How to Write a Book Part 3: Structure and Timeline

Posted by Harmony Dust on Monday, June 11, 2012 · 4 Comments 

How to Write a Book Part 3: Structure and Timeline

You wouldn’t drive to Timbuktu without a map or some sort of directions. (If you would, remind me not to get in the car with you:))

The same is true of writing a book.  It is always helpful to start with some sort of structure or general sense of what you are going to write about.  Things may shift and change as you go, but at least you will have an idea of where you are headed.

Before you start writing, write an outline.  The great thing about an outline is that it not only gives you some direction, but it breaks down the writing process into more manageable chunks.

I don’t know about you, but setting out to write a book was DAUNTING!  But if you write your outline and begin to write a chapter a week, in 3 months you would have 12 chapters! Bam.

WRITE A TIMELINE

If you are writing about your life and are having trouble getting an outline together, it may help you to start with a timeline.

Creating is as simple as drawing a line across a page, writing your date of birth on one end and your current age on the other.  Then you begin to map out meaningful events in chronological order.  I personally like to write the negative or painful events at the bottom of the line and the more positive ones at the top.  Here is an example of what a time line could look like:

If you are having trouble with the chronological order part, you can do it another way.  Get 2 stacks of post-it notes of 2 different colors.  Write positive events on one color and negative events on the other.  You can write the memories and events on post-it notes as they come to you without concerning yourself with order.

After you have finished brainstorming memories, you can begin to place the post-it notes in chronological order.

From that point you can begin to select the moments, memories and scenes you want to include in the book and put them into an outline.  Then just focus on one scene at a time. (You don’t necessarily have to write in sequential order)

Writing is like driving a car at night. You only see as far as your headlights go, but you can make the whole trip that way.”  ? E.L. Doctorow

KEEP IN MIND

SOME SIGNIFICANT EVENTS MAY NOT END UP IN THE BOOK

The reader doesn’t need to hear about every single painful and abusive event in your life.

For example, I didn’t write about every time I was raped or sexually abused.  It would have taken several chapters and quite frankly been a very difficult read.  But I did select a story to share about ONE TIME when I was raped.  And ONE TIME when I was abused.  This gave the reader a picture of what my life was like and how I was impacted by the abuse and rape without dragging them through every detail and experience of it.

TALK ABOUT THE GOOD STUFF

You may have a really painful story and it might be hard to find the “good stuff”.  But the reader will have a difficult time continuing to read the story if you are in victimizing situations one scene after another without giving them a sliver of hope that things can be different.

I am not talking about sugar coating things here.  But it would benefit you to share about the time you got the guts to stand up for yourself.  Or the time you imagined yourself doing it!  Or the dream that stayed alive in your heart.

This is one of the most helpful things my writing teacher told me:

“The reader needs to know that you have what it takes to get through it and come out on the other side”.

In other words, people need to know that you have the capacity to overcome so they can keep cheering you on.  This is why we like movies about the underdog.  At some point in the beginning of the story arc, we see something in the character that shows us that they have what it takes to win.

Love, Harmony

How to Write a Book Part 1: Getting Equipped 

How to Write a Book Part 2: Why My Writing Used to Suck

PS… Are these blogs helpful to you?  Let me know:) I have a few more thoughts if you’re interested.