Preceden makes it easy to create multiple timelines to keep track of various aspects of my novels — from creating a single timeline for a character and plotting their life, to an entire fictional history I have created for my novel. Preceden is incredibly valuable for storing information about the places and people we are creating. It helps us hold our fictional world together across both time and space. Read More
Organize Complex Plots & Character Arcs
Laying your plot and characters out on a visual timeline shows you when every event happens relative to the rest, so relationships between them stand out and you can fix plot holes you would otherwise miss.
Visualize Complex Stories
Event notes, approximate start and end dates, flexible date formats, images, and icons give you everything you need to build clear character and plot timelines.
Share and Collaborate with Ease
Invite others to collaborate on your timeline at any time, or share it as a link, a PDF, an image, or one of several other formats.
Everything You Need to Create a Timeline for Your Fiction Writing
Here's what authors can do with Preceden.
Drag and Drop
Reposition events in seconds to adjust dates or how your timeline is laid out.
Zoom
View all of your plot's events at once or zoom in to focus on a specific period.
Connections
Highlight relationships by visually connecting events on your timeline.
Bulk Editor
Add and edit many events at once in a spreadsheet-like grid, instead of one at a time.
Time Support
Specify the exact times events started and ended to build more granular timelines.
Privacy Controls
Control who can see your timeline by making it private, password-protected, or accessible via a secret URL.
Images
Upload images or search the web for Creative Commons photos to display on your timelines.
Themes
Apply one of our built-in themes to change how a timeline looks.
Approximate Dates
Mark event dates as approximate to signal to viewers that the exact date is unknown.
Search & Filter
Search a crowded plot timeline to show only the events you care about.
Optional End Dates
Events with an end date appear as a bar; events without one appear as a single icon.
Icons
Choose from over 4,600 icons to better convey what events represent.
Notes
Attach notes to an event, a layer, or the timeline as a whole to record extra detail.
BC Dates
Chart events from thousands of years ago using BC dates, or far into the future.
Date Picker
Pick a date from the calendar, or type it in when you want control over the format.
What Authors Are Saying About Preceden
Working on my novel with such an expansive chronology is no longer difficult to manage now that I have Preceden to help. The many tools it offers my timeline allow me to see the bigger picture of my story, like marking important events for my characters. I no longer have to deal with making eraser marks or fitting all the details onto a single page; Preceden allows for a malleable timeline which I can change as I see fit.
As a speaker, author, and blogger who deals with historical events, Preceden is an invaluable tool. Preceden helps me organize historical information into a clear, attractive, and information-rich format, which is exactly what people are looking for. With its ability to categorize people and information from thousands of years ago, I have yet to find a timeline system that works as well as Preceden.
FAQs about Preceden
How do I make a timeline with Preceden?
After you sign up, you'll pick a starting layout and color theme, then name the timeline (such as the name of your story). As you add events, Preceden updates the timeline visualization automatically.
Why choose Preceden?
Authors choose Preceden for its straightforward interface and visualization features, which make a detailed fictional timeline quick to build. There is no complex software to learn, so you will be up and running in minutes.
Can I use Preceden for fantasy and worldbuilding?
Yes. Fantasy authors often give each character, kingdom, or storyline a layer of its own, then zoom out to see how they overlap and zoom in on a single chapter. Preceden handles dates from 240,000 BC through 240,000 AD, so the ancient history behind your world can sit on the same timeline as the story you are telling.
What if my world does not use real dates?
You can still build the timeline. Add your events with stand-in years that keep them in the right order, then hide the dates so readers see only the event names and the sequence they happen in. Our guide to dateless timelines walks through the settings.
Can I create a timeline for free?
Yes, you can sign up and create unlimited story timelines with up to 10 events each for free. We have paid plans that let you add unlimited events and also provide more advanced functionality.
What if I have more questions?
Browse our support docs for answers, or drop us a note anytime and we'll get back to you shortly: [email protected]
Preceden for Other Kinds of Timelines
Preceden is built for more than one kind of timeline. Here's what else people use it for.