Today’s word count: 2,502 words
NANTUCKET total word count: 65,141 words
I do like writing without really knowing where the story’s going. I really do. But I’m starting to realize I need to do something to get a handle on my various characters in NANTUCKET, keep track somehow of everything they’re each doing.
I’ve got characters still stuck way back at the beginning of the story. I know what they’re meant to do next, I just haven’t written about it yet. But the rest of the story’s progressing along, so now their “next” is everyone else’s “a long time ago”.
I’m thinking of making rows and columns on a long sheet of paper, putting all my main characters down one row, and using post-its to indicate each scene they’ve had major action in so far. And maybe, if the thought has occurred to me, different colored post-its to indicate where they’re supposed to be going next, and when exactly that is in the whole scheme of things.
I wonder how writers who juggle a bunch of different plot lines keep themselves organized in terms of who’s doing what and when, and whether they actually did get around to getting their characters to do the what at the right when.
Anyone have any ideas for getting better organized?
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Glad that you are still making progress. It can become a problem to keep up with multiple characters. I always hear crazy things that writers do to keep track- diaries and big timelines and org charts. I’m not really sure of the best way to approach the problem. Index cards?
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..The Blue Notebook, James A. Levine =-.
I do use paper sheets when I need a brain storm or the great overview, but on the whole I keep my notes on plot, characters etc in one computer file called the same as the manuscript. That is the only way I can be sure I don´t throw everything away by accident. So a handful of documents, called what they are: plot, characters etc, is my solution.
.-= Dorte H´s last blog ..DJ´s Bait in the Box # 24 =-.
I know a girl who works off of an index card outline. She makes brief notes as to what’s going on in each scene and how it relates to each plot, subplot and character, then shuffles the cards around to see which elements are getting the most attention and which ones need to be beefed up a little more.
.-= Memory´s last blog ..Television: Pushing Daisies, Season One =-.
Belle,
Have you tried Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D.? There are some good tools in there from story idea trackers to genre element trackers to character story sketch tables. I really recommend checking it out. It is fairly new so it may not be at the library, but at your bookstore.
Nicole, Memory, the main problem I have with index cards is that it feels too structured to me (not that I want a finished novel that’s unstructured!). The idea always appeals to me, too. It feels so organized, and I’d love to be more organized.
Dorte, I think your method is what I need, only I need it to be hand-written, rather than on the computer.
Rebecca, I don’t have Book in a Month, but you’ve just reminded me I have First Draft in 30 Days. I should take a look through that.