Emotional Alignment Guide

 

Productivity Obsidian Vault

I made an Obsidian vault with instructions and a bunch of templates for anyone interested in productivity. Download the folder https://drive.google.com/.../10tcbLgQBCof9lLc0SOSOW49YzjA... Place the folder where you want your vault to be located. Download and install Obsidian https://obsidian.md/. Then open folder as a vault.

Cherry Pomodoros

I consistently found myself with many unavoidable appointments, blocks of blank productivity time. In a Friday Hansei I decided to address this issue and came up with bite-sized travel friendly Cherry Pomodoros. Now, if you don't already know a Pomodoro is a set block of time devoted to the focus on your task. Pomodoro means tomato in Italian, as the person who invented the pomodoro technique used a tomato kitchen timer to track their Pomodoros. So, if Pomodoros translates to tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes are like regular sized Pomodoros but smaller. 

Preplan your options. Make a list of things you can do that can be easily dropped at a moments notice. Something you can do while sitting in a waiting room.

Ideas for Cherry Pomodoros:
Study
Research
Review
Brainstorm
Analyze and Organize
Create a Plan of Action
Harvestable Pomodoros

Harvestable Pomodoros or Flowering Pomodoros are focused on growing whatever it is you produce. It is the goal, but often times there isn't enough time in a Cherry Pomodoro to really hit a flow state and grow decent tomatoes. If there are things you can do in the limited span of a Cherry Pomodoro then that's fine, but you don't want to tap into a flow state and then be interrupted.

Prepack your travel kit. Here is an example of mine:
MX Keys Mini Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard
Tablet
Fountain Pen (Jin Hao, cheap but it works)
Tablet Stylus (Wacom One)
Fountain Pen Cartridges
A Book
A Magazine
Dude Wipes
Hand Sanitizer
Chapstick

Note: make sure that items that can potentially leak and ruin the other items are kept in separate compartments and in a plastic case or plastic bag. These are all being carried in large book bag (often listed as Bible carrying cases). Consider getting a travel case for the keyboard. 

Additional items that did not fit into the book carrying case are the padfolio with a legal pad and the coffee travel tumbler. Note: Walmart has cheap fountain pen friendly legal pads for about a dollar at least at the time this post was created. If you don't have a padfolio a clipboard will also do.

Remember that blocks of time devoted to rest, relaxation, and recharging are necessary. If you work all of the time without rest you will burn out and be forced to rest by your brain or your body through burnout. Cherry Pomodoros are meant to help grow more tomatoes in the brief spaces of time that can cut into your productivity for the day.

Friday Hansei

A Hansei is a review that focuses on self-critique. You can impalement this form of self evaluation by setting a specific day of the week or month. I like doing it weekly on a Friday, thus Friday Hansei. They should also be done  monthly, quarterly, and annually in a deeper dive as well. I prefer doing it at the end of the week to evaluate what I have done and pre-plan what I will do. While my regular weekly reviews are on Monday I will of course check my Hansei notes to see if I am on track during my weeklys.

Hansei procedure:

I like sitting down and writing it out on legal pads with a fountain pen. It is relaxing and gives me time to think and slowly evaluate the issues. I actually use two legal pads one for 'drafting' ideas for the Hansei issues and the other to refine it.

First I write in the drafting Hansei legal pad. I write down basically everything I think is wrong, goals unmet, or things that can be improved upon.

At the beginning I ask myself these questions:

Mood:
Sleep:
Hansei implementations met this week?:

Issue:
Potential Solutions:
Accepted Solution: 
Actionable Implementation of System Alteration: 

Repeat the issue block of questions for every issue you have. Then gather all of the proposed system changes to your routine and write them down in a separate list and if you want an note taking app. Make a note of your actionable system alterations to keep it fresh in your mind in your note app or a piece of paper kept by your side. Look over it often, sometimes your brain will analyze your proposed system implementations and come up with new ideas.

The Garden of Productivity

Systems of productivity should be custom fit and evolve with a user’s need. I wanted to share my methodology and tools I have incorporated into my workflow.

