Keeping track of a story idea in a programme/app

[Daniel_Matthews]

Can anyone suggest an app or program that'll allow me to keep track of a story plot as I create it? Like sticky notes on Windows, but one that I can see in private and isn't plastered on my desktop for everyone to see.

Bonus point if it's an app for Android.



TIA

 

[Handley_Page]

Check out Y-writer

 

[Daniel_Matthews]

Check out Y-writer

Thanks. I'll check it out.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Scrivener is nice, but I don't think it's available for Android.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Scrivener is nice, but I don't think it's available for Android.

It's not even available for Windows anymore. Just Mac OS.

 

[Bramblethorn]

It's not even available for Windows anymore. Just Mac OS.

You sure? My partner bought it for Windows a few months ago, and the site still seems to be offering it for Win and iOS as well as MacOS: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php?platform=win

 

[lovecraft68]

I do that in my head. Call me old fashioned, but I find the mind works best when you actually use it.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

You sure? My partner bought it for Windows a few months ago, and the site still seems to be offering it for Win and iOS as well as MacOS: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php?platform=win

But if you go the Scivener site ... http://get.esellerate.net/get/ALP015439528/default.htm?skuid=SKU81634174866&affid=AFL5515288049&at=

Why would they have a site (it's actually the same site) with it tell you it doesn't support windows, when they do? Strange.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

I do that in my head. Call me old fashioned, but I find the mind works best when you actually use it.

I do much in my head, but when I have to research something or have to put an idea on the back burner until it's time to implement it, I make notes to myself in an auxiliary file that I store in the same place that I store the current draft (and earlier drafts) of the story. My notes file often contains calendars, sequences of events, and even astronomical data. (In one of my stories, it was important to know when the moon was going to rise/set, etc.) I'm not worried about anyone seeing those notes; at least, not any more than I'm worried about anyone seeing that I'm working on incest-flavored smut in the first place.

 

[ElectricBlue]

If I want to write down ideas or notes for a story, I write them at the end, at the last page of that story-document

Yes, that's how I do it too, if I need to. It's the closest thing I get to a plot outline. Makes it easy for the idea or snippet to fall into the right place. I'm into a long multi chapter thing at the moment, and had to work up a spreadsheet to figure out a bunch of relationships and timelines. First time for that, probably the last. Otherwise I'm like Lovecraft, it's all done in my head. It's mostly a subconscious thing, as I don't do much "composing" ahead of the actual writing. When I write the words on the screen, that's the first time I've seen them - which is why I have many "where did that come from moments." I'll read material over on the next session and say, "did i write that?"

 

[LeandraNyx]

I hear the Story Shop app. is pretty good, though I haven't used it myself yet. It's pretty new. I think it was created by the same folks who do The Self Publishing Podcast. I fucking love that podcast.

 

[Daniel_Matthews]

I found the y-writer to be like Excel. Too much data/tabulation oriented. I was looking for something more visual. It's useful but it'll take time to get used to it.

Let's see how Scrivener holds up.

 

[Bramblethorn]

But if you go the Scivener site ... http://get.esellerate.net/get/ALP015439528/default.htm?skuid=SKU81634174866&affid=AFL5515288049&at=

Why would they have a site (it's actually the same site) with it tell you it doesn't support windows, when they do? Strange.

Is it the same site? I might be wrong but by my understanding esellerate are a separate e-commerce outfit who offer sales and DRM services to small companies like L&L who do make Scrivener. Looks like they have rights to sell Scrivener but judging by the copyright notice, the page hasn't been updated since 2009 which would've been before the Windows version came out.

Note that if you click the "not available for Windows" on that page, it takes you to a dead bookmark on the Literature and Latte site, which does mention their Windows version.

 

[Sammael Bard]

I found Scrivener (Windows/Mac Os) to be better than y-writer. It's great once you get used to it.

 

[sr71plt]

I go with no more than a collection of jotted personal and place names on a notepad. But I usually have to check those again anyway to get the spelling correct because my handwriting is so bad.