Comments on: Get Organized Before You Write Your Novel http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:34:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Louise Pool http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-46 Louise Pool Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:37:07 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-46 This is a wonderful idea! I've just started working on my first novel and have been jotting things down in a couple of notebooks. It's already a mess and I badly needed an idea to get organized. This is just what I needed. Thanks! This is a wonderful idea! I’ve just started working on my first novel and have been jotting things down in a couple of notebooks. It’s already a mess and I badly needed an idea to get organized. This is just what I needed. Thanks!

]]> By: mari adkins http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-22 mari adkins Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:06:29 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-22 I'm so embarrassed. I didn't mean for my post to be that long. LOL I’m so embarrassed. I didn’t mean for my post to be that long. LOL

]]> By: mari adkins http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-21 mari adkins Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:05:48 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-21 Thanks for this post, Joe. I do something similar, and honestly I've been kicking myself for not keeping all my notes throughout the entire series I've been working on (I did for the last two, but not the first two - ouch! - so now it's a lot of dig and poke when I'm trying to find something I need). I don't outline, per se. I make a long list of "working notes" and create a "working timeline". The notes are a long sheet (or sheets) of nothing but things encompassing "this is what I think needs to happen in this story and why". The timeline is just that - when these things need to happen. Does that make sense? Since the location where my stories are set is a real place, I have accumulated quite a store of information - both on my own and from their local CoC and tourism center, as well as from people who live there who've supplied me with endless "this happened then" tales and so forth. I also have hundreds of photographs. And I lived there for four years, so I know the local 'flavor'. I'm also one of those weird people who make a sketch of the floorplan of the house my MC lives in - and/or whichever house s/he spends the most time in. I have to be able to find my way around. Too, it helps me remember where/how things are located. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who saves photographs of folks who looks like my characters! I'd often wondered if anyone else did. All of this (except for the photographs - they're all on my hard drive) goes into a three-ring binder. I put the sheets in page protectors because I'm bad for spilling things when I'm working. (Ok, so I'm just bad for spilling things LOL) That and the surface of the protectors is great for adhering a post-it if needed. Too, they're the right size and shape to drop a carefully folded city/county/park/whatever map into, too. Thanks for this post, Joe. I do something similar, and honestly I’ve been kicking myself for not keeping all my notes throughout the entire series I’ve been working on (I did for the last two, but not the first two - ouch! - so now it’s a lot of dig and poke when I’m trying to find something I need).

I don’t outline, per se. I make a long list of “working notes” and create a “working timeline”. The notes are a long sheet (or sheets) of nothing but things encompassing “this is what I think needs to happen in this story and why”. The timeline is just that - when these things need to happen. Does that make sense?

Since the location where my stories are set is a real place, I have accumulated quite a store of information - both on my own and from their local CoC and tourism center, as well as from people who live there who’ve supplied me with endless “this happened then” tales and so forth. I also have hundreds of photographs. And I lived there for four years, so I know the local ‘flavor’.

I’m also one of those weird people who make a sketch of the floorplan of the house my MC lives in - and/or whichever house s/he spends the most time in. I have to be able to find my way around. Too, it helps me remember where/how things are located.

And I’m glad I’m not the only one who saves photographs of folks who looks like my characters! I’d often wondered if anyone else did.

All of this (except for the photographs - they’re all on my hard drive) goes into a three-ring binder. I put the sheets in page protectors because I’m bad for spilling things when I’m working. (Ok, so I’m just bad for spilling things LOL) That and the surface of the protectors is great for adhering a post-it if needed. Too, they’re the right size and shape to drop a carefully folded city/county/park/whatever map into, too.

]]> By: Harrison McLeod http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-20 Harrison McLeod Fri, 29 Feb 2008 04:27:02 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-20 @Joe: Ah, organization, the bane of my partner's existence, and mine as well since it usually falls to me to put everything in order. You gave me some good ideas for organizing the mountain of material James and I have for our series. Excellent post, thanks for the link. @Joe: Ah, organization, the bane of my partner’s existence, and mine as well since it usually falls to me to put everything in order. You gave me some good ideas for organizing the mountain of material James and I have for our series. Excellent post, thanks for the link.

]]> By: admin http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-16 admin Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:32:14 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-16 Tor - I've been using this system to write my last seven novels, so it definitely works. Jenny - Are you going to be doing NaNoWriMo? Tor - I’ve been using this system to write my last seven novels, so it definitely works.

Jenny - Are you going to be doing NaNoWriMo?

]]> By: Jenny http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-15 Jenny Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:51:41 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-15 i can definitely use this for november. i can definitely use this for november.

]]> By: halle.luja.no » Planlegg romanen din http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-14 halle.luja.no » Planlegg romanen din Tue, 19 Feb 2008 20:13:13 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-14 [...] artikkel jeg fant på nettet i dag - og som jeg vil anbefale - er denne, fra XtremeLife: Get Organized Before You Write Your Novel. Den var nyttig, og skrevet av en erfaren [...] [...] artikkel jeg fant på nettet i dag - og som jeg vil anbefale - er denne, fra XtremeLife: Get Organized Before You Write Your Novel. Den var nyttig, og skrevet av en erfaren [...]

]]> By: Tor Michal http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-13 Tor Michal Tue, 19 Feb 2008 20:07:18 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-13 Very good! I'm just into this planning fase of my first novel, and it's always good to get tips from professionals, those who's been there before. Very good!
I’m just into this planning fase of my first novel, and it’s always good to get tips from professionals, those who’s been there before.

]]> By: admin http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-12 admin Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:49:47 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-12 Jack - There are a lot of writers who feel the same as you do. I'd argue that just because you take some time to plan out where you are going doesn't mean that you have to end up there. In fact, the act of planning it out might just trigger those latent thoughts that help you find the true ending during the writing process. We all have to write in the manner that works for us. Thanks for joining the conversation. Jack - There are a lot of writers who feel the same as you do. I’d argue that just because you take some time to plan out where you are going doesn’t mean that you have to end up there. In fact, the act of planning it out might just trigger those latent thoughts that help you find the true ending during the writing process. We all have to write in the manner that works for us.

Thanks for joining the conversation.

]]> By: Jack http://xtremelifeblog.com/get-organized-before-you-write-your-novel/comment-page-1#comment-11 Jack Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:01:37 +0000 http://xtremelifeblog.com/?p=13#comment-11 Actually, I prefer not to map out my stories before I write them. The ending of my first novel was a complete surprise to me, and that suspense is one of the things that keeps me motivated in writing. For me, half the experience of writing is finding out what will happen next. It's like watching a movie; I don't want to know what's going to happen ahead of hand. Actually, I prefer not to map out my stories before I write them. The ending of my first novel was a complete surprise to me, and that suspense is one of the things that keeps me motivated in writing. For me, half the experience of writing is finding out what will happen next. It’s like watching a movie; I don’t want to know what’s going to happen ahead of hand.

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