Begin with a practical mindset, which entails reviews, projections, deadlines; a cultivation of habits; and set schedules. Aim for targets and track your progress.

A word of warning about the productivity procrastination rabbit hole. While systems and measurements are important, they are but the tools and the soil in which your work flourishes. Necessary? Yes. Everything? No. Do not waste valuable worktime with productivity research, unless of course you are a consultant or analyst. Limit the research of productivity techniques and tools to a set number of Pomodoros (or work-time blocks) per day, week or even less.

Time-tracking is essential, I use Toggl Track where I can customize the Pomodoro timer. I do not map out a day hour-by-hour, rather I keep a daily note in Obsidian and try to hit a certain number of Pomodoros per day. Obsidian is a great note taking app with a steep learning curve. My mornings look like this: proceed with personal morning routine followed by a 10-minute orientation of the day. What my daily note currently looks like:

Note that this has a skin on it (Minimal) and a few community plugins (Kanban, Style Settings, Minimal Theme Settings, and Toggle Track).

 

For more information on Obsidian and a list of templates please refer to this page.

Grow your garden, a metaphor.

A Pomodoro simply translates to a set block of work time (or quite literally translates to tomato). Some may refer to them as writing sprints. The general idea is you sit down and work until the timer goes off, take a short break, and then do another Pomodoro. In my garden metaphor I refer to creative and preliminary work as Creative Pomodoros and the Pomodoros that bear fruit as Flowering Pomodoros. The soil of productivity and the tools of measurement are all there to support the growth of those harvestable tomatoes. Ideally, you will spend most of the time ripening the harvestable Pomodoros. The vines that grow in your garden first are the preproduction type Creative Pomodoros. While necessary they are not the fruit, which is your goal.

Timothy Zhan once said, “If you want to be a writer, you have to show up for work.”

Writing is mentally taxing, often boring and similar in many regards to factory work. Of course, it isn’t all mundane, however a large percentage of it is difficult, laborious and has proven to be a challenging craft.

Mornings are routine followed by a 10-minute to-do daily orientation of filling out your tasks and goals for the day. Followed by IF statements like in programming. IF it is Sunday or Monday then proceed with Weekly Reviews. The same goes for the beginning of the month, year, and quarters of course.

First, I throw Obsidian’s daily note into a general inbox folder, to be moved into the corresponding week for processing when it is time to do the weekly review.

It looks like this:

If you use Toggl Track you can easily see on the reports page what week of the year you are in without having to count it out.

Starting everything with an annual projection on January 1^st is ideal, but you can always shift your year to your own quarters and realign when you cross into the new year. Best to start today, as our time on this planet is limited.

Cultivate habit over motivation. Utilize motivation when it comes but do not wait for it. Motivation is a fickle mistress who is guaranteed to leave you. Commit to habit. Habit is dependable, and with the proper structure, analytics, and routine it can be your path to a vibrant ‘garden.’

 

IF statements:

IF Sunday or Monday
                Then Weekly review
IF Friday

                Then backup your files
                Then Hansei

IF the first of the month

                Then Monthly review etc.

Hansei is a specific type of review that focuses on self-critique. It is not meant to be a tear yourself down, but it is a time to highlight the flaws in your systems in order to promote constant improvement. Personally, I find it enjoyable to sit down with a notebook and a fountain pen and write Hansei reviews by hand. Then I type up a list of the issues and potential fixes into a note in my Obsidian for easy reference. At the beginning of the 2^nd week of Hansei reviews refer to the previous week and see if there are reoccurring issues and if you have made progress.

Consider a morning 10-10-10. Mine currently is 10-minutes Hansei tracking review. 10-minutes handwriting practice. 10-minuet daily orientation.

Aim for a target number of Pomodoros per day, track and review. Be kind to yourself. We all need time off, some more than others.

Links:

Obsidian download –alternative Microsoft Loop, Evernote, OneNote
Toggle Track - mobile - desktop - alternative Clockify or Forest app
Kanban alternative: Trello or Taiga

Note: While Obsidian is free the sync ability is not, you can use SyncThing or GIT (I believe) in order to sync between your devices for free.

