You might think this is a strange topic for #BehindTheScenes. I can reassure you, it is not. Colors are not just about broken crayons still coloring or the diversity of the world. In this edition, the topic concerns more about my notes and how I keep them. Yes, I've covered this before. This is different and more specific.
A lot of times, people see pictures of my notes. They are records of plots, characters, family trees, and more. Sometimes, you'll see bookmarks with notes or a sticky notes somewhere. All of it is in a rainbow of colors, though. Even the tabs are all over the place!
There is a reason why I chose to have the notepads organized like that.
It's not because it looks pretty. It actually helps me find my other story ideas. Many times, I am linking the plot from 1 book to another and the ideas pour out before I wrote it down! Those colors have been a lifesaver.
I honestly have written through 5 notepads. I am on #6 and I am often linking notes from one book to the other. Sometimes, when I add details to them, I am playing a sticky note near the original idea. I found myself making the same note in another book (which is a good reminder), or I am connecting info, like a monarch with multiple wives and children.
I am sure other authors like George R.R. Martin and James Mitchener had their methods. I mean, one of them wrote novels based on geography and gruesome history and the other built an epic fantasy series. I like to pride myself on being an author who reads and rereads her notes and always makes connections and corrections...and those colors have made it possible to explain every mistake.
I can give an example of how this helped me. I do not know how many times I recalled something being in a certain notepad, by a certain note that was a specific color or a series of tabs. That alone saved me time. Without that system, I could have made a serious blunder.
Of course, writing in first place also gives me some leeway. If someone said something happened, or that was what they heard, it could be chalked up to perspective. An example was at the end of Through the Meadow, where Miranda said she met King Abath IV of Jast. In reality, that was the common name of that individual, and his real name was Honri.
Being a writer is improvising at a dime.
It's also about point of view. As I am rewriting Revolution, many things came to mind. One of them was having two characters see an exchange different ways. Another was that communication is everything. Some people might not be on the same vibration or, because of upbringing, class, race, etc., might see the same idea in another light.
I honestly cannot wait to share Revolution with all of you.
Namaste! Have a great day!
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