More Tea Parties | Content Warnings
Hi-hi! We hope you’ve been doing well. It’s been a while since we’ve talked about the way we write and what we use to get things done. Grab some snacks and your favoritest drink, and lets see how we’ve grown with, changed, and upgraded our writing processes!
How do you plan out your stories and outline?
Pineapple:
These days I do almost everything digitally. I used to outline on paper, but these days I do it digitally in a word doc separate from the actual prose files. I’m pretty liberal and detailed with my outlines, so they’re almost like mini-drafts depending on how much I’ve thought about what I want to write. For one project, I have several different docs with an outline, character bios, a timeline, and old drafts. I’d really love for this to never happen again so I’m trying to be better about it now ha ha.
I have physical lists on pretty stationary hung on a magnet strip on the wall next to my desk. I have them organized by what type of project they are. I used to keep everything in a binder or a journal, and have a good number of older projects and outlines kept this way, but for more modern and relevant things, I have them pinned up on my wall in my immediate line of sight.
Apple:
I’m still trying to figure out the method that works best for me, so I’ve been trying a bunch of different ones. For longer stories, I’ve been trying a combination of three act structure and different story beats I’ve researched. I have a template I made on Word that I use for this.
For shorter stories, I’ve tried looser outlines in the Notes app on my phone, where I just list off everything I can think of that’s gonna happen, and I’ve tried a more detailed outline on Scrivener. I’ve noticed that I tend to be happier with stories that I’ve spent more time outlining, though, so I’m going to try to do that more often.
If I ever get stuck while I’m outlining, I switch to pen and paper and either mind map or doodle to get the creative juices flowing again. Sometimes I’ll even start with this step.
How do you keep your writing ideas and files organized?
Pineapple:
I organize all my writing files by the date I started it [year month date] and then file name. (I used to do a daily writing doc, but I got too confused about where things were, so I switched to just the start date.) If it’s something I’m not finished with, I keep it on my desktop so I remember it exists. I save all my drafts separately, so once I start draft two of something, I move draft one into a folder for the project. If I need something at the top of a folder, like an outline for instance, I date it with 0000 instead of the year.
I… really want to try to use Scrivener. I feel like it might help streamline my process and cut down on my tab-switching ha ha
Apple:
I’ve lost so many ideas because I trusted myself to remember them later. Now, anytime I get an idea, I immediately type it out on my phone before I can forget. The only thing is, the ideas on my phone aren’t all that organized. Random dialogue, possible titles for stories that don’t exist, the entire final scene of a story with no beginning? Yeah, those are all in the same place, in no particular order. But if I do want to start fleshing out an idea, I move it to this to-do list app I have specifically for writing.
As for my files, they usually get named before I’ve decided on an official story title, so they’re not the most organized on my computer. Honestly, sometimes I have no idea what a file is until I click into it. Once I upload them for Pineapple and Raspberry to look over, though, I retitle the files so they don’t have to suffer.
What programs or tools do you use as you write?
Pineapple:
I’ve been using Microsoft Word most of my life, so that’s what I’ve been using up till now. I’m in the process of making the switch to Office Libre, but it’s a long and winding road to end subscription services so I’m not fully there yet.
I bought Scrivener and went through the tutorial, but I haven’t really tried using it personally yet. For bigger projects, things like novels and longer web novels here on JAAM, I think it might help me keep everything a little more organized. It’s definitely something I want to try out at some point, I just haven’t been able to try it yet.
I used wavemaker for a long while and really liked it, but since I have a more powerful laptop, it’s easier for me personally to just use cloud services to keep everything up-to-date.
Apple:
I think I’ve mentioned most of them, but the Notes app, Word, Google Docs, Scrivener, and pens and paper are my go-tos. I’ve been favoring spirals when it comes to pen and paper lately because it’s easy to tear a page out later and move it to where I need it to be. I also get too nervous to write in my prettier journals.
Do you use anything specific to help you stay focused as you write?
Pineapple:
I don’t think I need anything in particular–I’ll either focus or I won’t. I don’t really like giving myself restrictions. I just put on my headphones and play music that’ll get me in the mood for whatever I want to write and ride that feeling. I usually want to write anyway, so if I’m having trouble, then something bigger is wrong and I have to get to the root of THAT problem rather than a focus issue.
Apple:
Pen and paper help me focus a bit more than typing—probably because there aren’t any tabs open to distract me on paper. But also, paper is a little less intimidating, especially for first drafts.
I like body doubling with friends too, and using the Pomodoro technique either with friends or on my own. Writing streams are fun and helpful as well, but it’s been hard for me to match my schedule up with live stream times these days.
If I have music on while I write, it’s usually one song on repeat that I restart manually. That way, if I’ve lost focus by the time the song stops, it’s a reminder for me to get back on track.
Having snacks nearby is also a big help! It’s super easy to get distracted when I’m hungry, so eliminating the need to go find food means I get to stay focused and eat at the same time. Definitely a win-win.
We’re so glad you could make it!
Thanks for hanging out! What are some of your strategies for organizing your work and staying focused? Let us know in a comment down below or on any of our socials, and we’ll see you next time!
JAAM Writing 