AN INDEX CARD STYLE WRITING NOTEBOOK AND JOURNAL

AN INDEX CARD STYLE WRITING NOTEBOOK AND JOURNAL (02.11.2015.W.)

Yesterday, I shared how I am trying a new writing system of outlining and using index cards to do so. I figured I would share my progress and my system so far as I write my epic love story of patriotism, "AUTUMN BLAZE."

I read how some outline a little and how some outline a great deal. Part it depends on your learning style. Well, what does that mean for me? Since I realize I am a visual and a hands-on, touchy feely learner both rolled into one, and I have tried every other method of writing, I decided to go all in with the index cards for outlining and to use as my writing notebook and journal. I am writing everything on index cards.

As of late yesterday afternoon, I had 133 index cards filled. My husband and I bought 500 over the weekend. In one day, I used 133 cards. Uh-oh. This brought on two challenges:
1 I needed more cards.
2 How on earth would I organize them?

I scratched my head and looked around in my house to see what I had:

It's a plastic shoe box or cd/dvd box. Perfect.

I will carry it around with me everywhere, not caring how silly I may look. It's practical and it's for what I do for a living. Some carry a brief case or book bag or laptop bag. Not me. I now carry a plastic shoe box. (Chuckling.) It's so me. Silly.

Now, I know me. I am a klutz and there is a good chance I will drop the box or it will slide off the seat as I drive. That would not be good to have them scatter, get mixed up, and possibly land in a puddle or in my coffee. Therefore, it's a plastic shoe box with handles to lock down the lid. Whew.

I'm moving shortly and all of my stuff may have to be in storage for weeks to months, so I need to make sure to have extra black pens on me, along with some color pens for color coding. Hence, the zippered pencil bag.

There is another angle. You'll see how I folded a couple over to make index tabs and I kept the unopened packages in there as well, so it's all in one place. Easy breezy. Simple. Useable. Organized.

As you can see, I got 600 more blank cards from the store already.

So far, I am blown away by how much I am enjoying the system. It's working really well for me. Each thought, idea, plot point, character, settings, etc. gets its own card. I can shuffle them as needed. If I get an idea for something later in the book, I note it on a card, place it where it should go, return to where I was and carry on. Before, I would have to search for those ideas in my writing notebook and I may forget to do so or it would be hard to find. This way, when I get to that point later, it's already there, and as I review in the morning about what I wrote previously, and where I am headed, it's already there.

Or, if I get an idea and have no idea where to put it, I have a section for that as well, along with an Old Writing section of ideas discarded or that I changed. I have a section for that as well in my index file system. I always keep every idea, for I may need it later, and often times do.

I have a simple one word outline for each of the different parts of the book, I have that in sentence form as well in another section in my index file system for that as well, along with my premise sentence and paragraph, back cover material, etc. It's all there. I have character sketches and character question and answers, etc. I have a section on backstory.

It's all in my shoe box. And, all of it, and I mean ALL of it, is easy to find with this system. I have never been able to say that in 14 years of writing. Never ever.

What was I will thinking before?

Whoever says you can't find stuff easily with this system has never tried this.

I am writing, possibly, a book of 1,000 pages. I need and must be as organized as possible and not lose any, or forget, ideas or facts and figures from my story (who's who and what's what and when and how and why). So, the worst part of my system may be I have to carry two or three shoe boxes. Okay. So? I have no problem with that. This organization is making it easier to write. I am freed.

I will keep you updated.

So far, this may be the best story I have ever written and it is easy and is a joy to do. (Yay!)

WRITING NOTEBOOK: VISUAL LEARNING AND INDEX CARDS APPROACH

Writing Notebook for February 10, 2015, Tuesday

Over the weekend, I read the book, "Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success" by K.M. Weiland. 

I've read part of it before. I really wanted to see if outlining was my thing or if it could be my thing. That's about as far as it got. I've been a serial pantser for years and have tried to write hundreds of books--nonfiction and fiction (novels). At no avail. I've been all over the place. I've tried to commit and it just hasn't worked. So, it was with this book, when I first read it. However, "Outlining Your Novel" this weekend took on whole new meaning to me. 

I find it interesting how one word, sentence, paragraph, page, section, chapter can finally get something in you to flip on and you have the proverbial AHA! moment. The light bulb comes on and you finally get it. You are no longer in the dark. 

I also find it interesting how it's usually absolute common sense, and is usually something you have thought and/or heard before, but for some reason, this time, the way the words were arranged, something clicked and your brain was able to file the information and retrieve old information and combine it into a new file. Then, you can finally do something with it. That's what "Outlining Your Novel" did for me this weekend.

I count a million blessings for this book and for K.M. Weiland. 

I think, after fourteen years, I finally get it. (Sad. Way too late. But, the timing will be perfect, I have no doubt.)

MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT ABOUT WRITING AND OUTLINING

What was it that created the four by four over the head type of light bulb moment when my slow light finally came on--and at full brightness? It's when she talked about how outlining works really well, through color note cards on a bulletin board, for visual learners. I thought: "Huh. I'm a visual learner." 

This took me aback and flashbacks of junior and senior English in high school came back to me and using index cards to write. I remember that was when I grew in leaps and bounds as a writer. I went from getting C's and B's to A's in a short amount of time. Why did I stop? After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

I searched my brain and my heart for an answer and quickly discovered an answer that hit close to home and was a painful and in-your-face answer: I went against my firm belief of:

If you ever discover you're taking the easy way, stop, and run quickly in the opposite direction. After all, the easy road is never the best road to take. You think it will save time, and it might to get the first objective accomplished, but it doesn't get the full picture objective accomplished, and it usually takes longer and it isn't your best work. 

