Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
For awhile, we here at MuseHack have been discussing the checklist issue of films, how films all seem alike and follow the same beats. We’re concerned what that means for Hollywood, writers, and media. We’re also feeling just a wee bit justified now that such concerns are mainstream and in fact may be traced back to one book and writing concept, Save the Cat.
(Serdar has more to say on “Save the Cat” in his own erudite way.)
So here I sit, waiting for my editor’s notes.
Weirdly, this is also the point where you realize, “oh hell, it’s happening.”
Suddenly you remember all the extra stuff you have to do, like checking every single link that will be turned into a functional URL. Or maybe you remember to update your author profile.
This is when formatting comes into play and you start remembering those little things you did last time to make it all work. You remember the breaks, or the bullet points (have I mentioned enough that bullet points are a pain to convert among eBook formats and readers?) or some other trauma.
So many different things to do. Here’s how I’m trying to deal with it: checklists.
Really. Checklists. Think of how much you learn the first time you do something? So why not write it down and store it somewhere so you’ll remember it? Or at least find it again AFTER you need it so you can use it the next time.
As strange as it may sounds, this is actually a common in many professional areas, and is advocated by a lot of experts on good organization.
So, make that checklist. It’ll give you peace of mind, keep you from forgetting things, and will let you get your writing done.
. . . once you find it again. Just put it in a place that you’ll remember it.