Obsidian: Scene Postflight checklist

### Is the description evocative, is it filtered through the POV character matching mood and disposition?

### Is the pacing balanced? Does it flow?

### Is the "camera" zoomed/in out in the proper places?

### Is the description detailed?

### Is the dialogue marked clearly?

### Does to dialogue have tension/conflict?

### Does to dialogue have subtext?

#### Do gestures convey mood/character/thought?

#### Minimize filtration:

#### Does the scene: 

#### Advance the character? 

#### Advance the plot?

#### Have you interrogated your character's motivation?

#### Setting detail?

#### Sensory detail?

#### What has changed?

#### Is the story told in real time?

#### Show and tell check:

#### Dominos from previous scene?:

#### Hook for next scene?

#### Is the description fluid and active?

#### Is the pacing balanced/does it flow?

Obsidian: Scene Preflight Checklist

 ### Scene: 

### Emotional tone of scene:

#### Emotional state of POV char:

### Information developed: 

### Hook: 

### Dopamine Hit: 

### Tension: 

### Stakes: 

### Suspense: 

### Purpose/Goal: 

Obsidian: Character Template

## Name: 

### Rank:

### Realm:

### Appearance:

#### Memorable Character appearance trait: 

### Eye Color:

### Hair Color:

### Skin Color: 

### Style/Uniform: 

### Needs: 

### Wants: 

### Values: 

### Fears: 

### Abilities: 

### Personality: 

### Affiliations: 

### Etcetera: 

Obsidian: Weekly Template

 #### Date: 

#### Pomodoro Total:

#### Review:

### Projection:

Obsidian: Quarterly Template

 #### Date: 

#### Pomodoro Total:

#### Review:

### Projection:

Obsidian: Monthly Template

 #### Pomodoro Total:

#### Hour Total:

#### Quarter:

#### Review:

### Projection:

#### Targets:

#### Months left until new Quarter: 

Obsidian: Hansei Template

#### Mood:

#### Sleep:

#### Implementations met:

#### Review:

#### Systems Solutions:

#### Issue:

#### Potential Solution:

#### Chosen Solution:

#### Actionable Implantation:

#### Issue:

#### Potential Solution:

#### Chosen Solution:

#### Actionable Implantation:

#### Issue:

#### Potential Solution:

#### Chosen Solution:

#### Actionable Implantation:

#### Issue:

#### Potential Solution:

#### Chosen Solution:

#### Actionable Implantation:

#### Issue:

#### Potential Solution:

#### Chosen Solution:

#### Actionable Implantation:

#### Issue:

#### Potential Solution:

#### Chosen Solution:

#### Actionable Implantation:

Obsidian: Annual Template

 #### Pomodoro Total:

#### Review:

### Projection:

Obsidian: Daily Weekend Template

 Pomodoro total: 

Mood: 

Stress burnout level: 

### Morning: 

- [ ] 30 minutes morning routine

- [ ] 20 minutes makeup and medication

- [ ] 10-minute meditation, journaling etc.

- [ ] 10-minute orient for the day

- [ ] Study Hour

- [ ] Charge extra keyboards

- [ ] What can I do to improve the story today?

### To-do's:

- [ ] 

### End of Day:

- [ ] Journal 10 minutes

- [ ] Fill in pomodoro numbers

### List of to-dos:

- [ ] Weekend option 1

- [ ] Weekend option 2

- [ ] Weekend option 3

- [ ] Weekend option 4

### Study hour options

- [ ] Book 1

- [ ] Book 2

- [ ] Book 3

- [ ] Audio/Video option

Obsidian: Daily Weekday Template

 Pomodoro total: 

Mood: 

Stress burnout level: 

### Morning: 

- [ ] 30 minutes morning routine

- [ ] 20 minutes makeup and medication

- [ ] 10-minute meditation, journaling etc.

