The importance of taking notes

[dream_yahoozie]

So I'm working on a part two in a series, and I'm realizing that I should have taken notes from part one. It's not the worst thing to have two tabs open up. But I'm constantly having to double check that stuff is accurate from my initial planned thoughts to what is written.

Be cool kids and take notes on your works

 

[Kelliezgirl]

One of my FMCs has a daughter. I had to reread everything several times because I'd referred to her but I couldn't remember if I'd ever used a name.

 

[TheLobster]

Feed the story to an LLM and prompt it with your questions. It's one of the legitimate great uses for them in writing.

 

[SebastianHolt]

writing fiction is a lot like writing code. Back in the day I was pretty good at both & created some tools to help me stay organized & keep track of story details like Billy had a gun in chapter one but by chapter four does he still have the gun?

I think Scrivener will help out. The app that I created is kind of rough around the edges and as I get back into writing, "Scrivener" is on my list of things to purchase

 

[EmilyMiller]

I’ve paused writing my novel at over 80,000 words. Mostly as I needed a break, but also to do some other stuff.

I knew from early on what the ending was, but I developed a lot of the journey as I travelled it. I have an excellent memory and can normally keep a lot of facts at my finger-tips as I write. But 80,000 words of facts? Uh-uh! I read, and re-read, and I keep a separate document with entries like: make sure to go back to Part IV and have X mention A, and so on. Something that long needs respect [insert Literotica joke here].

 

[lovecraft68]

I learned this lesson last year. I'd done the first three e-books of a series and it took time to get back to book four.

The series involved four women two had sons, one had two sons, one had a daughter. Two were married, two divorced but their husband's referenced. I generally have a good memory, but at this point I was seriously in who the fuck is who's mom and...

Fortunately all the names were dropped in the first book, and I typed them all into another Doc.

 

[OddLove]

I got a note document for my ongoing series for that exact reason.

List of Characters
Name - Age -Relationships
Relevant information
Repeat, repeat.

Locations

Events

Unfinished archs/plots

Future plans

And sometimes I still mess things up.

Best of luck. The organization and notes definitely help IMO

 

[MrPixel]

I very rarely forget main characters. When I do, it's mostly losing count of how many of them are present when writing "all hands on deck" orgies. I occasionally have to search to confirm names for minor characters that are definitely not forgotten but may have not appeared in several chapters.

These are my (imaginary) friends, and every one of them and their personalities mean something to me.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Notes are good. Not to long ago, I got to search through about 20K words of a first person story only to discover my MCs name had never been mentioned other than pronouns.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Notes are good. Not to long ago, I got to search through about 20K words of a first person story only to discover my MCs name had never been mentioned other than pronouns.

I'd be so paranoid that I'd missed the one mention of it.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I'd be so paranoid that I'd missed the one mention of it.

Multiple read throughs were involved. I'll give you that.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Multiple read throughs were involved. I'll give you that.

Of course, that's one way to get a bunch of comments...

 

[TheWritingGroup]

... I knew from early on what the ending was, but I developed a lot of the journey as I travelled it. I have an excellent memory and can normally keep a lot of facts at my finger-tips as I write. But 80,000 words of facts? Uh-uh! I read, and re-read, and I keep a separate document with entries like: make sure to go back to Part IV and have X mention A, and so on. Something that long needs respect [insert Literotica joke here].

I just put comments in the manuscript itself with those notes. Usually.

--Annie

 

[WCSGarland]

So I'm working on a part two in a series, and I'm realizing that I should have taken notes from part one. It's not the worst thing to have two tabs open up. But I'm constantly having to double check that stuff is accurate from my initial planned thoughts to what is written.

Be cool kids and take notes on your works

Seriously? And I suppose you want me to turn in my panster credentials to boot.

 

[dream_yahoozie]

Seriously? And I suppose you want me to turn in my panster credentials to boot.

Okay, I had to look that word up. It was pretty funny comment

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Seriously? And I suppose you want me to turn in my panster credentials to boot.

I'm a proud pantser, but for my current work I've got an excel spreadsheet going because the family history is important and I was trying to keep track of when everyone would have to have been born to connect them to certain historical events.
It almost takes the fun out of it.

 

[WCSGarland]

I'm a proud pantser, but for my current work I've got an excel spreadsheet going because the family history is important and I was trying to keep track of when everyone would have to have been born to connect them to certain historical events.
It almost takes the fun out of it.

That makes it too much like... I don't know... an actual job. (shudder)

 

[Kelliezgirl]

That makes it too much like... I don't know... an actual job. (shudder)

I know... I look around spreadsheets all day, why on earth do I want to come home and do it?
People don't appreciate how much we suffer for our art.

 

[WCSGarland]

I know... I look around spreadsheets all day, why on earth do I want to come home and do it?
People don't appreciate how much we suffer for our art.

Well, for all your blood, sweat, and tears... hopefully one day you will earn some coin.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Well, for all your blood, sweat, and tears... hopefully one day you will earn some coin.

Maybe...someday. In the meantime I'll settle for bringing a little joy to people on Lit.

 

[Statius]

I created a 'draft' that is nothing but notes and references for future chapters or things to insert (here's my nod to EM's joke above) - insert Lit joke, in past chapters. I delete the line notes as I go so it doesn't get out of control, for the novel length narrative I am currently working on.