So as I mentioned earlier, I have a few things I use to keep me organized. The first and most important is the Binder. In the Binder I have created nine sections: General Information, Character Sketches, Book One, Book Two, Book Three, Book Four, Book Five, Writing, and Notes. In the first section I have the factions of the world, a list of casualties throughout the series, and a playlist of songs that inspire me when I write.
The second section has genealogical charts, a timeline, and of course, all of the character sketches for everyone mentioned through the course of the series.
The next sections are completely devoted to each of the books. The first two books have been plotted out chapter by chapter. This allows me to move things around if I don't like how the events are progressing. Since my series starts from five different points of view this is especially helpful. The other books haven't been plotted quite like this because I haven't gotten that far yet for the other three.
After finishing the first book, I found it easier to do intense plotting book by book because sometimes, despite my careful planning, things change. My characters tend to have minds of their own. In all five sections, however, I have everything from sketches to floor plans and notes about how certain scenes will eventually play out.
The next section is a writing section. I have a copy of the original 2010 (14 pg.) manuscript as well as the first six chapters that I started my freshman year of college. While I have two other manuscripts, the one completed in June and the one with the newest round of edits as well, I don't have room for them in this binder as that is close to 600 pieces of paper.
The last section is a notes section in which I have rough drafts of notes (I save everything). When I feel like I no longer need them they will be transported to the Box. I started the Box a few months ago because the note section of the Binder was getting out of hand. Currently in the Box I have the June manuscript, the majority of my notes, chapter sketches, and anything else that is pertinent to the series. I also have maps (both real and imagined), the Notebook, and a leaf with a T on it, which is important.
Starting this box was one of the best things I ever did in keeping less used things in an accessible place. As I mentioned in part one, the Notebook is one of my other organization tools. My first notebook was from my trip to England where I was supposed to keep a journal, but I'm not very good at keeping up with those. So it turned into book use instead. In here I have very random notes. Once it was filled, it took me days to sort out. That is now in the Box and I have started a new notebook that has sections and is labeled per book ( a lot of these notes come from the note section on my phone, old envelopes, random scraps of paper which are transferred here, and then--if possible--stored in the Box). I have finally created a Book Board. I have been talking about doing one of these for a long time but, I finished it today because it was a Writing Wednesday and I finally had the time to do it. I started with a piece of foam board and made all the necessary labels for each book. Next I placed a pink post-it next to it to keep track of all the POV's per book. After that there are large post-its that I used to write the five biggest things that happen or drive the plot of each book.
I left space around and beneath those for smaller post-its, which I have written small things that are going to happen, or that need to happen in order for other events to make sense. It's not completely filled yet and this is good because it is a working board that will change and grow as the series changes and evolves.
I don't know if I am crazy for creating all these ways to organize the important information but this is the way I have been able to wade through the writing process and come out with a story that I love to read as much as I love to write it!
xoxo
K.K.