If you've ever tried to make significant revisions to a
400+ page manuscript numerous times (like 30 or so),
somewhere along the way you realize how limited your brain
power is. What happened in that chapter? That scene? Am I
repeating this here? Did I follow that thread through there?
What day am I on? What was the weather like? Who's pov am I
in?
And on and on and on...
If you're writing deep plot with various twists, if you've
created complex characters with various internal and
external conflict...you need a tool to keep track of all
this information as you go back and integrate changes.
Additionally, if you're writing romantic suspense, you need
to keep track of both the plot line (increasing tension) and
the romance line (increasing attraction/sexual tension).
There are numerous methods of tracking your story. I've
tried scene cards, storyboarding, and too many charts to
mention, but nothing worked for me on the complex level I
needed.
I think I've finally created a functional model--at least
one that fits me and my style of writing. It amounts to a
watered down version of several techniques and sprinkled
with my own ideas to fit my specific needs.
One of the best features of this method is its adaptability
to your needs, your writing style--track what you want to
track according to your unique novel, your strengths and
weaknesses as a writer. If your manuscript utilizes weather
as an antagonist, you can track weather changes. If you have
a hard time keeping your timeline straight (one of my
major challenges), this will clear it up
for you at a glance.
It can be as simplistic or complex as you choose to make it.
It can also be used as a pre-plotting outline to give
yourself direction.
Here's my tool: (I've posted a
Word
version
of this on my site which you can
download/edit/utilize/etc.)
Explanations
Chapter #: Obvious
#pp: Number of pages in chapter. Beneficial to see
what chapters are long, which are short, and how you might
move things around to alter that without having to page
through your ms over and over.
Scene #: Obvious
Day #: Great information to make sure your timeline
is in order. Color and bold font for information at a
glance.
P#-#:Pages included in that scene.
See length of scenes, use to locate page numbers to
administer changes.
POV Character
: Track frequency of pov between
characters. Essential when trying to split your ms equally
between hero and heroine or sprinkling in villains and
secondary characters. Color change according to character
ID. Bold font for information at a glance.
Plot point: The main plot element that occurs in
this scene
Romance Element: Tracking the romance development
through the novel
This could also be utilized to track tension development
and/or mystery development, etc.
Revision: Elements that exist in your ms that need
to be changes during revision. (If you change plot point 3
in chapter 2, you'll have to change several other plot
points deeper into the novel.)
Some other items you may want to include in your outline
might include:
- Time of day
- Setting (weather/clothing/etc.)
- Weather
- Plot twist
- Foreshadowing elements
Some other items you could track with this technique
could be:
- Tracking character emotions/development
- Tracking character arc
- Tracking tension escalation
With this format I can get a quick visual idea of novel
structure: chapters, chapter length, number of scenes per
chapter, character presence, placement of romantic elements.
I can also follow the plot points to eliminate holes and
assure a smooth escalation of events.
Here's a two chapter example from my ms Safe In Enemy
Arms:
Note: I've used the outline to include Linda Howard's 12
points of intimacy here to aid the tracking of romantic
development (i.e., eyes to body)
Note: I've shown both romantic development and character
arc development in the romantic element here. You could
separate those out if you want more detail.
