Besides the story which this author feels is the most
crucial element of any good book, what else is required to write your novel, or
series of novels? As all books are
different, as are the writers who write them and the methods and techniques we
authors use to get to our end goal which is another finished book, the
following is just suggestions that this author has come across of possible
support material for writing your masterpiece.
Take what you will, leave what doesn’t apply.
(The picture above is a picture of a combat support unit.)
I. The Characters
Sheet
A. The Cast of your book. Where you keep track of the names you used
and who does what to whom.
This is very important as I learned when writing my first
book “Whisper” because Carl Sanford’s wife had one name in the start of the
book and a different name at the end of the book. Whoops!
By the time the book was edited she and I both knew what her name really
would be.
B. This can also be useful for recording the characteristics
of your characters. Hair color, eye
color, height, weight, build, what are they like. In a series you may need to describe them
more than once or as you add bits and pieces to them over time through the
books you want to have a record of what you have said about them.
II. A Time Line
What happens in what order.
Since both of my first two books deal with elements of traveling through
time this was a must have in order to keep things straight and in a logical and
consistent manner. My second novel “No
Rules Of Engagement”, I had to go back through the book at the request of one
of the editors and add date and time tags throughout the book because it is so
hard to follow. The time line for it and
the sequel is eight pages single spaced by itself. I am thinking of including the time line at
the end of the sequel to “No Rules Of Engagement.”
III. The Outline of
the story.
I use many of these.
I generally start with an overall outline but it changes as I get stuck
and change things to un-write myself out of corners. My best plot twists have come from writing
myself into corners and then thinking my way out of them rather than backing up
and rewriting my way out. For “No Rules
Of Engagement”, the training battles, and later for the sequel which includes
major battle sequences I used many smaller outlines for particular sections of
the book to work out the timing and keep stuff straight through and during the
actual writing of the chapters.
IV. The Travel Log
Where the action is taking place, where the characters will
be visiting, eating, what they will be doing, staying the night, etc. The sequel to “Whisper”, “Leviathan Deterrent”
which should be out later this year has the characters from Whisper running
around Europe, South America and parts of North America. It was handy to have research material about
the places they were staying, what they would be doing, how they would get from
point A to point B in the book. I
cataloged all that in the Travel Log.
V. General research
material.
This is where you put the stuff you look up for use or
description in your stories. I generally
do much more research than what actually makes it into the story or past my
editors red pen. I keep the stuff I research
in case I need to refer back to it, or want to use it in another story later on
down the road. Sometimes just browsing
through the research material can spark all kinds of ideas for the truly
creative and imaginative mind.
VI. Book Sales
Spreadsheet.
What started off as a single page worksheet in Excel has
grown to seven pages of records. When I
first started I only had to track sales on Smashwords. Later then I added Amazon. Then Amazon UK, DE, FR, IT, and ES. Then other places where I have listed my book
for sale. It is handy to keep records of
royalties earned, royalties actually paid, expenditures associated with your
books, and writing. It is a
business. At some point you’re going to
be sitting in front of an accountant or tax person trying to make sense of this
all, so keep it straight.
As you add books to your portfolio or virtual book shelves
that is that much more to keep track of.
I also want to know how many copies I give away. How many virtual copies are out there
potentially being read, so I track free books, partial downloads (on Smashwords
– because they may lead to a potential sale later on.), and books sold. If you don’t have a sales spread sheet to
keep track of book sales start one now!
That’s just a few of possible support materials you may need
or want to create in addition to writing and working on your book. Again we are all different and go about
reaching our writing goals differently as we all come up with different
books. That’s part of what makes the
whole thing so wonderful, reading, that is!
Best of work on your novels and books. Now get back to work!
Posted in: 
0 comments:
Post a Comment