I was just wondering how you guys stay organized when writing your novels. I only ask because I have trouble keeping all my thoughts in order. Chaos, it seems, is my natural environment.
I've tried three methods so far, the first (and longest-running) being the computer, of course. I had seperate files for every novel, where all my notes and ideas and excerpts were easily accessable. It was neat, and it was orderly, and it was utterly vulnerable to the universal screw-ups that my family is prone to. Yeah, yep, uh huh. I lost all them files, and I never got 'em back (the first time, anyway. The second time, I did ) The second was a 3-ring binder with dividers and clean sheets and everything, and I don't know what happened, but it was all a terrible mess, and I don't want to talk about it anymore . Anyway, the third method (and the one that proves to be the best, relatively, anyway) is the spiral notebook. I write paragraphs and ideas and notes and whole chapters, if the occasion calls for it, and then transfer it to my computer. Should the computer burst into flames , I have ink on paper, which likely won't.
Any thoughts? (On your methods, not mine, 'cause in retrospect, I can't think of a single reason for posting them here. Maybe I'm tired. Yeah, that could be it.)
Gonna go get some sleep now, Chris
PS--Y'know, they should have a sleepy emoticon, shouldn't they? I think it's a good idea.
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
First suggestion...ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR WORK!! Come to think of it, it's time for me to make a new backup of my past week's work. The most wonderful thing about a computer is that you can copy everything onto more than one place and even keep past revisions of a story if significant changes are made. I have two floppy disks that I transfer things to. Less rarely (because it takes more time) I burn a CD, and sometimes I use my fiance's computer when I'm really feeling paranoid.
Anyway, I recently across a new software pakacge that has been useful. It's called storylines. It's not perfect, but I haven't seen anything else that does the same thing (unless you want to start programming yourself.) It let's you write notes about your works (novels, plays, whatever) in a two dimensional rather than one dimensional format. That is, you can have more than one thread of the story running horizontally across the screen and then drop ideas, concepts, scenes, plot devices, or whatever in chronological order on whichever thread they pertain to. If you change your mind about the order you want your story in you click on an idea and drag it to where it goes. It's helped me not only to become more organized, but it's also just helped me to plan ahead more. (Which I have a real problem with.)
Anyway, that's where it is if you want to look at it and you can download a free trial.
Posted by Alexander (Member # 1665) on :
I write everything into small notebooks that fit into my pocket, then enter it into the computer later. I agree that this sort of method, which you are following with the spiral notebooks, is the most effective one I've found. I also backup information from the computer onto CD's. Since I do most of my writing from work, the easily carryable notebooks are a must (I have a lot of random downtime in stretches of 8-20 minutes during which I can write a good chunk of a page).
Posted by teddyrux (Member # 1595) on :
Being in the IT field, i agree with Christine. Backup. I backup to cd (floppies will work) and I print out hard copies (read this 3 ring binder).
Hope this helps.
Posted by nellievrolyk (Member # 1616) on :
I keep notepads around to jot down ideas in. I do most everything on the computer and back up to CDs
Finally, I keep a lot of my writing stuff in my head.
I haven't been making hard copies, but that is something I will be doing from now on because it sounds like a very good idea. Thanks teddyrux.
) The second was a 3-ring binder with dividers and clean sheets and everything, and I don't know what happened, but it was all a terrible mess, and I don't want to talk about it anymore 
. Anyway, the third method (and the one that proves to be the best, relatively, anyway) is the spiral notebook. I write paragraphs and ideas and notes and whole chapters, if the occasion calls for it, and then transfer it to my computer. Should the computer burst into flames 
, I have ink on paper, which likely won't.
Come to think of it, it's time for me to make a new backup of my past week's work. The most wonderful thing about a computer is that you can copy everything onto more than one place and even keep past revisions of a story if significant changes are made. I have two floppy disks that I transfer things to. Less rarely (because it takes more time) I burn a CD, and sometimes I use my fiance's computer when I'm really feeling paranoid.