|
If you've read lots of novels you'll already know how they work. Using too many how-to books is procrastination (done it!) and lack of confidence (got that one too). Once I have the basic idea, I just use some software called Papel which is a very visual type of mind mapping, I throw the basics of the characters, locations, events, into this THEN.....
I go into Word's OUTLINE VIEW (not the print view or normal) and throw down the absolute basics of the plot arc. I then go back, go to level two and put in more details of each element. Then I move to level three. I could do this all at once or one part at a time. You can even drag and drop the bits around (which takes any 'children' with it).
Not many people know how to use this aspect of Word, I wouldn't know if it wasn't for a Dummies book I bought for my version of Word (2002). The function is still available in more modern versions of Word.
After you've planned all this, you can even put the body text into the appropriate places. I often write the actual text in Write or Die, but you could use ZenWriter etc, then copy and paste this as 'body text' into the Word Outline. Then if you decide you want a chapter to be somewhere else, just drag and drop it, all the levels beneath this will go with it, including the body text.
|