by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Unfortunately, I wasn’t blessed with the best memory. And, the busier I get, the worse it gets.
Writing more than one series means that I frequently have to jump from writing a book in one series to a book in another. I need a refresher to pick back up with the other series.
Style sheets are, obviously, very helpful for this.
Penguin has been great about sending me style sheets for each book (hoping, of course, that I will use them to eliminate errors and inconsistencies from book to book in a series.) The style sheets are emailed in a separate attachment from my edits, and sometimes include the email address of the copyeditor on them, in case I want to make changes to the document.
Penguin’s style sheets usually look like this (with the page reference next to the item):
people
Ash Downey 22
Beatrice Coleman (60s, silvery ash-blond hair) 9
Jo Paxton (black hair with white streaks, small, stout) 10
Miss Sissy (old, cadaverous) 18
places
Blowing Rock 34
Blue Ridge Parkway 49
Bub’s Grocery 104
Dappled Hills 12
Additionally, the sheets lists actual style: serial comma use, treatment of unusual contractions, how to handle direct thoughts in the book, word choice, etc. It always amuses me when Penguin adds the word y’all’s to the style sheets they send to me. :)
I’ve also used series bibles that go into greater detail….including things like character traits, habits, hobbies; setting details and any details of recurring subplots. This is useful too, but I still like to have the brief descriptions and the characters’ first and last names on the style sheet for a basic, quick reference.
The sheets were so helpful that I duplicated them for my self-published books. I found, though, that style sheet creation after finishing the first draft, was a time-consuming process.
This might seem obvious, but it wasn’t to me…create the style sheet while you’re writing the book. It only takes a minute to jot down a character description or the name of the local coffeehouse so you’re not scrambling later trying to remember what you called the coffee shop and whether your character has a moustache or not.
Now, if you decide to change the character’s name, appearance, or the name of the coffeehouse, then you’ve got to remember to change the style sheet or you’ll have a real mess.
So…the style sheet helps while you’re writing the book—by offering a succinct reference that you can click over to as you write the first draft. The style sheet also helps with edits and consistency. And the style sheet helps with future books in the series. I’m a fan.
Although this tool is especially helpful for series writers, I think it would also be helpful for writers who are drafting standalone books. When you’re editing your book, you’ll save time while checking for consistency in the document.
Another helpful cheat for the forgetful writer or the writer who writes multiple books a year: long synopses of each book. I heard from a teacher last week who wants me to Skype with her class about Delicious and Suspicious. Not a problem…except that I wrote that book four years ago. Fortunately, I have a long synopsis that I put together that should refresh my memory enough to speak with some intelligence (ha!) about a book I wrote.
Do you use style sheets or other memory crutches? Do you have any other time-saving tips while working on a book?
Image: xenia
Elizabeth – Oh, that is a great idea! Not only does a style sheet help the writer to keep characters, places and so on consistent but also it can be an inspiration. You can look back at a style sheet and see that for instance you already have a grocery store, so two characters could meet there. Or you could add a dry cleaner’s because the style sheet shows you haven’t used that yet. I really need to think about that.
Very, very good plan – and something I’ll start tonight with the series I’ve got floating around in my head :)
Many thanks for the useful time-saving tips while writing a book. The only style-sheet I use is the one devised for my newspaper. But it’s unwritten, like the British constitution. Personally, I have found both “The Economist” and the London “Times” style-guides very helpful. I guess a style-sheet pertaining to the writing of a book would be quite different. I don’t have any time-saving tips for writing a book as I still have to write one. However, if I am writing for my newspaper or my blog or elsewhere then I collect as many facts, especially dates, names, and places, as I can and put them down sequentially. The problem with facts is that you collect too many and then you don’t know what to leave out. Everything seems so important though in essence very little is.
I wish I had a good memory, but I guess I will miss it less as it goes. And, it’s already started. :)
I love the style sheet idea. Thanks,
T
Prashant–Now that would be interesting…writing for a publication with an unpublished style sheet! :) They like to make life interesting there, don’t they?
My publisher uses these style sheets (they list the sources at the start of each sheet):
Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed.
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed.
