me, leaving me quite astonished at his insight.

Result for readers:

A Study in Annotation

Chapter 1

I had just returned from Afghanistan when I met a consulting detective through a mutual acquaintance. He was looking for someone to share his lodgings at a comfortable apartment.

“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive,” were his first words to me, leaving me quite astonished at his insight.

Behind the scenes: MarkPlot-enabled tools would generate:

  • Entity cards for Watson, Holmes, London, Afghanistan, and 221B Baker Street
  • A timeline entry for March 4, 1881
  • Genre categorization for the document
  • POV tracking for chapters

What’s Next?

  • Combine with Markdown: Use all standard Markdown features alongside MarkPlot annotations
  • Explore Modifiers: Try .mood(), .Status(), or create your own
  • Build Your World: Create a consistent set of characters, places, and events
  • Structure Your Narrative: Use annotations to track plot arcs and themes
  • Use Tools: Check out compatible editors and visualization tools

Tips

  • Develop a consistent annotation style for your project
  • Use annotations sparingly at first—you can always add more later
  • Consider creating a simple legend of your most-used annotations
  • Remember that MarkPlot annotations can be completely hidden from your final reader
  • Use visible parameters [] when you want the information to appear in your text
  • Use invisible parameters () when you want to store metadata only

Ready to organize your narrative world? Happy writing with MarkPlot!