The longer I write a series, the more notes I have to go with it--a description of the characters in each book, what project they're working on, their progress, who got killed, who did it and why. I know a lot of writers put all of their info on the computer, but for whatever reason, I like it written down. I have a box full of notes for each book in the Jazzi series.
I've written some books outside of the series, though, And I have boxes of notes on those. The two Karnie Cleaver mysteries had a lot of regular characters, since the family all worked together to run the butcher shop. Each character, even the regular customers who walked into the shop, has a page of notes. Half a box full. The upper part of that box is filled with info for Laurel and Nick. There are a lot of suspects in those books, and I like them to be rounded out, so that when Laurel and Nick dig deep into their backgrounds and lives, there's plenty of interest.
Then there's two books for Lux and Keon. Their plots weren't as complicated, more lightweight and fun. So, my notes are skimpier for them. And so far, I've only written one Ghost and Loretta book, but I want to write another one. I've thought of a way to bring Harrison back to detecting again, and I like it. And finally, I even keep notes on the short story series I write for my blog--the Speed and Noira stories. Which adds up to, boxes and stacks of papers and notes. Not the most efficient way to keep track of novels, but it works for me. I'm sure something different works for you. To whatever keeps you motivated and organized! Happy writing!
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