How do you organize your sudden subplots, ideas, etc. that you find them again later?

I felt exactly the same way. I can't believe I lived without it.

 

I am only unhappy it doesn't have an integrated timeline tool. I need to keep track of when in their lifes the figures experienced what. And then of course the timeline of the main plot. There is a scene that needs to play out on or closely around the 10th of August and things like that.
I found a guide on how to make timelines with custom labels, but I don't know how comfortable that is. We'll see.

 

I have an old school 5 subject spiral notebook. You know, the kind with the pocket folder that separates the subjects? The first section is for when I first get started and ideas are everywhere. Scribbled here and there, some organized, some not. Notes jotted in the margins, things crossed out, etc. Then, as I got into my writing and flow, I labeled the rest of the sections: "Rough Drafts" for when I want to write and am not near my computer, I write here. "World Building" for my map and all my notes about my countries and governments and such. "Story Arcs" which tracks my main plot and all my sub-plots and all the ideas there, "Research" where I write my notes regarding anything I have to look up and get details on, and then, probably squished somewhere in the back of one of my sections, various notes on writing and writing styles that I get from here and from my reading such books like "Stien on Writing" by Sol Stein and "How To Fix Your Novel" by Steve Alcorn.

So, in short, it's a somewhat-organized mess. lol

 

I like your 5 spiral notebooks, Stormsong. Thanks.

 

Im an outliner, i outline every aspect of a story, from the beginning to the end. Maximum subplots what ive been told are six, and the main plot is the seventh, the over arch. I outline every scene, every character, every plot, the only thing i never outline is the "dialogue", for me the/a dialogue is about spirituality in its finest moment.

 

Six subplots sounds like a lot unless it is a very long tome like a Clancy novel.

 

I could probably subplot more, but ive been recommended to keep it at six, the subplots i believe are there to move the story forward, the over arch as ive been told is just a motive for the story, two of the subplots should be considered " trauma " to force the protagonist to move in a direction.

 

@Brigid I prefer subplots to grow organically, if you know what I mean.
Forcing them only feels contrived. So let them grow on their own from
the interactions already established.

 

We may have a different definition for sub plot.

 

Could you give me an example?

 

Well you are gonna have to buy the book to know.

 

I believe subplots needs a motive, its still a story

 

@Rickard Eriksson does life have a clear motive?
Outside of the need to perpetuate itself.

Stories like life should have some less clear motives,
otherwise they fall victim to plot demands.

I still love my ex-wife, but I divorced her.
You don't know why, but it is clear that
my marriage was forfeit based on my own
reasoning.

So why should fiction be treated any less different?

 

Kubler grief cycle, part of studying the art of writing, "spiritual aspect".

 

This Kubler is unfamiliar to me,
I have some homework to do on
this now.

 

Typically, the seven stages of grief are described as:
- Shock or Disbelief
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Guilt
- Depression
- Acceptance and Hope


This is not a mechanistic model -- the stages do not occur the same way for all people; they can last very little time, or a lor of time; and they can be inter-related.

 

Thanks for your input Rickard. I like discovery writing (pantser) but it sometimes leads to to nowhere. You get the idea.

As you plot and subplot everything, how and where do you keep order? What's yours system?

 

I love that story of mine, Joe. I am getting lots of ideas... Organizing them seems the biggest of my problems despite that I am not a sloppy person, lol.

 

Typically, the seven stages of grief are described as:
- Shock or Disbelief
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Guilt
- Depression
- Acceptance and Hope


This is not a mechanistic model -- the stages do not occur the same way for all people; they can last very little time, or a lor of time; and they can be inter-related.

The more subplots the harder and more complex the weaving together becomes.

 

I get your point, Joe. And I agree with it. The major problem I run into is organizing. I have a day job that keeps me often days away from writing on my story. When I finally have time to get back to it, I vaguely remember what I plotted before, only that it was fun and good! Horrible fate, isn't it?

 

I keep order by flying the balloon higher so I can see the forest and not get stuck looking for a path through the trees.

Put a key phrase to remind you of each scene on a 3x5 card.
Lay them out on a big table top.
Then at a glance you can see all the scenes and easily line them up in a logical cause/effect sequence.
You can easily spot holes that need filling, as well as see duplication or needless filler, yada yada.

With the scenes ready to fall like dominoes in an action/reaction sequence then the actual writing becomes much easier.


It takes so much less time to have phrases on cards that you move around than to write tonnes of verbiage and try to sort through detailed descriptions to match things up.

You can be so creative while you quickly get the scenes lined up.
And then repeat by defining the details of the scene.
Plus one more time as your verbiage flows onto the screen to describe your ideas.

 

Post-its, a board, a ball of yarn

 

Pantser writing is great for dialogue, but i believe if you ain't a skilled crafted writer who wrote over a hundred books on the same theme ( Stephen king ) you better stick to a manual

 

I love lists. I make a list of all the general subplots I want to have happen ("Character A learns how to swordfight.") then another for the specific scenes that need to happen ("Character A finds a teacher." "Character A picks up the sword for the first time", etc.) I keep that list handy when I'm putting together my outline. Most of the time I use the extra scenes when I need to kill in-world time, especially to cover for travel in worlds without things like airplanes.