- [ ] 10-minute orient for the day

- [ ] Study Hour

- [ ] What can I do to improve today?

### To-do's: (mark with x)

| Flowering Pomodoros |

1 |  

2 |  

3 |  

4 |  

5 |  

6 |  

| Creative Pomodoros |

1 |  

2 |  

3 |  

4 |  

### End of Day:

- [ ] Journal 10 minutes

- [ ] Fill in pomodoro numbers

### If Monday or Friday: 

- [ ] Clerical (Monday)

- [ ] Backup (Friday)

### Study hour options

- [ ] Book 1

- [ ] Book 2

- [ ] Book 3

- [ ] Audio/Video option

Obsidian: Daily Review Simple Template

 ### Pomodoro total: 

 ### Mood: 

 ### To-do:

- [ ] 

- [ ] 

- [ ] 

- [ ] 

- [ ] 

- [ ] 

 ### Overdue:

- [ ]  

 ### Etc:

#### To-do Projection:

#### Notes: 

#### Review: 

Backup! Backup! Backup!

 One day a week, I do a mandatory backup of my files. The best way to save your files is a 3-2-1 backup system at least. Basically, you want it backed up in 2 separate places such as USB drives or microSD cards. I keep one in a fireproof box. 

Also keep the very important files zipped and stored off site. The site I recommend for that is ProtonDrive. Proton was created by CERN scientists with a focus on privacy. It is encrypted. Just make sure to use a unique, long password for your ProtonDrive. Consider zipping your files with an encrypted password if you like.

So again 3-2-1

2 USB/microSD/etc backup of your files.

1 offsite

Make it a habit. It doesn’t take very long. Backup! Backup! Backup!

Writing Tools: Laptop

What should you be looking for in a laptop for writing? First of all, get a bluetooth keyboard. I recommend a few in this article. Don’t forget a portable mouse and mouse pad as well.

Presently speaking, technology of the intel atom processor and low gigs of ram are alright when it comes to a laptop that you won’t be using for anything other than writing. Note that you may have to switch a streaming laptop from Windows S mode if you need to use programs like Scrivener. 

At the moment, I would be wary of stats of the hard drive only because some are so small you can’t even update Windows. Go for the 64 gig hd, over a 32, and make sure it has a microSD slot so you can expand its memory as well. I would not go under 4 gigs of ram if that is even an option these days.

Personally speaking, an 11.6” HP stream that I have works well. I was afraid the screen may be too small to edit scenes side by side in Scrivener 3, but it works fine.

Make your computer go a bit faster:

Disable Superfetch

Disable Windows Search

Do not install anything you do not need and certainly don’t have anything running that you don’t need. The resources may be acceptable these days, they are still low end.
Make sure you know what is starting up (from task manager) and disable anything not critical.

If you plan to use Scrivener, I would get a Windows based laptop, and not a Chromebook. If you need a free word processor, I would use LibreOffice. The cloud is fickle, and other people can more easily access your information.

Writing Tools: Bluetooth Keyboard

Just like investing in a quality pen if you are writing by hand for a long time, investing in a quality portable bluetooth keyboard is worth adding to your routine.

Portability, the ability to hook up to not only your bluetooth enabled desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. As of this writing, September 3rd 2022, the best two bluetooth keyboards for writing are Apple’s TenKeyLess Magic Keyboard, and Logitech’s MX Keys Mini.

The price point of both recommended keyboards are 99 dollars. 

Here are the pluses and minuses of both keyboards:

Apple Magic Keyboard

+ It has an aluminum frame.

- At least for me, it has the Apple keys

Logitech MX Keys Mini Wireless

+ Can easily switch between multiple bluetooth devices

- Has a hard plastic frame

+ Backlit keys for writing in the dark

Make sure you get the TKL version of the Apple Magic Keyboard for portability. 

Personally, I like Apple’s keyboards, and the aluminum frame compared to the solid plastic frame of the MX Keys Mini is why I went with the Magic Keyboard. However, the competition was close. The ability to easily switch between several devices is a highlight. I don’t look at keys when I’m typing, so the backlit keys of the MX Keys Mini didn’t really add anything for me. Also note that the Apple Magic Keyboard can easily be used with Windows PC, as well as Android. I haven’t tested a Chromebook, but I would be surprised if it didn’t work. 

