Forward Motion

I just completed writing two books. I planned them out and worked through each of the chapters methodically. Both were non-fiction books so I didn’t have those pesty protagonists shouting to write them a different way. It was just me, my topic and my computer.

I thought that when I finished those two books, my mind would wander to unread novels I’d shelved, the stack of unread magazines in the corner or to all those movies I recorded while I dedicated my time to putting those words on the page.

Tomorrow is the weekend and rather than thinking of riding my bike or soaking in the rays, I’m plotting my novel. My mind is engaged in planning, outlining and developing deep emotional characters. I’m on a roll and I’m afraid to stop. What's more, I don't want to!

I realized today that I have momentum. I learned in business that when you have momentum, that is absolutely the WRONG time to stop and take a rest. That’s when you should put the pedal to the metal and pour on the power. So I’m working on my new novel.

For the two non-fiction books, I created my own way of keeping things organized. For my novel, I use two resources that make my job easier and keeps everything—yes EVERYTHING—in order. Those are:


Book Buddy by Susan May Warren



This book will flesh out your plot and characters. I will NEVER write a novel without Dakota (that’s what I named my Book Buddy. It’s required! Ok, not really but it sure is fun!). If you never spend another dime on anything else pertaining to your goal to be a novelist, this is a MUST HAVE!

Write it Now Software



I’ve used many different programs and like them very much. Write it Now just lays out everything I need in a format on the same wavelength as my brain.

I do recommend this program, but only if it works for you. There are other good programs that may work better for you. Bottom line, you need to do what works best for you and your personal organization of the novel in you.

These two resources have simplified my author’s life beyond measure. Are you working on a novel? What do you use to organize your thoughts? Share them here. Let's help each other. We're all in this together!