Writer's Zoo

Writer's Organize! - a boon for the new novelist and the old pro

NewNovelist

One of the greatest challenges to a novelist, new or old, young or long-in-the-tooth, is the organization, outlining and thinking through of plot and characters.

Authors have many ways of writing and composing and they're all right.  There simply is no wrong way to write so don't let some teacher try to convince you there's only one way to do it.

That said, there's no escaping the organizational end of things.  For years I used notebooks, sticky notes, margin scribbles, filing systems; anything and everything to get my ideas and information organized and easily accessible.  Anf for those of you just beginning I'm not saying that didn't work.  It did.  I wrote and published a whole lot of books and other things that way.

And if you're working on a shoestring here's the method that worked best for me over the years.  Get a loose leaf notebook and begin one page for each character.  Yep, get some sticky notes too.  Get some of those colored sticky tabs from the office supply store and make sure you have several colors.  Use one color to indicate a character (you can use a different color for each character if that works for you), another to indicate locations.  Another still to indicate general notes.  Stick the different colors on pages like tabs so you can flip easily to one or the other.  You'll find as you work that you're going to have quite a few pages.  Be sure to leave spaces between notes so you can fill in more detail as you go along.  Sticky notes are helpful when you want something to really stand out.  Just jot your comment, addition or change and stick it on the page it relates to.  Write everything you know about yoru characters on their pages and all you know about the locations on similar sheets.  Give lots of detail so you can really live your story and get a feel for the tale you're telling.  Then block it out in outline form and give it legs.  Whether you do it with bare-bones outline notes, a synopsis, or a detailed outline, you need to know where you're going with your story.

If this works for you, feel free to use it and embellish.  But I really do look for ways to make things easier, to make things happen more swiftly with less effort.

NewNovelist does that.  I have to admit this is one of those "wish they had this when I started" things.  As an experienced writer it helps eliminate most of that clutter. (Hey, we're writers, there'll always be some clutter!)  And it does more than that.  It has a "story creation" feature with 12 divisions.  These are helpful trail markers along the way to help you write the thing - to get it down on paper so to speak.  It's a great feature that prods the writer along, giving the impetus to actually finish what you've begun.  And remember great writing is in the rewriting so getting it down is just the beginning.

I had a few misgivings when I ordered it, like how long is this gonna take to learn?  It didn't take long.  There was a learning curve, but it was fast.  It might have taken a bit longer for a writer like myself with long established habits to become used to the new method than it would be for someone who hadn't started writing on a typewriter!  And, when I contacted them while having a small problem, their repsone was quick.  I heard from them the next day.  Problem resolved.

Is this the only way I'd write?  No, but I can tell you it's a great help when wrestling with that right brain, left brain thing:  creativity vs. organization.

This software isn't going to write your novel for you, your own creativity is still very much needed for that, but it'll sure help keep you on track.  If you're interested in checking it out, take a little guidance form Lucinda Hawksley, the editor of New Novelist and the great, great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens.  Visit the site.  Investigate throughly and decide for yourself.  If you're a newbie it might just give you that boost you need to get going.  If you're an established writer take the time to learn this very easy program and spend less time organizing and more time followoing your muse. 

Pursue the methods best for you and keep writing and good luck.

Go see  NewNovelist

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Don't miss out on the excitement!

Wondering what to get that special writer friend or relative on your gift list?

Here are 10 suggestions

And they come right after Luxury chocolates.  Hey, the holiday season fast approaches and you might be looking for a gift for your favorite writer.  If ifs someone who can't live without chocolate, then this is the place!  They have lots of cool chocolate you can grab, but for the finest, check in the 'basket collection' .  There you'll find the Capre Diem which they call 'literature at it's finest'.  A beautiful wooden book box filled with amazing French chocolate. The holidays are here and Valentines for your favorite author won't be far behind.  Go to zChocolat.com today for the best chocolate available.  Beyond compromise.

 Birthdays, Chrismas, Hannukah, graduation, whatever, don't you wonder what to give that special person who's a writer?  Here are some helpful hints.

1.  Small budget?  How about a gift basket or bag filled with things like good pens (black and colored), paperclips, paper and envelopes, post-it flags and notes. eraser, note pads small and large, highlighter, fine-line markers, staples and stapler, #5 brass fasteners for the scriptwriter.

2.  Books, books are good!  Reference books, books about writing, grammar helps, fiction in the field in which the writer is writing.  There are some great books out there for marketing as well.  There's Writer's Market, both hard copy and the online subscription.  There's the Hollywood Creative Directory providing lots of leads on  where to market a sceenplay.  Try Skip Press's Ultimate Writer's Guide to Hollywood or Jason Surrell's Screenplay by Disney or Stephen King's book,  On Writing.  For a few grins try Fondling Your Muse by John Warner.  There's also Breakfast With Sharks - A Screenwriter's Guide by Michael Lent, Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write by Elizabeth Lyon for those interested in Nonfiction and Let The Crazy Child Write by Clive Matson.  There are many more, both hard copy and E-book, some of which you can spot on these pages.

3.  If you've got the budget a new thin, flat-screen for the computer system in an incredible blessing.  No flicker, much less eye strain for those who sit in front of it for hours. 

4.  A high-speed printer (inkjets frequently have higher speed printing than laser) is a wonderful addition to any office. And don't forget the ink cartridges.

5. If you're thinking of software look into Movie Magic's Screenwriter for the script writer. 

There's New Novelist http://ravenwing.newnovel.hop.clickbank.net for the writer of books. 

6. Magazine subscriptions are always appropriate.  There's The Writer magazine.  Writer's Digest and Book.  You might dash down to your local magazine shop, buy a copy of the magazine and send in the subscription card.  Wrap the magazine with a note indicating the subscription.  Or check it out online. 

7.  Other items of use to most writers are things like three-ring notebooks and plastic sheet protectors.  Plastic expanding folders are good for storing bits and pieces of a developing or ongoing project.  Plastic file boxes hold archived projects and old files. 

8.  For journal keepers on your list think about a really nice journal.  They come in everything form clothbound to leather to metal.  

9.  Most writers would welcome CDs, floppies or thumb drives (or jump drives or whatever the local office supply store calls the new, small USB drives).  Most would also welcome a small rolodex for desk top. 

10. The amazing relief of full spectrum lighting.  There're a whole slew of styles and types of lamps that provide this wonderful light for writing into the wee hours.  And, as an added bonus, most of them take less energy to burn!  Go to firstSTREET Lighting today and see what a difference a light can make.