Please note if you use Scrivener and want to sync and edit on your Android phone there is a free app called Office: Textmaker it has the ability to edit RTF files. 

In the end, if you can get to a store that has a demo, you can type on the keyboard and decide which one feels right for you.

Revision Map

Revisions: Freeze your manuscript in phases utilizing a Linux distribution method

Linux distros such as Debian use a system of phases and freezes in their release process. The following is an example of my revision process utilizing the Debian method. The following is a Trello Kanban board.

When you reach certain phases then no more large changes are accepted. The following soft freeze means that unless something is critical, or a plot hole is discovered that no more changes can be made at a smaller level. Only grammar, line editing, and critical issues can be addressed. Until you reach a full freeze where no changes are accepted, unless it is absolutely critical.

An artist knows when to pull back from a drawing, when more marks on the page would only make the drawing worse. The same concept can be applied to revising. Reach each milestone and freeze your manuscript in phases.

Suggested phases:

1. First freeze: Work on large encompassing changes such as new scenes. Then reach the first freeze. After that no more over all changes can be made.

2. Soft freeze: This is where you have worked on your prose and exposition. After the readthrough and integrity check comes a soft freeze. Where you are done working on anything except line editing, and things of that nature.

3. Hard freeze: You have done all you can, triple checking everything in your manuscript.

Resolve critical issues if present.

4. Full freeze. 

This method allows you to take a step back from your manuscript when you reach certain phases. Reach each phase until your manuscript is complete. Debian's release process helps the distro release to be on time. 

Sketching for Writers

 Drawing is a valuable skill to have in your arsenal. Drawing your characters, outfits, hairstyles, and other important things in your manuscript help visualize your creation. I have heard that everyone can learn to draw. My suggestions for learning on the internet are Proko, Drawabox, and gesture drawing. Gesture drawing helps learn the human body quickly.

Sketching can aid you in keeping track of items, characters, locations and more. Even if its just x’s marking the position of the characters to one another or stick figures to figure out which way someone would turn in a fight it is worth it.  

This is a sketch of stick figures in a fight. Drawing it out really helped me conceptualize what is going on in the fight. 

  Here is another example of a simple drawing that can aid a writer. It is an excellent supplementary skill to pick up. Draw scenes layouts, characters, fashion, items, anything that you need. 

You can use templates to draw on but be careful of usage if it is available to use royalty free commercial use. It is easier to just make your own template. Once you have it you can print out several copies and draw on them: 

Once you see it you can write it more accurately and also have a reminder of what something looks like. 

You can keep your drawings organized and safe in plastic sheets in a binder. Create a Series or Story Bible if you haven’t already. It helps keep track of everything. Here’s a look at mine:

Blueprints for a map

These steps are a modified Getting Things Done method, a productivity technique that can be applied a variety of issues. When I started writing I often felt lost at sea without a map. Now I know how to identify issues as well as steps forward on how to solve them.

Here is an additional image. Steps for a final revision of my manuscript from my annual Kanban. Freezes are terminology borrowed from the process of developing computer operating systems. They indicate the degree of severity and impact, structural down to targeted, fixes that allowed to be admitted at what point. The freeze points are a good target for deadlines.

Kanban boards visualize your productivity

A Kanban board is a flexible way to visualize your work-flow. All you do is list your tasks then move from one lane to another. Here is an example of the Kanban board I use for daily productivity. It can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. The very basic three lanes are to-do, doing, and done. Try to keep the currently in progress lane with only a few tasks. I have been using Trello to make these boards and am happy with the ability to customize, label, and arrange the tasks in the board. The original template link.

