I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head for this story. It's getting pretty crowded! I'm trying to get them in writing in a way that makes sense. And now I've realized that just starting at the beginning and telling the story won't work for me.
So I've started a side notebook- an encyclopedia of ideas and background, if you will.
I don't think there is any right or wrong way to do this- though I have found that having an actual handwritten notebook is easier for me than trying to keep track of computer files.
So far I have sections on the following topics:
*Characters, including descriptions, personality traits, strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, etc.
*Setting, including physical descriptions, culture, history, etc.
*Plot outline, including action scenes, sequential information, "discovery" information (things the characters discover about the past in context of current timeline)
*Title ideas (no, I don't even have a working title!)
*"Telling" practice- trying out different styles of telling- testing out my "voice".
A lot of my notes are written down as I get ideas, without any real idea of where it will fit in- but I can write down those ideas before I forget them, and then I'll have it as a reference while I work on the manuscript.
I'm trying to find a writing routine that works.
I go walking every morning, and often think about my story as I walk Sometimes the ideas become more clear if I actually tell the story out loud to myself- so I just try to look like I'm talking on the phone and that saves me from too many funny looks from others.
When I sit down to write (sometimes right as I get home from walking) I start with my notebook- adding any loose ideas to the appropriate section.
Once I've worked in the notebook a bit, I'm ready to log on to the computer and continue with the telling of the story, chapter by chapter.
So far I think this is working for me. We'll see how things are progressing a month from now.
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