Telling a Story With a Timeline
A timeline works when dates are evenly spaced and each event is short enough to read at a glance.
What is the Timeline Maker?
Write one event per line with its year or date first, choose an orientation, and draw a timeline in your browser. Event count and layout width here are computed from your list. Drawing and download need a browser.
How to use it
- Write one event per line
- Choose an orientation
- Download the timeline
Worked example
Draws a 4-event horizontal timeline, 980 px wide, from 2020 - Started to 2026 - Today.
What makes a timeline confusing?
Out-of-order dates and long paragraphs on each point.
Frequently asked questions
Should events be in order?
Yes, list them oldest first so the timeline reads left to right or top to bottom.
How much text per event?
Keep each event to a few words so labels do not overlap.