Scan the hierarchy of events that you made with the cards, do you see anything missing? God is NOT responsible for bad things happening. I … However, for novel writers, cards are an even more powerful tool. Index Cards Not only are index cards a classic school supply – they’re also an excellent aid for novelists. Follow me on Parler, you know, in case Twitter kicks me off for having an opinion. Once upon a time, there was somebody who wanted to write a novel. Aug 7, 2016 - Index cards to outline a young adult novel like #harrypotter, #twilight, and the #hungergames. You can either just full out free write your novel then go back in and break it down into scenes, or you can start with how you want to end with your story and work backwards. Why index cards? Second, put the main points of your outline onto note cards in order. Blue color for chapters. Remember, color codes are important. For example, killing a character or revealing a secret. (I use the door of my wardrobe) First, stick all the chapter cards on the board. Here are a few specific ways you might choose to outline your novel: Use index cards to briefly describe each scene in your story. While writing each chapter, make sure you scan your index cards and documented outlines to avoid errors. Why not? You gotta figure out which method fits best for you. Without a novel outline before, I took a lot of months before I finish my novel versus to 30 days of my recent 2 novels this year. Whether that’s blogging, journaling, writing short stories, or writing anything, really, and then I can get back to my novel with fresh eyes. Navigating an Escape Room – Did We Do It? Multi-purpose: while this particular post is about outlining scenes of your novel with the cards, you can easily use them for anything else you need to work out. Outlining your novel with index cards is a lot of work, but it also makes a lot of sense. To create a line break while typing within an index card, hold the “alt” or “option” key then press “enter.” Adding & Rearranging Index Cards. Many authors prefer writing 18 to 20 pages on novel outlining using more than 2 methods. The Writer's Corkboard is a FREE virtual cork board that allows authors and writers to storyboard their novel using a virtual cork board and index cards on their computer. Just a short description of what happens in the scene (the action) 2) Lay … However, he now knew exactly where the novel … This single idea allowed him to successfully create a novel outline. However, there still are some points worth considering on this method. It’s up to you what colors you want to use for which activity. Enjoy! Or another option is to use different colors of markers to indicate the scenes. Organized writing for writers: 10 ways and tips. I squeeze in family time and blogging in between all of that. Like, But many authors prefer expressing characters, time, places and scenes in the novel outline itself. Using index cards to outline your novel is a great first step. I went out and bought a pack of index cards with four colors. When I watched Sarra’s video, a light bulb went off over my head. Feel free to use different colors for different themes or parts of the book. Novel Outlining Options. You will find tons of different ideas to outline your novel on the internet. You can also physically move the note cards around to change where scene land. Time invested in a story outline is foresight gained for your novel. ... "Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters … *ahem*. Here's the video I mention in the video. "Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Writing Well". Your email address will not be published. When I watched Sarra’s video, a light bulb went off over my head. But for plotters or people who for sure know they are going to miss a scene or subplot in the novel, should consider outlining a novel. I will add and change scenes as I write because I don’t like to outline fully, I like my characters to “speak” to me as I write, but I think using this method of outlining will REALLY help me as I go through the process and will likely help me not get AS stuck. My novel is … I also have explained this method with a free outline template that you can modify as per your novel. Act I is pink, Act II, part one, is light blue, Act II, part two is yellow, and Act III is baby green. You gotta figure out which method fits best for you. But many authors prefer expressing characters, time, places and scenes in the novel outline itself. Take a character stack, blank side up, and start writing one sentence descriptions of scenes you want to write involving that character, one per card. Now you can proceed with the first draft. Craft your premise. How to Outline a Novel: 60 Index Cards Method Posted by Margaret Dilloway September 6, 2010 Posted in Uncategorized Tags: outlining a novel , Writers Resources , writing I used to be very against outlining books– novels– because I thought they had to be PURE and free-flowing and not sticking to any … Like, I have my own method. How to proceed with an Index card novel outlining. Place each idea or scene on its own index card. Not even close. Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat! Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. If you think you want to add some more scenes in the chapter, reflect those changes in the index card outline as well as a documented outline. That’s probably a blank spot in the novel which you gotta find out, and eventually, you will. All I can do is stay about 24-hours ahead of the “old” stuff. When I watched Sarra’s video, a light bulb went off over my head. Outlining your novel with index cards is a lot of work, but it also makes a lot of sense. A detailed outline can be of any number of pages. Because you might forget to make cards for some events in the previous steps or maybe you want to add more subplots. I hope you will find something helpful out of this method. When I get an idea for a novel, I spend many hours imagining it and jotting down ideas. This next bit is pure fun. Congratulations. Similarly, for plot twists and wars. With the index cards, it’s easy to find out errors. See more ideas about writing a … Also follow me on Instagram, because life is more fun with pictures. Don’t let the naysayers fool you: a story outline is the closest thing to a “get out of jail free” card in the long game of novel-writing. When using index cards for outlining, some writers get detailed with their cards, making one for each scene. How To Make a Step Outline: Scene Cards. I can be snark-a-licious, but only when provoked or when confronted with ignorant, ill-informed knuckleheads. Making a Narrative Outline Determine the opening scene. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Get yourself a stack of index cards. (I also believe in our Constitution – Don’t Tread on my Rights, Yo). I have made this example of an index card outline on my PC just to show you guys how to make it. Either way, you will have a clear picture of the flow of the novel. I’ve been blogging (on and off, mostly off) for…. I hope this was as helpful to you as it was to me. A scene doesn’t work where you think it should? 5 Reasons to choose a pen name for authors. Hello! I will. This is the underlying idea for your story. Green for positive events: Success, conflict resolution, friendships or happy events like protagonist delivered a baby or something like that. Flush out the details a bit, but keep each scene on one note/card. How to Outline a Novel (With Worksheet + Template) 14 Remarkable Comments. Physically moving (or dragging and dropping) your scene cards also adds a tactile element to plotting. And my plan when I get stuck is to move on to another writing project. *wink*. Required fields are marked *, © With the help of index cards and documented outline, your novel planning will be perfectly organized. But then last year, at the Hawaii Writer's Conference, I attended bestselling author William Bernhardt's outlining seminar. In a screenplay, this structure is pretty strictly followed given that films need to be a certain length, but there’s more room to play in a novel. A good way to find … I’ve been married to the same wonderful, patient, thoughtful and generous man (Kevin) for 30 years. My name is Karen and welcome! Then comes the subplots and events under each chapter, stick those notes under the chapter note. I’m going to reach my 50,000 word count working on a variety of projects. If you’re writing a book – fiction or non-fiction, try this. Have questions? That’s pretty much how I approach life, I bend rules. Are all of my index cards filled out? These days I use (virtual) index cards to create a detailed outline of my novel before I put pen to paper to create a first draft. For example, you can also use a pile of cards to write down character sheets and info, setting ideas and names of places, random bits of dialogue that … The method is for outlining novel subplots or scenes using index cards. Anyway, I’m excited about this “puzzle” approach to outlining and I’m very thankful to Sarra Cannon for sharing her knowledge with us. 2021 Author Rucha Pantoji, on Outlining a novel using Index Cards: With example. If you use the handy-dandy index card system to write your novel outline. 14 Comments; So you like stories, hm..? Not only will it help you establish your novel’s story, it can also motivate you to start writing and get those creative juices flowing. A detailed process is written below. The reverse outline works sort of in a backward method. The benefit of using index cards is that you can look at the overall structure and see if all the actions and characters are working the way you want … It doesn’t give me an exact view of my story, but it definitely gives me enough to start writing. Formatting an ebook: Microsoft Word Video Tutorial. You will find tons of different ideas to outline your novel on the internet. I’m used to never finishing something completely as my day job is never ending and I’m NEVER caught up, it’s just the nature of the beast, so to speak. Jun 