Episode 111: Before you write (part 1, tools)
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Ep 111: Before you write (part 1, tools)
This episode and the notes include affiliate links.
Since NaNoWriMo is only a few weeks away, Fable and the Verbivore are having a three-part conversation that unpacks prep work that we do prior to writing. Today’s episode covers writing tools and resources that can potentially help with that process - specifically some of the ones we’ve found most useful.
In this episode, we discuss the benefits and limitations of different writing programs such as Scrivener, Word, and Google Docs. We also geek out on tactile tools such as notecards, colorful sticky notes, highlighters and colorful pens, notebooks, grease boards, and bulletin boards. From story spreadsheets to mood boards to Pinterest to story bibles, we talk about things that can help organize information in a variety of formats and allow it to be at your fingertips when you need it.
There are also a great many authors who generously share their own writing practice and we talk about being open to giving something new a try and seeing if it’s for you. We specifically mention the story template that J.K. Rowling used for her first Harry Potter book and the excel spreadsheet that Angie Thomas used for The Hate You Give.
The major takeaway for us from this conversation is there is not a clear right way to approach a project and it often requires some trial and error to figure out what will work - and that may change with each project. And, sometimes, just paying attention to what’s not working and pivoting before you’re too far into the process is the best you can do.
We hope you enjoy this episode! Keep reading, writing, and putting your voice out there!
Into the woods,
Fable & The Verbivore
Notes:
In case you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, here is some information: https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-nanowrimo
The Verbivore talked about the writing program Scrivener. This is a paid product available for macOS, Windows, & iOS. Learn more at https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
Fable brings up the spreadsheet that J. K. Rowling used to track key story elements on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. It looks like it’s now been taken off the internet, but here is a link to a photo of her hand drawn story spreadsheet for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:
The Verbivore talks about Angie Thomas’ Instagram stories (@angiethomas) that talk about writing tips and how she approached planning The Hate You Give. Here is that link:
Fable mentions mood boards as a way to help spark your story. Here is an article that includes some ideas for how to approach creating one:
Fable brings up story bibles as a method for keeping track of the elements of your story. Here is an article that talks about some areas that could be tracked based on project needs:
Fable mentions that our friend and writer Jo Mercer is hosting a NaNo prep month on Instagram @jmercerbooks under the hashtag #nanoprepandwin. It has some great story preparation prompts and questions. If you’re readying to write a new story, we’d highly recommend checking it out!
Books Mentioned:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)