How do you organize your story?

[akitsukino]

I am very unorganized and I accept that, but I do try to mediate it. It's kind of hard when inspiration strikes and you write an idea down in a notebook, but when you need the idea you have to comb through your other four notebooks to find it. I'd heard a lot of people like Scrivener, but that program seems a little big for my tastes. I liked a program called Speare, but the trial ended and they only take monthly payments. Right now I'm just using a basic word processor. But what do you use and what do you recommend? Scrivener? Basic Index cards? Let me know below!

[DireKingLeon114]

try scenartist... it's open source!

[Kittosaurus]

I keep my story in two documernts (I use google docs - so I can open on my phone or computer:

1.) The master script which is broken down into chapters and then the chapters are broken up into parts (1 for each update)
2.) I then have a second document which I call my archives. In this document I have a place to jot down ideas for future arcs as well as world information broken up into categories like characters, locations, creatures, magical items ect. I also have a timeline which I jot down plot points so I can keep track of the story and which day I'm on.

Most of it is just jot note or bullet points but it helps me keep everything straight

[joannekwan]

I'm writing and organizing my current webnovel in google docs.
It's nice as I can access it and write on the go if I'm away from my home setup with my iPad.

But I have the main manuscript, and then another doc to keep track of character profiles, a timeline, and as a place to dump scenes I'm on the fence about including in the canon.

[elyss]

I keep a sketch book and numbered every page. I then labeled the first page as the table of contents. Whenever I draw or take notes, I update the table of contents with the topic and page number. The story itself is written using word. I also have a timeline I regularly update with each chapter's summary so know what time of year it is.

[lartianmartian1]

I've taken a butt-ton of notes this past year, and just for the one story. I've recently begun organizing them using a free trial of Scrivener, just to see if I like it (still too soon to give my honest opinion yet, sorry!). Before then, though, I've just been using good old Google Docs to organize.

Also the free notes app on my smartphone to jot down the sudden idea spurts right away. I also have the Google Docs app for updating when I'm away from the computer, or in bed and too lazy/tired to get up.

In the Notes app, I organize stuff bullet style, and alphabetically (Character Notes, Character Quotes, Plot Points, Random Ideas, Revisions, etc....). In Google, I have entirely separate docs for world-building terminology, story outlines, and more extensive character pages, among other stuff.

Much of my older stuff is hand-written, though, and I have yet to switch them all over to digital

Honestly, I wouldn't stress too much about organizing every. Single. Note. Sometimes it's good enough that you got that stuff down in the first place. And honestly, the next thing you write or type is bound to be an improvement (I leaf through my older notes and go whaaat was I thinking?).

But I do still recommend Google Docs, it's done wonders for me. And it's FREE! And other folks here seem to be in agreement.

[praelia]

I keep most, if not all, my files on either Google Docs or in folders on my desktop. Both of which I have a lot of folders to categorize them with. And... I'm not super organized on them (but that's a personal shortcoming) because I have a lot of notes, documents, and drawings everywhere.

I also happen to have a lot of flashdrives, so I keep one for old notes and drawings (which also have a toooon of folders). I don't often keep it on me, so it's more for things that I'm not currently working on. Gotta keep a clean desktop!

[Rodimus13]

Google docs. I have it set up with outline with headlines so I can see what is important. If I want I can even make separate documents and link to them within a master document if I so desired.

[IndigoShirtProd]

Same with @Rodimus13 and @joannekwan, I use google drive. For the biggest story I'm working on , I have a world buliding bible. I keep plot details, details about the world, references, and character profiles in there, all in different folders depending on the topic. I keep story outlines and and scripts in completely different folders. For my smaller projects that don't produce more than ten different type of documents/files, I keep all of it in one folder.

[borzoiteeth]

Scrivener is a pay once and you actually own it. I use it as well as Google Docs, OpenOffice and Aeon Timeline (also pay once). Aeon Timeline is fantastic for those who worldbuild as you can even custom create your own calendar. If you do anything that involves time travel, complicated murder/mystery or just a story that spans too many years you will want to check this software out.

I also jot down in sketchbooks + random paper, etc but proper organizing happens digitally. Smaller works (10 protags or less) in OO and Google Docs and the bigger/complicated projects in Scrivener and Aeon.

[Mari]

When it's things I'm not working on, I have it all in my head. It is very dangerous. I do not have a good memory.

With NSE I have main scenes written through and then I just wing it with the fillers/transitions. I have the pages organized a lot better than what's going on them.

[ble]

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[praelia]

Oh hey, I actually do that too! My folders are full of .txt files since I don't use Microsoft Office for anything outside of school

[sprite_1ww]

I use Manuskript for my main organizational needs, world building elements, plot points, outlines, timelines, etc. And then for random topics or reference images or ideas that I come up with, I chuck them into Google Keep. Both are free to use

[Allyx]

It seems most people have their stuff written down, but I actually have a lot of my organization in my head right now (just like @mari). I probably should get something to organize all my thoughts with, but we’ll have to see I guess .

As for the actual writing, I use Google Drive. I have the main document with everything - this includes character names, the description, the meaning behind the title, and all the episodes I’m writing and have written. Then, I have a separate document for each episode that has already been published or that is extremely close to being finished. This is primarily so that I can ask a friend to beta read without confusing them with my other document (which is like thirty pages long right now) and also so that they can’t read more than I want them to (some of the future scenes are in progress and very badly written). Google Docs/Drive is also free, which is always a plus.

I think some of the other programs posted here look interesting though, so I may go ahead and check them out! Thanks for sharing them, guys.

[JeanGuillet]

I can't find sceneartist. Got a link? I love open source!

[LordSeriphus]

I used to just write a bunch of notes on my phone. And I still kinda do. Eight years of random info is scattered across four devices and many, many emails.

However, I started using Microsoft OneNote, and this program works miracles for how my mind organizes things. I organize categories for races, sicknesses and where they can spread, items, cities, regions, flora, fauna, traditions and games in different cultures, characters and outstanding names - everything. Plus, hitting Ctrl-K allows you to create hyperlinks, so whenever something is mentioned the first time on a page, there's a link to it's information.

I'm slowly moving all the scattered info into this program. And it has been a great boon with anything I can't remember off the top of my head or need to double-check.If you currently use notebooks, OneNote is like a program where you have a bunch of notebooks at your disposal, and it can be set up on multiple devices through OneDrive. (Probably one of the best Microsoft programs out there, really.)

[punkarsenic]

i like using google keep - you can colour code notes and organise them by labels, and ive got one for 'story misc' where i put various story ideas i havent picked up and run with yet. all the google docs related programs are really useful tbh

[azzy-m]

I use google docs! I have two documents - one is the general outline which, well, outlines the entire story fro the start of season 1 to the end of season 2 (and if you're curious, no, i haven't completed this entire outline either, but I have a general idea of where the story goes) and another specifically for jotting down dialogue.

Also a tip if you're a fantasy author/comic artist: I remember finding this website before called World Anvil which helps you keep track of your fantasy world, be it its religion, people, kingdoms, culture, history, etc. Never actually tried it myself but I did see a few of the maps other people have done and it's pretty neat. The only downside that I can see is that you need to pay to have more than 2 worlds and to have anyone else work on it, but if you don't plan on making another fantasy work soon or if you can afford the other packs I'd give it a try.

[sprite_1ww]

he only downside that I can see is that you need to pay to have more than 2 worlds and to have anyone else work on it

You also can't make your world building stuff private unless you pay which is a detriment to people who want to keep their stuff under wraps at least until they release it and polished things off