Does anyone know of a program or tracking system I can use? I'm writing a paranormal romance series, 3rd book and have to keep going back to check dates, ages, character descriptions, etc. I know there's a better way than a spiral notebook.
Tracking in a Series
- Thread starter HildieM
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Some folks have been caught using an Excel spreadsheet.
There's also a lot to be said for a set of timelines, perhaps one for each major character, on a long sheet of kraft paper pinned to a wall. Sticky notes help with arranging and correcting.
There's also this program: http://www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/stickies/.
It's good for putting a basic timeline, or character descriptions, right on your computer screen. Plus, it's free.
It's good for putting a basic timeline, or character descriptions, right on your computer screen. Plus, it's free.
Personal Wiki. That's what I do, anyway. Great way to build a story manual, if you're comfortable with the way they work.
You could do like George RR Martin allegedly has done, which is to:
amass bajillions of rabid fans then ask them what the hell you made your characters do along the eighty-seventy-five-trillion pages you've written.
amass bajillions of rabid fans then ask them what the hell you made your characters do along the eighty-seventy-five-trillion pages you've written.
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Yeah, but then those bajillion fans will come up with three bajillion different interpretations of "it rained last Friday night".
I haven't updated it in a while but I have what I call a morgue, which is a file box of index cards with character names, descriptions, titles they appear in, and their relationships with the other characters in the book(s). Here's the kicker: it's all written by hand.
This made me giggle
As for me, I just have a Word document with important information. I might try an Excel timeline, though.
The various fiction specific word processors like Scrivener have built in tools for a lot of backstory/character management.
But spreadsheets, whether Excel or the free Google apps version are often used.
But spreadsheets, whether Excel or the free Google apps version are often used.
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I use OneNote, which is a Microsoft product and packaged with some versions of MS Office. Meaning, if you have Office, you might already have OneNote and not realise it. You can download a trial version if you don't have it, and you can buy it separately from Office. If you have a student in your home, you can even buy it using a student discount.
(And being as how I mostly hate MS products, my saying I love OneNote really is saying something!)
(And being as how I mostly hate MS products, my saying I love OneNote really is saying something!)
I use Ywriter5. It lets you write down notes for characters, places, items, scenes, etc. It is really handy to keep track of where your characters are and what they are doing.
Here is the link http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html
Here is the link http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html
I'm not writing a series, but I find a detailed timeline quite valuable. I don't use any special program, I just open a new word document (Libre Office) and write a list of the details I need to keep track of. I start with a chapter-by-chapter timeline, with dates and locations.
Then I create a detailed biography for each main character, and smaller biographies for lesser characters. The biography contains things like: appearance, personality, employment, family members and friends, education, medical information, dress and grooming, personal habits, internal conflicts (such as phobias, confrontations, etc.), speech patterns and mannerisms, likes and dislikes, social ties, personal beliefs, childhood traumas, recent history and backstory, etc. Anything that might be good to know at a later point. I also detail what shifts in characterization occur through the course of the novel. i.e.: What the character is like in the beginning and how they mature and grow as the story progresses.
I've done this timeline/biography combo for several novels now and it's worked beautifully each time.
Also, as far as organization goes, Libre Office and Open Office both allow you to set "bookmarks" so that you click on the menu and automatically jump to whichever bookmark you need. That way, if you have a very long timeline, you can divide it according to year, or chapter, or book, or whatever, and then just click on "Chapter 23" (for example) and jump straight to it, without having to scroll through your entire file. Very useful!
Then I make a personal timeline for the character.
If there's a pregnancy or anything similar that needs a detailed timeline, I'll add that as well.
Then I create a detailed biography for each main character, and smaller biographies for lesser characters. The biography contains things like: appearance, personality, employment, family members and friends, education, medical information, dress and grooming, personal habits, internal conflicts (such as phobias, confrontations, etc.), speech patterns and mannerisms, likes and dislikes, social ties, personal beliefs, childhood traumas, recent history and backstory, etc. Anything that might be good to know at a later point. I also detail what shifts in characterization occur through the course of the novel. i.e.: What the character is like in the beginning and how they mature and grow as the story progresses.
I've done this timeline/biography combo for several novels now and it's worked beautifully each time.
Also, as far as organization goes, Libre Office and Open Office both allow you to set "bookmarks" so that you click on the menu and automatically jump to whichever bookmark you need. That way, if you have a very long timeline, you can divide it according to year, or chapter, or book, or whatever, and then just click on "Chapter 23" (for example) and jump straight to it, without having to scroll through your entire file. Very useful!
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There's also this program: http://www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/stickies/.
It's good for putting a basic timeline, or character descriptions, right on your computer screen. Plus, it's free.
Awesome! *grabs*
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