Sometimes writing a novel isn’t so much about deep character or tight plot, but about something far more mundane: like keeping track of what the hell you’re writing.

This is a serious concern for novelists, particularly if you have anything else going on in your life, like a real life. All your brain cells cannot be devoted to the novel. You need organizing devices. Some of mine are: the project notebook, a three-ring binder for novel research, a style sheet listing names and places and special words, and most important, a scene list.

(And before you skip this post–if you already use a scene list–skip to the end and read up on the role of the scene list in revision.) Read More…