Writing software, and not-outlining

[serpentmoon]

What I'd like is writing software that has tabs (like a web browser) that I can use for each chapter. I use OpenOffice, and it (and MS Word) have "sections" you can use that way but it's cumbersome.

I use 'document map' in MS Word, if you set your chapters as headings you can open it and jump from chapter to chapter anywhere in the document however large, and the headings have more than one level too.

 

[off2bed]

I use 'document map' in MS Word, if you set your chapters as headings you can open it and jump from chapter to chapter anywhere in the document however large, and the headings have more than one level too.

That's what I use (I forgot what it was called). This PageFour software uses something similar, but converts it to tabs as well as the navigation map on the side. One thing to get used to in PageFour is no page formatting - it's just text on screen with no margins.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Where's Shang? The horsie is an outlining fool! Me, I rarely outline. Only if I'm working mysteries, where I have to have a subplot that's clearly different (and misleading!) from the plot-plot.

 

[Weird Harold]

T hat sounds like it would work for me, too!

You're supposed to be able to do that with index cards, but I've never been successful. One sheet of paper, however, I can probably keep that under control.

Flowcharting or story-boarding as Boota recommends doesn't work for me any better than a formal outline does.

I do use Word's bookmark and/or hidden comment function for a lot of the "waypoints" in the initial summary so that I can easily find them to remove those that didn't make the final cut or expand didn't get fully expanded or were skipped over.

In fact, one story idea that has been languishing for a couple of years waiting for further inspiration to strike looks like this:

[han1]
[han2]
[han3]
...

-- because everything I've got so far is entered as comments without any actual story text.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

BOOTA

I dont use outlines for short stories. I create the dominant scenes, then create the transitions, then create an attention grabbing opening.

After the scenes and transitions suit me, I add what I call 'inlays' that enhance the scene or transition. EXAMPLE: If my story is about a fire I start with an attention grabbing opening, like... Mom walks Sis to the bus stop and leaves Junior at home with the baby, when mom is out of the house, Junior gets his matches and sets his Teddy Bear on fire, then stuffs it under a bed.

Switch to the transition: I make the transition interesting...the fire truck runs over an old lady's poodle, then creases a stretch of freshly paved asphalt or concrete on the way to the fire. Add some gridlock because someone stopped his car to let ducks cross the road.

SCENE: Junior panics, locks the door to the house, hides in the bathroom, mom cant get in the house, the fire alarms are wailing, the street is full of gawkers on foot, on bikes, and in cars, etc. Fire trucks creep along thru the mob and run over a bike lying in the street. Firemen destroy the front door with a axe. Save baby and Junior.

Transition: Cops arrive and arrest mom for child neglect. Mom has a cow and gets tasered.

You get the idea.