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OK.. I admit it. I'm new to writing and would like some peoples opinion.
While I am working on my story I found that its almost impossible to keep track of my characters along with the story line. I'm not trying to do a SOTP story. I know where I'm going and all.
I've seen some programs that help with the structure, design and such. So what what programs do you guys use? Besides word that is.
Comments
I don't use programs like you
I don't use programs like you are talking about. I was taught to write like this:
1. come up with the concept.
2. flesh out several paragraphs central to that concept.
3. Start with "what lead up to this concept or scene?"
4. What happens later?
5. Add detail to any section that needs it.
6. Add more details.
7. Add more details.
Normally by that point, you have the story written. The central plot point is the pivot upon which the story turns, and as long as you keep adding detail to scenes, people's reactions, their thoughts and dialogue to get you to that point, and then add in the conclusion and how things resolve out, that's the basic structure of the story.
My wife calls it "start in the middle, plunge headlong into the beginning and finish it with the end, stop writing."
In actual practice, for me that is, I wind up composing it totally in my head before I open Word or TextPad, and when I get to that point, I typically just "vomit" the contents into that format, so someone can read it. I do go back and do some editing to make sure the "flow" is good, and that questions raised get answered, but mostly it's done when I write it. Go figure.
I use a very low tech solution
I write on some really odd stuff called "paper" using a device called a "pen", and write down stuff about my characters. You could do that, or open a new word file just for background stuff.
Pen? What is this Pen?
And where do you get this paper stuff? Is it some new kind of monitor? Hey, is this some kind of secret Canadian Wal-Mart product? No fair!
Wren
Paper & Pen
I believe I have heard about this paper & pen thing but thought it was all a rumor :)
-Elsbeth
Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste.
Broken Irish is better than clever English.
Pssst - Got something for you!
Now, don't tell anybody, it's still a secret.
I got just two words for you. Get in early and you'll make a fortune.
You paying attention, kid? Two words....
Carbon Paper
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Program? They have programs?
Most of my writing is in Word 2003. The way I learned was by doing it and having people tell me where I went wrong. (No you fool! Take him away, and give him twenty lashes. And next time, you idiot, Capitalize!) It's the hard way, but it works. Of course, I still mess up every so often, but there are plenty of people to show me the error of my ways!
I'd say practice makes makes perfect, but I keep writing, and I'm only up to mildly incompetent. (sigh) A woman's work is never done. Good luck!
Wren
Note Pad
Or another very basic text editor is, in my opinion, the best way to go.
At least for me, when writing in anything else I tend to get overly concerned with what are really meaningless particulars for most writing. Is the font right? Should I bold this, or underline it? Bullet points? Text color?
None of that is really necessary, and for the initial stages of writing a story will do little more than cause difficulties with finishing any kind of work.
As for keeping track of characters, I've taken to simply keeping a list of them at the bottom of any text document I write, or on a convenient scrap of paper if I'm writing by hand, with character name, relationship to main character, and a few other key points of interest. Such things are easy to remove before posting or converting, very useful for keeping track of things (I'll occasionally do the same with a quick map or outline of the story if I have one available,) and are easy to add to or subtract from as the need arises.
Melanie E.
Writing Tools
Well, I don't use Word. I don't even have a copy of Word on my system. I use emacs for writing, but I don't recommend it unless you're an old computer hacker who thinks mice should be fed to the cats and a gesture interface should get you slapped.
If you're having trouble keeping track of characters, write out a character sheet for each character. There are a gazillion templates on the net, but really all you need is the stuff that makes each character unique in your story. Name, how old are they, etc. Some back story is usually good because it provides motivation.
The same thing is true of the plot line. Just sketch out each scene - a few words will do, with which characters are in it, what's the challenge and any resolutions. Where does it take place. Etc. Some people swear by the "Hero's Journey" stuff, some swear at it. Add whatever else you need to keep track of. Index cards can be good. I had one teacher who used to answer pleas of "I can't fit all this on one card" with "get a smaller card."
There are several programs to keep track of stuff whose users seem to recommend them highly. The good ones all cost money and don't seem to run on a Mac. Sigh. In any case, I'm a firm believer in starting as low tech as you possibly can - there are advantages to paper, pencil and index cards. You can scatter index cards all over the table, rearrange them, tear them up and throw them in the trash with a great feeling of accomplishment, etc. A computer screen just doesn't have that "get your hands into it" feeling.
HTH
Xaltatun
Programs for writing
Dear ib12us
There was a discussion about this, here, a couple of years ago. You may find bits of it helpful:
Software for writing
Pertinent Stuff
Bike Resources
Thanks
Thanks I remember this. Yes I've been a member for so long now. I just had to get my feet wet.
Scrivener
I use Scrivener for about half of the stuff I write, most of the rest I use one version or another of some Word clone. I usually have two or three windows open in Scivener, one of which is a character file and another may be a location file. I do something similar in Word. In Word, I also have a lot of notes on the last page of the story, I keep pushing this ahead of me by inserting pages but then I can just jump down to the end to look at my notes, or add a new one.
By the time I get a 5000 word story written, I generally have 2 to 3000 words of notes of various sorts. Longer stories are not usually in the same proportion.
One thing I do is build a history for main characters, before and after the story, this is usually just in my head but sometimes is also written down.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Thanks
Thanks for all your input. I'm used to using pen an paper but lately I've misplaced things such as my books on my characters. Old age I guess and keeping up with my kids.
I'll look into your suggestion Erin and I'll always use paper and pencil at work.
Again thanks for all your input
Mike
Programs
To tell the truth, I only use notepad. (hears some boos in the background) Sure, I have plenty of spelling errors, but it's the best program for me. You see, I typed really fast. And by fast, I mean extremely fast that Microsoft Word (from 2003 and above) can't keep up with my speed on my pitiful outdated computer. With notepad, I took processing power out of the equation and type as I wish, especially when my ideas flows like water and I couldn't wait for Microsoft Word to catch up to me.
Pen and paper doesn't work for me, not by much anyway. I have this extreme laziness to convert it all to digital, which sucks. I do admit that pen and paper is faster for inspiration though.
I'm looking forward to getting a tablet. Works like pen and paper, but without the need to transfer it to the computer.
The one I use the most however, is my own brain. Apparently, once an idea takes root in my mind, I don't even need to control it anymore. It goes forward even if I'm not there. So there was this awkward moment in my imagination when I ask, "Hey, what happened to Gert's shack?" Then someone would come and say, "Who's Gert?" Then I would explain and the guy would tell me that Gert was his great great grandfather, who has been dead for over 60 years. There were times when I had to reset an idea because I didn't like how it turned out.