Grid

In my last post, I wrote that I was working on translating my novel plan into chapters. As someone who likes organisation, planning and spreadsheets I was intrigued by Emma Darwin’s post on using a grid to plan a novel. Please see the post at the following link. http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/2010/05/help-yourself.html I don’t normally follow the different ways in which writers approach the technical side of writing; I believe you need to find your own way rather than become a Frankenstein of different methods. However, this grid fitted with the way that I work. I now have a grid of thirty chapters, setting out the characters, the detail of what happens, the theme and any relevant background. The beauty is that I can now see where there are areas that deaden the pace (although quieter chapters are needed to allow the reader to take a breath and reflect), where there are too many chapters focussed on one character etc. Today I had that lovely feeling of being able to make subtle links between events and characters due to the fact that I was able to see the novel in its entirety at one time.