Comments on: Organize your writing, J.K. Rowling style

By: Annie Bellet

Annie Bellet — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:53:30 +0000

It’s always cool to see how other writers do the outlining/note-keeping process. That’s a neat grid she’s got there. Very cool.

I would disagree with Mike though… I find that writing professionally (at least in popular/genre fiction) is 85% writing, 10% outlining/research, 5% editing/polishing etc.

But if posts like this one demonstrate anything, it is that each writer develops his/her own method of getting the job done

By: Melanie Garrett

Melanie Garrett — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:47:25 +0000

Thanks for this! I always love to see how others do their outlining and, as you suggested, steal whatever brainwaves I can.

For me, the breakthrough came through using an outlining (plus a lot more) software called Storylines, which is part of the Writer’s Cafe suite of writerly tools.

You can check it out here: http://www.writerscafe.co.uk/

I should probably point out that I am in no way affiliated with this software – just hooked on it.

By: Colleen Fong

Colleen Fong — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:27:24 +0000

I’ve been writing from a traditional outline, but I can see how a more visual method can make it easier to move sections around when necessary.

By: Sandra Wilde

Sandra Wilde — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:00:52 +0000

I think it’s telling that this tremendously successful author used paper, not a screen, to plan her writing. Technology can sometimes constrain rather than help – in this case, paper enabled her to see the big picture and the details at the same time.

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:05:41 +0000

Fascinating!

By: Lissanne Oliver / SORTED!

Lissanne Oliver / SORTED! — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:46:35 +0000

I wrote a bestseller in 4 weeks. Not kidding. It’s almost embarrassing. One of the reasons I was able to pump it out so fast is that I spent time prior to that writing the table of contents and making sure that was solid.

Writing then was simply a brain dump and filling in the gaps. Having overall structure really helped.

I should say that I did carry the overall concept in my head for many years and am an expert at the subject matter, so that helps in efficient and prolific writing.

By: Jonathan Manor

Jonathan Manor — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:31:24 +0000

Wow this is amazing Erin. When I tried writing a book, I could never figure out how to organize the whole book except in my head.

By: Another Deb

Another Deb — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 01:45:33 +0000

I use this kind of strategy to write my lessons, but it needs many more columns. Differentiation within each class, differentiation between Honors and Regular classes, standards to meet, materials needed, resource and practice materials on paper, on internet, homework to give, labs to include,Powerpoint references, posters to use…. I love seeing Rowling’s scratches on sideways lined paper!

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:51:55 +0000

@Just Breathe — Huh?? Companies we represent?? No one pays us to write any content on here. If they did, we would legally have to tell our readers. That’s U.S. law.

By: Just Breathe

Just Breathe — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:35:49 +0000

Thanks for not turning your website into one big ad for the companies you represent.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:11:12 +0000

I direct plays with a community theatre company, and I use something similar to this to help visualize who’s on stage for each part of the show. I usually have the actors’ names down the left-hand side of the sheet, and the scene/page numbers across the top, and just make a mark for when that actor is on. It really helps me stay organized for both the actors and the tech folks, who invariably want to know who’s in what scene as what character. Also, it really helps me see where the trouble spots are going to be as far as costume changes and actors not having enough time to change costumes.

It takes a while to complete the chart, but if by spending one hour on it myself I can save a costumer three hours of building a dress, or an actor four hours of rehearsal for a scene they won’t be in, then everyone I work with will respect my preparedness, and the show will run more smoothly for everyone!

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:27:05 +0000

It’s an example of how writing really works. For, you see, there is precious little time in the course of creating a published work that is really just “writing.” Experienced writers will tell you that the time spent on each task is more like this:

20% Brainstorming
20% Outlining
5% Writing
45% Rewriting
10% Polish, proofing, promotion.

Part of why the Potter stories work so well is that their structure is very strong. Rowling’s notebook paper follows her plotlines instead of the classic act structure, but each plotline has its own arc and she can determine from that outline whether the act structure is consistent within and between them. It’s a pretty good way to construct a narrative… and obviously the results are proof enough that the process works.

By: chrisbean

chrisbean — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:55:20 +0000

I’m in the process RIGHT NOW of developing a timeline and short deadlines for my master’s thesis. This is exactly what I needed to see.

By: Annette

Annette — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:00:05 +0000

Thanks for this!

By: Java Monster

Java Monster — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:28:02 +0000

I’m debating whether to do NaNa again this year, too. I took a two/three year break from it because I was sucked dry from the rush of writing.

This is interesting though! I wondered how Rowling kept her story organized. She made it look simple, but it’s really not. And I wonder how much the final story diverged from her original plan, and how much wiggle room was in there.