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.