Make project files in a notebook or in a computer file.
Sections to Include
PLOTTING
- Calendar(s) for knowing the timeline of story events
- Basic summary of story details
- Blurb
- Inciting incident
- Settings and time periods
- Summary of main characters
- Summary of secondary characters
- Backstory timelines of main characters individually
- External and internal conflicts for each main character
- Conflicts between the main characters
- Story/Character Issues to Resolve
- Goals of each main character
- External and internal conflicts of each main character
- Story Progression
- Summary of conflicts to be dealt with
- Summaries of what happens in each chapter, each scene
CHARACTERS
- Character profiles
- Character photos
- Sample of the character’s physical looks
- Picture of their house (especially if used in the story line)
- Picture of their transportation (car, etc. used in the story line)
- Picture of their pet(s) (if used in the story line)
- Picture(s) of their town/city, with a drawing for basic locations and names of businesses mentioned in the story line
SETTINGS
- Maps
- Map(s) of town, state
- Map of layout of town businesses
- Map of layout of farm or ranch
- Any other particular setting details mentioned in the story line
- Any pictures to help with descriptions of a setting detail
RESEARCH
- Clothing details, particularly if involve a specific culture or time period
- Pictures for helping with descriptions
- Language details
- Typical lingo of a specific location
- Common useful words of a language other than English
- Occupation details
- Typical terms used
- Descriptions of common duties
- Details about what the business, building, etc. would involve or look like
- Pictures to help with descriptions
- Vehicle details
- Pictures of vehicle used in the story (cars, trucks, wagons, etc.)
- Time period details
- Important social aspects
- Timeline of important events or inventions
- Cultural details
- Entertainment specifics for something mentioned in the story
- Foods and common meals
- Common titles of people used (like in the Regency period)