I've taken the easy way with writing.

Weiland also talks about how if you haven't outlined and used note cards as a visual learner, you may have several projects you tried, but were never able to brought through to completion. 

Ouch. Double ow. 

She had my attention.

So, bless my husband, I looked over at him after this rolled around in my head for a day and a half, and announced: "We need to go to the store and get me some index cards." 

B (hubby): "Why?"

Me: "For my latest novel."

B: "Haven't you tried that before?" (Not out of complaint or criticism, but out of a genuine heart to get to know my reasoning.)

Me: "No. You're thinking for my art journaling. I haven't tried note cards for writing scone high school."

B: "Oh. Let's go. I need to pick up a couple of things anyway." He didn't hesitate. 

Need I mention how we were in our sweats and it was almost dark--and Sunday night? B humors me. He will do anything he can to support my craft--even as I have spun my wheels on project after project for all of these years. 

So, we went to the store. I stared at the index cards and said, "I have no idea how many I need." I grabbed a couple.

B looked at the price and said, "Well, for that price, you might as well pick up several and I can always pick you up some more on the way home if I need."

I grabbed five packages of 100, and we spent $0.59 per package. And, I said, "I doubt I need all of these, but if I do, I would sure appreciate you picking up more." I really didn't imagine filling in more cards. 

DAY 1 OF USING INDEX CARDS (MONDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2015)

It took me three-quarters of the day yesterday to finish reading the book, "Outlining Your Novel." I seemed to highlight most of the book, let me add. So, then I started to put what I learned into practice. 

Goosebumps just ran up and down my arms and back. (No joke.)

When B came home from work, he asked me how things went. I told him, "I need more index cards, but still have no idea how many I will need."

He stared at me. I can only imagine what went through his head about his nutty wife. 

"B, my writing has been transformed and revolutionized. I've come up with what I think might be my best idea yet (and I thought how it could be a Great American novel if I do it right). I am not ready to talk about it too much, but I am reading 'GONE WITH THE WIND,' 'THE THORN BIRDS,' AND 'ATLAS SHRUGGED,' if that tells you anything." (But, I thought maybe I should add "THE WINDS OF WAR" and "WAR AND REMEMBRANCE" as well.

Bless him. He just stared at me. 

I think he's been told that with every project and he hasn't, and didn't say, "Sure." Even though he probably thought it and I sure don't blame him if he did. 

Last night, I explained the concept of the book with him and he gave me a slight look that he could tell this really was different and he was curious to see what, if anything, happened with this late great new idea. 

"The index card system has changed things for me." I explained to B earlier.

B: "How?"

Me: "I can see my thoughts in a shorter form and can organize them through moving one card to another place if I need."

B: "You can shuffle your ideas and writing in other words."

Me: "Yeah. It's hands-on. You know me. I'm a visual learned. This really helps me see it, my writing and ideas. But, it also is hands-on. You know me. I learn best through visual learning and through doing it."

B:" That's kinesthetic learning--and yeah. That's you." He nodded. 

Me: "Yeah! That's it."

B: "That makes sense. I'll get you more cards tomorrow."

Me: "Thanks. I've already gone through almost 100." 

He got a smirk and nodded. 

Why haven't I done this all along? What a fool I've been. I think I've finally found how to write, so I can actually start and complete a project. I also think because of it, I've come up with an epic patriotic love story. 

Mind you, I will go against all the rules publishers say. I am going to write a massive novel for my first real book. It will be around 1000-1100 pages. But, if it's tight writing, it will sell. If it's an engaging work that stirs up the emotions and grabs the heart and mind, it will be well received. But, that isn't why I'm writing it. 

This novel, I'm writing because I want to read a book like this. 

So, stay tuned. 

It's called, "AUTUMN BLAZE." 

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014-2015.)

VERSE OF THE DAY

Matthew 4:8-10 Expanded Bible (EXB)
8 ·Then [Again] the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all their ·splendor [glory]. 9 The devil said, "If you will ·bow [fall] down and worship me, I will give you all these things."
10 Jesus said to him, "·Go away from me [Get out of here; Be gone], Satan![L For] It is written in the Scriptures, 'You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him [Deut. 6:13].'"

-- Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.

Blessings,
--Stacy Duplease
http://RYPStories.blogspot.com
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet

Matthew 4:4 (EXB): VERSE TO PONDER, PRAYER JOURNAL, AND APPLY

Matthew 4:4 Expanded Bible (EXB)
4 Jesus answered, "It is written in the Scriptures, 'A person lives not on bread alone, but by ·everything God says [L every word that comes out of God's mouth; Deut. 8:3].'"
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
***

PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS
What is this verse saying to me today?
What does this verse mean to me and my life today?
How am I living this verse?
How am I not?
How have I lived this verse?
How have I not?
How will I live this verse?
How could I not live this verse? (This will help me try to avoid these situations.)
What has God said to me about this today?
What have I said to God about this?
How will I apply this verse to my life today? Tomorrow? In the future?
Blessings,
--Stacy Duplease
http://RYPStories.blogspot.com
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet
***
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering your Present, LLC 2008-2015.)