This is an example of my Kanban board: 

As you can see I have a backlog as well as a place for reoccurring cards. At the end of the day I take a screenshot of the board (with Window's snipping tool). Then upload/save it as needed. Right click and archive cards that are done at the end of the day and will not be reoccurring. Then I arrange the board for the morning. I have recently also made a couple of more Kanban boards, to track my medication and other wellness tasks. 

Here is an example of my Annual Kanban board. Not referenced to daily, but are larger milestones and organizational data.

Combine with annual, monthly, weekly, and daily reviews and projections. Along with the pomodoro technique of time tracking. 

First Draft Outline

First draft a map to follow. What I do is I think-sketch everything I need to into a notebook. Then I take plot points/events onto index cards. Then I arrange the index cards and then plug that into scene structure in Scrivener. What is also fun about Scrivener is that you can drag and drop scenes to arrange as you want. You may also want to make yourself a cast list.

• Think-sketch ideas on paper.
• Write description of story. Break down into events.
• Write down events onto index cards.
• Arrange index cards by acts/parts and put them in chronological order.
• Add scenes to Scrivener.
• Group scenes together for chapters in subfolders.
• This is your general outline.
• Fill out the scenes. 

Some tips:

Don't edit along the way. Edit when it is time to edit. You can fix minor mistakes as you see them just don't edit the whole thing until your done. When I say done I mean after your revisions and when it is time to line edit. Otherwise you're going to alter things and editing before that is just a waste of time.

If you need to recalibrate take a look at the overview of your outline. Think-sketch ideas on paper, then organize them into a list of text similar to a storyboard. White boarding the text storyboard along with drawings of text maps (such as an organization of who goes where and what is happening in a larger scene).

You can print an enumerated outline from Scrivener in the compile options.

Your outline is a living document and will change as you progress. I keep the old scene lists in chronological order and then bind them in a comb machine for archival purposes.

If you find yourself with a scene that is no longer needed. Instead of just deleting it move it to a deleted scenes folder.

If you need to sit down and daydream about a scene you are working on. Keep the number of creative pomodoros down and produce pomodoros up. 

Importantly know maps are just a general guide as to where your story will go. Think of it again as a technique or a play from a sports playbook. You may set out a plan, but that plan will be altered along the way.

A word on backups. Back up on offline USB's at least twice once a week depending on your writing speed.

Ready for that first revision?

Writer's Toolbox

Here is a list of tools I currently use.

Physical :
Dedicated laptop
Printer
Clipboard
Fountain pen - ink and accessories - consider document/archival inks
Foldout table (3 ft.) that is always open
Whiteboard - small markers and accessories
Pen organizer
Highlighters
Index cards
Lap desk
Physical planner
Journals*
USB(s)*
Fireproof box
Series bible*
Offline tablet containing digital scans of full notebooks/white board scans.

Unorthodox additions:
D20
Tarot Cards

Optional additions:
Comb binder*
Headphones
Book carrying bag

Digital:
Scrivener 
Forest app (or other pomodoro timer)
Note app - (Google Drive/Evernote/One Note)
Open Office/Libre Office
Word Hippo - Thesaurus
Genius Scan +

*Current journals are A5 and I have one for the following: sequel ideas, revision ideas, prequel 'daydream playbook', blog ideas, and a personal journal.

*Back up redundantly and make use of the fireproof box.

*Series bible - large binder filled with sheet protectors and dividers for sections. Current series bible sections: characters, factions, items, locations, abilities, society, history, and extra names. Charts, timeline and revision maps kept in front of the divided sections. 

*A comb binder is good to make booklets to archive ever evolving scene lists, task lists, relevant short stories, etc.

Metamorphosis through Stress

If you want to transform yourself change the environment and stimuli around you. It must be a conscious effort and stress is painful, however the pressure of stress can transform you. 

Habit is the keyword. Using conditioned stimuli to brain hack yourself into a habit. Trudge forward through the trenches and endless fields. Even on the days you don't want to anymore. 

Maps, goals and targets. Know where your going and estimations of how long it will take you to get there. Of course you also have to track your time.

Be careful, because attempting to transform an axolotl into a land salamander can often be a death sentence. Getting your mental health in order through therapy and psychiatrist may be necessary.

