I am a messy writer. When I am working on a story I have notes on index cards, in journals, on random pieces of paper lying around my apartment, on my computer. Piles and piles of notes.
I kept telling myself
YOU NEED TO GET ORGANIZED
And so I did. I made myself two notebooks in which I could keep a few facts about my characters and settings and a place to keep ideas together.
Note that the preview may not be working. To look inside click on the titles or the links at the bottom of this post.
Facts matter. Organize your writing by keeping track of your characters in one easy to access space while saving you time.
No more scattered notes, or messy files on your computer. No more having to search through your manuscript for factual information about your characters that keep your writing consistent.
The details that are on the worksheets include the character’s physical appearance, place of residence, education, family ties, childhood, mannerisms, jobs, flaws, traits and goals.
Whether this is your first book or you’ve written several or have characters that appear in a series the Author Notebook will help you stay organized and focused on your writing.
The notebook has two parts. On the right is a fact page for you to fill in for each of your characters. On the left is a blank page for you to add notes as reminders, inspirations and ideas as you go along writing your book. It measures 6 x 9” (15.24 x22.86 cm) in size and has 102 pages.
A setting can bring life to your book, especially if it is fresh and unique. That is why it is so important. However, it is also important to vary your settings so as to keep your reader interested.
This notebook on settings is to help you keep track of the places your characters inhabit and their physical and emotional interaction with the setting.
A setting can conjure up memories that can help advance the plot and while different characters can be in the same setting, depending on their mood and past experiences, they will notice and react differently to the details of the setting.
The Author Notebook sheets help you to describe places, weather, seasons, sensual details, feelings and memories which a setting can trigger. This enables you, the author, to notice at a glance, whether you have varied these details and how your character relates to them.
The notebook has a sheet on the righthand side with the title of your book and the character’s name followed by three blocks of setting details.
On the left is a blank page to add your notes as you go along creating your story world. It measures 6×9” (15.24×22.86 cm) and contains 102 pages.
Both notebooks are now available on Amazon:
Carol Balawyder 
What a great idea, Carol, to help other authors focus and organize what they are doing. And if it helps you, too, that’s all to the better. Thanks for sharing this.
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Thanks, Margot. I did it first for myself and then I thought of making it more official with a cover and title. It was fun to do the research on what to include in the lists. Have a wonderful week. 🙂
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Good for you, Carol! I hope this works for you!!!! I am a little messy, too, but I don’t generally have a lot of characters I have to keep track of in poems hahaha.
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You’re right. Poetry is different! Thanks, Luanne, for your encouragement! 🙂
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I keep telling myself I need to get organized, and I will after the next book is finished!
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That is so clever. I’ve never used Kindle that way. I shared!
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Great ideas, Carol!
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Thanks, Anneli. 🙂
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What a wonderful idea, Carol! Thank you so much. Toni x
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Carol, this is a BRILLIANT idea. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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🙂 And you should know all about brilliant ideas! XXXX
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xxxxxxx I try to know one when i see one. I see one here. x
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This is wonderful, Carol! I’m so disorganized…index cards, Post-its, journals, etc. Thank you!
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Oh, Jill, just like you, I was always wasting time looking up details or dates or street names. I tried to list those facts or details which tend to come up a lot in writing characters or settings. And keep it handy in one place. 🙂
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Carol, it’s great you are now so oragnised and an inspired idea to put together what you’ve learnt along the way into these two Author Notebooks! I kept a character one when I wrote my book and it is such a helpful writing aid. Never thought to use one for settings. Mainly my wriitng now seems to be on anything that comes to hand … and not great when I seem to have about four notebooks on the go at the same time! Confusing! 😕 ps. I hope the title search is going well … has Bau come up with any suggestions?! 😀
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Well, Annika, I wouldn’t go so far as saying that I am now so organized. Just a bit less chaotic. I find that I open files for notes which I never end up using. Writing is practice and we try to do our best, to improve a little bit.
I am now in the process of leaning how to coordinate all the different stages before my book gets on Amazon. I am almost 99% certain of a title.
You’re wise to keep notebooks for different projects. I envy your organizational skills. 🙂
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I need to get organised
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Fantastic idea Carol. I did click on the preview and share, but nothing? I’ll hop over to the Zon xx
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Thank you for sharing!.. I am not a writer but I can visualize other uses for the book also… unfortunately, the last time I got organized, I forgot where I put things… 🙂
Until we meet again..
May your day be touched
by a bit of Irish luck,
Brightened by a song
in your heart,
And warmed by the smiles
of people you love.
(Irish Saying)
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LOL. 🙂
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Oh dear. I think I need this! My desk looks like your desk at the top photo. ;-0 THANKS!
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I suspect that many writers’ desks look like that.
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