5, 2013 - I used to be very against outlining books-- novels-- because I thought they had to be PURE and free-flowing and not sticking to any formula. A narrative outline can … So I’m used to juggling several things at once and I think that’s why I get bored with one project. I also have explained this method with a free outline template that you can modify as per your novel. However, they use some sort of basic planning to get their novel ready. how many years…? Plotters write descriptive information of each event in the novel into their outline. Take that notecard an… Count out index cards, one per scene, and divide them into character piles. I believe in Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Writing Well. In this blog, I am gonna talk about the Index card outlining method. Read more about my experiences as a medical assistant here. I went out and bought a pack of index cards with four colors. This method, according to me, could take a bit longer time. Write the name of the viewpoint character on one side of each of their notecards. I personally write chapter names first. However, if I come up with something new, I write it down in the notes. First write out a full outline in a document. Outlining a novel before starting the actual novel is the best way to avoid plotholes. Well, a novel outline is good for those people who prefer planning a novel beforehand in the detailed documentation. That’s certainly a better description than what I typically ascribe to it. (Okay, I really spend the majority of my “down” time watching YouTube videos or searching prompts and writing short stories to post). Organize Your Novel with Excel–This is a good way to look at a chapter or novel to see how your point of view, plot and other elements balance in a visual lay-out. I’m a mom to two young men – Blake (28) and Brandon (25). This step is to check if you have created any plotholes by mistake. For example, the Protagonist’s entry, his/her motives, a fight scene, a sudden twist in a plot, subplots and any other detail you wanna add. Act I is pink, Act II, part one, is light blue, Act II, part two is yellow, and Act III is baby green. Because he would then be able to spread these out on the floor, shuffle the order around, remove some and add new events into the mix. They had an idea they adored, and maybe … With the help of index cards and documented outline, your novel planning will be perfectly organized. Their chief allure: interchangeability. He said he couldn't teach us the poetry of writing, … The name pretty much tells everything about the method. There is two way you can do this. proposes using index cards to get a handle on what he sees as a movie’s 40 major beats (10 each in acts 1, 2A, 2B, and 3), while other screenwriters simply use them to keep track of the … Step 4: Convert the index card flow into a detailed document outline, Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Once you’ve placed all the plot cards you can on the timeline, take a step back and admire your hard work. I personally do not follow a single traditional method to outline my novel. Your pacing is uneven throughout the novel outline. You can do another way around, like making cards for primary events and then adding chapter cards at last. In such cases, you gotta rearrange the cards based on the flow of the story. When you’re done, you should have around 40 cards (i.e 40 scenes), 10 in each row, give or take a card. Step 6: Move Forward. The Reverse Outline. How to write a novel outline: With Detail outlining template, Your email address will not be published. (I’ve lost track, quite honestly). A sneak peek of my step outline … And side note: breaking up Act II into two parts makes a lot of sense to me, as well. I understand my writing self more now. It is a great writing tool for organizing chapters, scenes, acts, etc. I get bored. When you put these note cards on your cork board, you’ll see how the story flows. This 1-page outline will save us a lot of time and will make every novelist save time from thinking this and that during the writing phase, which is another tedious process (taking so much of our time). I like to flit from project-to-project. Imagine you’re a rock climber looking up at a tall cliff, for instance. Maybe Truth or Tradition can help. I work full time in a healthcare clinic – it’s my “day” job. Outlining your novel with index cards is a lot of work, but it also makes a lot of sense. But for plotters or people who for sure know they are going to miss a scene or subplot in the novel, should consider outlining a novel. It meant a bit of work to reshuffle and rewrite chapters. After that, make cards for each event in the chapter. Get a big table or a board on which you are going to stick the cards. A perk of this method is that you can shuffle the cards easily if you need to rearrange scenes. However, the primary structure to arrange the card is: Another way is to arrange all the events and subplot cards on the board first and then adding the cards for the