Reviews, Projections, and Goals

It is hard to get where you want to go without knowing how to get there. Map in hand you can hit your targets.

Reviews, Projections, and Goals

Annual: Ask yourself where do you want to be in a year? That is your annual goal. In annual reviews look back on quarterly reports and monthly pomodoro totals. Take the time to reflect on what you accomplished in that year. Then set up more targets to knock down.

Quarterly: Cut your year into quarters and mark them down on a calendar. Set quarterly goals by taking your annual target into consideration and cut that down into reasonable estimations. They are markers on the way to your annual goal. Quarterly reviews is the time to go over what you got done that quarter and to see if you are on track. Adjust targets as needed. 

Monthly: I review what I got done in a month in number of pomodoros and use the time to check to see if I am still aligned to my quarterly projections. 

Weekly: Every Monday (or Sunday) I look back on my daily maps (to-do lists), number of pomodoros done. I ask myself what did I do the last week and what are the plans for the week ahead. 

Daily: First thing in the morning map out what needs to get done. I use a physical planner but this can be done digitally as well. Roll over tasks from yesterday. Ask yourself what your goals are for the day. I keep a running tally of pomodoros done in my planner, but also use the forest app to track time. Add the number of yesterdays pomodoros to your monthly view calendar.

Additional: You can also use a your task list to mark if you took your medication and note significant moods. Major things can be added to your monthly overview so you can see it at a glance.

See also: Metamorphosis through Stress.

Emotional Rhythm Composition Overview: Example

Supplemental example for this article.

Get a pulse on the emotional rhythm of your story. Analyze to check for proper flow. Make sure that it matches the theme and tone of your story.

Print out scene list: 

Act 1

Chapter Title 1

Scene 1 D

Scene 2 D 

Scene 3 S

Scene 4 G

Chapter Title 2

Scene 1 -

Scene 2 H

Scene 3 H

Chapter Title 3

Scene 1 L D

Scene 2 -

Scene 3 S

Scene 4 S↑

Key - 

H: Happy

G: Good

D: Dark
S: Sad

L: Low note

HN: High note

-: Calm/Rest

↑: Rising tension

↓: lower tension

Revision Treatment Plan: Problem List Examples

Supplemental example for this article.

Harvested from daydream playbook notes, notes from a read-through, scene list analyzation, and diagnostic charts. This is an example of what an initial problem list looks like, stripped of descriptions of course.

Add scene – Missing scene description Add scene - Add scene – Add scene – Add scenes – Missing multiple scenes description Add layer – Thread layer description Add scenes – Add scene – Add layer – Description of layer Thread – Strengthen thread note to workshop Workshop – Idea that needs hammering Add scenes – Add scenes – Add scene – Workshop – World building layer Close thread – Open thread description Consider cutting – Unnecessary trails Add element – Small fix to a scene Add layer – Workshop – Question Item location – Fix and track item Item location – Thread and track item Major event – Needs to be addressed/highlighted Plot hole – Description of plot hole Item – Workshop history of an item Workshop – Plot direction Additional thread – Ideas Series conflict – Relevant repercussions Series conflict – Inconsistency Series conflict – World building layer Highlight Event – Description of event Add event – Relevant information Inconsistencies – Small holes Create timeline Remove – Scene Remove – Heavy handed foreshadowing Dropped thread – Description of thread dropped – Workshop Inconsistency – Description of conflict of scene inconsistencies Dropped thread – Description of dropped thread (Additional items after diagnostic charts and scene list analyzation). Increase Suspense – Scene element Add scene – Needed moment Remove Element – Unnecessary element Expand Element – Description Remove word – Timeline conflict Workshop – Ideas Consistency check – Potential story conflict Workshop – Story consistency Workshop – Plot element Workshop – Plot hole Add scene – Strengthen character arc specific moments Workshop Theme – Missing subplot theme Workshop Subplot – Missing subplot Layer – Dimensions to a character Add Element – Fix

Example of problem list with underlined items that require clear actionable solutions. Add numbers to the margin of the print out. Correspond numbers to your think-sketch notebook and brainstorm ideas. Such as workshop items, inconsistencies, plot holes, weak subplots, underdeveloped additional scenes, and dropped threads. Time to think-sketch ideas in a notebook again. Find answers and then designate actions needed such as: fix/cut/add scenes, elements, or layers.

