What a book stuck to a wall looks like

by | Apr 6, 2011 | Uncategorized | 28 comments

See those spaces in column two?

Those spaces are what I’m working on. Sometimes it helps to see the story structure visually.

How do you revise?

28 Comments

  1. Donna Weaver
    Donna Weaver on April 6, 2011 at 6:02 am

    My hubby put up a 4×8 piece of whiteboard for me. I use those sticky 3×5 (and sometimes color coded 3×3) post it notes. That way I can shift where a scene if if I need to.

  2. Carrie
    Carrie on April 6, 2011 at 8:06 am

    Love it! I have a huge cork board with little cards that I move around when I need to change things. I love being able to see the story (and notes about the characters) all laid out.

  3. Cruella Collett
    Cruella Collett on April 6, 2011 at 8:30 am

    Haha, this being the serial killer files and all I visualized a book stuck to a wall by a knife or something…

    This looks like an excellent way of organizing your thoughts, though. I may have to try it some time 🙂

  4. Samantha Sotto-Yambao
    Samantha Sotto-Yambao on April 6, 2011 at 9:27 am

    Great idea! You're sooooo organized! *dies of envy*

  5. Joseph L. Selby
    Joseph L. Selby on April 6, 2011 at 10:53 am

    I tried cards once and found them too distracting. I simply start at the beginning and go back through. If chapters need to move, I'll cut them out and paste them in a separate file and then put them back in when/if they're needed.

  6. Sophia Richardson
    Sophia Richardson on April 6, 2011 at 11:21 am

    When I actually get to the revision process (the first novel needs hardcore redirection rather than mere revision) I'll be throwing up the index cards like you, trying to make sure Act 1, Act 2, part one, Act 2, part two, and Act 3 are all action packed and awesome.
    – Sophia.

  7. L.G.Smith
    L.G.Smith on April 6, 2011 at 1:17 pm

    Yeah, I think I work more like Joseph. I tried cards and it was more work than I wanted. I keep everything in notebooks and somehow manage to make sense of it all.

  8. JB Lynn
    JB Lynn on April 6, 2011 at 1:21 pm

    Ha! Your wall looks an awful lot like my dining room table when I'm at that stage. Oh, and I'm big on paradigms.

  9. D U Okonkwo
    D U Okonkwo on April 6, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    LOL! 🙂 Good one!

  10. adam.purple
    adam.purple on April 6, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    Very nice, especially the spotlight! I think you are much more organized than I am.

  11. Marsha Sigman
    Marsha Sigman on April 6, 2011 at 4:18 pm

    This is awesome, and wayyy more organized than I am.

    I usually go back over and over it on the computer. But I think with my current wip, I'm going to have to try something a little different.

  12. Stephanie Faris
    Stephanie Faris on April 6, 2011 at 6:27 pm

    I just go through it, beginning to end, and work in all my changes. I'm also not one who charts everything out before I write. I tried doing that… The best I can do is chart it out halfway through, when I'm stuck and need to know where to go next!

  13. Girl Friday
    Girl Friday on April 6, 2011 at 6:57 pm

    Great idea, I had something similar for my last novel. It really does help me hugely to see everything laid out at a glance like that.

  14. Milo James Fowler
    Milo James Fowler on April 6, 2011 at 7:35 pm

    I like your method. Mine involves bashing my head against the wall.

  15. RaShelle
    RaShelle on April 6, 2011 at 10:00 pm

    Jennifer – I have my book stuck on my wall, too. It's so helpful. =D

  16. Ricky
    Ricky on April 6, 2011 at 10:15 pm

    Kinda like the police trying to solve a case….well, movie & tv police anyway.

  17. Joann Swanson
    Joann Swanson on April 6, 2011 at 10:28 pm

    Very cool! I'm a spreadsheet kinda gal at this stage and it's working really well for me. I color code like no one's business and keep my character sheets, overall story notes, etc. in separate tabs.

  18. Roberta Walker
    Roberta Walker on April 7, 2011 at 12:16 am

    You're so much neater than I am! I do like index cards and use the brightly colored ones all the time in revision. Each color represents a subplot, so I can be sure everythihng woven together instead of lumped. Great visual!

  19. getyourselfconnected
    getyourselfconnected on April 7, 2011 at 12:24 am

    I love it! When I am working on stock stuff I use a leather planner with hand notes, very not high tech. At work I don't use the automated primer design function, I do it by eye like in the old days. I like the way you work 🙂

  20. Lydia K
    Lydia K on April 7, 2011 at 12:25 am

    I do this on paper but it may be helpful to tack it up on a wall. Thanks for the idea!

  21. Holly Ruggiero
    Holly Ruggiero on April 7, 2011 at 1:56 am

    Visually I think that would kick start the ol' brain creatively.

  22. Alleged Author
    Alleged Author on April 7, 2011 at 2:08 am

    What a great idea! I've never thought to do something like this before–hope it helped you!

  23. Monica B.W.
    Monica B.W. on April 7, 2011 at 3:27 am

    Oh that's a great way to do it!! 😀
    How do I revise? Well, let say I'm a lot messier than you! 😛

  24. Heather M. Gardner
    Heather M. Gardner on April 7, 2011 at 11:28 am

    This defines true author as opposed to just writing on the side!
    Love this idea!

  25. Elena Solodow
    Elena Solodow on April 7, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    Makes everything look so organized! I always email myself book notes.

  26. Jennifer Hillier
    Jennifer Hillier on April 7, 2011 at 8:50 pm

    Thanks for stopping by, guys.

    I'm not normally this old school when I'm revising, but it was the only thing that seemed to work this time around! I'll have to break out the colored index for next time. 🙂

  27. Jennie Bailey
    Jennie Bailey on April 9, 2011 at 2:18 am

    That is awesome! What do you stick it with? I have a board that I stick the post-its on. I do a short summary on the post-it of each chapter. If it doesn't move the story forward, it's gone. It helps me see where I can add, what I can take away and what I forgot to tie up at the end! But I like your wall better. There's more room on your paper!!

  28. alexia
    alexia on April 9, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    Wow, this is a cool way to organize scenes! I create a bazillion outlines and spreadsheets and things, but I may have to try this.

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