chapters. Now you can proceed with the first draft. Have you decided on your card colors yet? It is a document that includes important information about the novel’s structure, characters, plot, and more. I don’t necessarily break the rules, but I definitely bend the rules. Red for danger: War, fight, conflicts, disagreements, negative twists like death and so on. Creating an Outline with Index Cards By georgelthomas on 11 Jul 2017 • (4) All you need to create your outline are 60 index cards, a pen or a marker of some sort and a large space in which to spread out the cards. This document’s length can vary from 1-page to a comprehensive visual mind map that includes diagrams to show the connections between ideas and information. Here’s one way to use Index Cards to create your outline…. The traditional back to school methods are always helpful for writers. I hope you did. If you are going to introduce any love scene in the chapter, use the color code. For the starter pack, you are gonna need, different colors of cards or sticky notes. What is the index card novel outlining method? Even though you are more comfortable with your laptop or PC, sometimes pen and paper notes are more helpful. I like having several irons in the fire, it’s what I’m used to and I thrive on multi-tasking. Because I’m not going to pretend I won’t get stuck. 1. Pressing “enter” or “return” on your keyboard while typing within an index card will save the synopsis you’ve written. Let me tell you a really tragic story then – a tale of passionate quest and heartbreaking despair! Plot Your Novel With Index Cards. As I heard someone describe the middle of your novel once – it’s the creamy, gooey filling of a delicious éclair. But I recommend using markers, cards, and a board to arrange the cards. Now, first, write the chapter names (tentative) on blue cards. But laying the cards out and then writing in my beginning scenes and my ending scenes, at least, my ending as it plays in my head now, that could, and likely will, change as I get closer to the end, and then sticking scenes that pop into my head into the puzzle as they come to me, REALLY helped me. Yellow cards for subplots in a novel. Whether you choose to use paper index cards, Scrivener’s corkboard, or another medium, scene cards are a staple of the writing process. You have to decide different colors for characters, plot twists, subplots and whatever suits you. Get out a pack of index cards, write the name of each character on the correct number of cards, and if you’d like, on a few extras — I’ll make eighteen for Elsie … Either way, keep those spare cards safe, just in case. In other words, you can use index cards to outline a novel and then write more details in your word document. Many writers ask questions like ‘how long an outline should be?’, ‘what is the best way to get the best outline ready?’, or ‘Is it important to have an outline?’. (Pst – you can find me on the NaNoWriMo website under the username: take2max!). And I hope you’re as ready as you can be for NaNoWriMo because, Blogfam, it’s nearly here! Write a one-line synopsis of each specific scene that you think should be in your story, one scene per card. This is the first time I’ve approached NaNoWriMo feeling comfortable with my “plan.” Which is what, you ask? Very easy to use. Break Out the Index Cards. You’ve just created the outline for your novel. Index cards to the rescue. Nope. sherry_soule says: March 5, 2015 at 2:45 pm I will be a NaNoWriMo Rebel because why not? They allow us to map out our novel one card at a time, then sequence them in the order that makes the most sense. I graduated from college with a B.S in Technical Writing – so I’m a wordy know-it-all, as well as a minor in creative writing – so don’t always believe what I write. Now its time to fill the cards up. Pink for love interests: Proposals, crush on someone, romantic scene, first kiss or love confessions. 1) Write, on separate cards, the scenes you know are going to be in your story. Plotting your novel. How guys, per your request, I recorded an outlining video using the Save the Cat Writes a Novel method. I am a medical assistant and when you juggle 40+ patients a week, scheduling them for testing, appointments, preparing a short synapsis of why they are coming in and comorbidities for my doctor and mid-level, answering phone calls and returning phone calls, addressing messages from my co-workers about patients, covering for other medical assistants when they’re out and all the miscellaneous work, I’m never caught up. Podcast: If the Government Said They Would Give You $1500 to Get the COVID Vaccine – Would You. Color codes are for a better understanding of an outline. Pantsers do not consider plotting the novel, which answers the third question. You can even do this digitally with note card applications (like the Cardboard Novels … A novel outline template is almost like the framework of a novel. I don’t really create the entire outline, I kind of go with the flow while adding some notes under chapter title.