Add scene – Missing scene description Add scene - Add scene – Add scene – Add scenes – Missing multiple scenes description Add layer – Thread layer description Add scenes – Add scene – Add layer – Description of layer Thread – Strengthen thread note to workshop Workshop – Idea that needs hammering Add scenes – Add scenes – Add scene – Workshop – World building layer Close thread – Open thread description Consider cutting – Unnecessary trails Add element – Small fix to a scene Add layer – Workshop – Question Item location – Fix and track item Item location – Thread and track item Major event – Needs to be addressed/highlighted Plot hole – Description of plot hole Item – Workshop history of an item Workshop – Plot direction Additional thread – Ideas Series conflict – Relevant repercussions Series conflict – Inconsistency Series conflict – World building layer Highlight Event – Description of event Add event – Relevant information Inconsistencies – Small holes Create timeline Remove – Scene Remove – Heavy handed foreshadowing Dropped thread – Description of thread dropped – Workshop Inconsistency – Description of conflict of scene inconsistencies Dropped thread – Description of dropped thread (Additional items after diagnostic charts and scene list analyzation). Increase Suspense – Scene element Add scene – Needed moment Remove Element – Unnecessary element Expand Element – Description Remove word – Timeline conflict Workshop – Ideas Consistency check – Potential story conflict Workshop – Story consistency Workshop – Plot element Workshop – Plot hole Add scene – Strengthen character arc specific moments Workshop Theme – Missing subplot theme Workshop Subplot – Missing subplot Layer – Dimensions to a character Add Element – Fix Example of finalized problem list.

Add scene – scene description
Add scene – write then decide (optional addition)
Add scene –
Add subplot –
Add subplot –
Add scene –
Add layer –
Add scene –
Thread scene -
Add scene –
Thread element –
Add scenes –
Add scenes –
Add scenes –
Add scene –
Close thread –
Cut –
Add element –
Add layer –
Item location –
Item thread –
Major event –
Thread element –
Item –
Add scene –
Additional thread –
Clarify element –
Highlight Event –
Add scene –
Hammer inconsistency –
Remove line -
Create timeline
Remove –
Remove –
Dropped thread –
Combine scenes –
Increase Suspense –
Add scene –
Remove Element –
Expand Element –
Remove word –
Clarify dialogue –
Consistency check –
Clarify motive –
Clarify dialogue –
Add scene –
Add element –
Add subplot –
Add Element –
Clarify thread –
Add scene – After the problem list is finalized and printed, use color coded highlighters to mark severity. Mark from most impactful to the least important/easy to fix items. Organize list by severity to get your finalized treatment plan. Work from highest severity to least.

Example of highlight finalized problem list by severity. fuchsia - Priority 1 yellow - priority 2 aqua - priority 3

Add scene – scene description
Add scene – write then decide (optional addition)
Add scene –
Add subplot –
Add subplot –
Add scene –
Add layer –
Add scene –
Thread scene -
Add scene –
Thread element –
Add scenes –
Add scenes –
Add scenes –
Add scene –
Close thread –
Cut –
Add element –
Add layer –
Item location –
Item thread –
Major event –
Thread element –
Item –
Add scene –
Additional thread –
Clarify element –
Highlight Event –
Add scene –
Hammer inconsistency –
Remove line -
Create timeline
Remove –
Remove –
Dropped thread –
Combine scenes –
Increase Suspense –
Add scene –
Remove Element –
Expand Element –
Remove word –
Clarify dialogue –
Consistency check –
Clarify motive –
Clarify dialogue –
Add scene –
Add element –
Add subplot –
Add Element –
Clarify thread –
Add scene –

Organize by priority level for treatment plan.