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (for words not in Web 11 only)
Words into Type
Yes, figuring out what’s important is a big part of it. You wouldn’t want to bog it down too much, since that would be a time suck. My editors leave it with place names, character names/short descriptions…and then just the actual style elements for the book. Oh, and they list trademarked names of things (for Legal dept.) But I don’t put in trademarked names in my self-pubbed books.
I never thought of using a style sheet. I did do a timeline for my series, noting where each character was and what he or she was doing at the time, even if they were ‘off camera.’ That helped.
This is great — I’ve used style sheets for nonfiction books I’ve written and edited but never fiction…until now. I’ve just finished book 1 of a mystery series and I have started a style sheet and will definitely implement some of your ideas. Thank you!!
Diane–Timelines are also *very* helpful. Even just brief, jotted down notes on the order of events. Especially for mystery writers.
Margot–Great idea–using the style sheet for inspiration!
Jemi –Good luck with the new series!
Julia–Hope it helps!
I should really start doing this. At the moment I have a document in Google Drive for any book I’m working on where I take down notes as I come up with them, but it’s not very well organised.
That said, one area I do feel I’m quite organised is in location research. In my document, I record links to Wikipedia articles on any location I want to use so I can go back to check on descriptions or see pictures to better visualise the location.
Oh, man. I try EVERY TIME. I start one, jot a few notes (I use an excel file), but I ALWAYS forget… only it isn’t quite forgetting. It’s when i get into a writing groove it pulls me OUT to stop and jot a name or a place. I just have to do it after the fact anyway. Then again, I do my beat sheets after the fact, so THAT stuff can all be done together (I use my beat sheets for editing–one sentence for each scene)
Paul–I’d just make it really simple to start out with. That helps ensure you’ll keep up with it. :)
Love your idea of putting location links in the margins…great approach!
Teresa–Ha! I know what you mean. I have a feeling mine isn’t going to improve as time goes on, either…
Hart–I used to get really caught up in the writing, too…happens less frequently now (which makes me sad!) Those beat sheets can be really helpful.
Maybe that’s why I like to jump twenty years ahead with each book? Gives me a whole new set of characters. Then I don’t mess up the details.
Alex–Sounds like a good plan to me. :)
I write a bio for each character. The main recurring characters will have a more in-depth bio than lesser characters, of course. The bio includes physical description, birth date/age, personality (quirks, likes/dislikes, etc) as well as backstory.
I keep a timeline of when characters enter/leave the story, are born or die,etc. A synopsis and before writing the first book, I make a brainstormed list of crimes/goals/new characters etc.
I started using Scrivener, the writing software, for the purpose of keeping track of character names and settings for my new series. It allows you to track your characters very easily. I also keep a notebook which serves as something of a style sheet. As a newbie, I wish I had realized what writing a series would entail much earlier on. The do-it-as-you-go-along suggestion is critical.
Marcia–Great tips! And a very organized approach to mystery writing.
I use an Excel chart. I put characters’ names down the left side and traits/info across the top. The categories include Age, Birthplace or Childhood, Physical Description, Personality Traits, and so on as the project demands. After or in the midst of first draft, I print out the chart (and tape together the pages if it’s that big) and mark by hand as I continue along. When that gets messy enough, I update the Excel chart and print out again. This has worked well for me as an ongoing reference. (BTW, on the technical side of things, if this Comment is accepted by the technological power that is, it will be the only one in this stream that is not a Google Blogger. I use WordPress and had to add a PlugIn to be recognized as a valid submitter here. Lifelong learning!)
your6126–That’s very organized and detailed! I’m horrid with Excel, unfortunately, but I might be able to make a very basic spreadsheet with it. :)
And…grr. Blogger! That is so, so irritating that they would make it difficult for WordPress people to comment. I’m going to have to rethink. I just hate those word verification things, you know? If I allow anonymous comments, I’ve gotten as many as 3 spam messages at one time, several times a day. They’re going to have to come up with a fix for this issue! So sorry you had trouble and thanks so much for going the extra mile to commment. I appreciate it!
You guys should try using yWriter, it’s a fantastic software that does all this and more.
It let’s you save characters, locations and notes for every scene. It even allows you to rate every scene to know where is your book going weak.
Scriptito is another similar tool, simpler and online, check it out too ;)
And for the comments trouble with wordpress, install Disqus in your blog, it will make you happy ;D
Style Sheet? Takes me back to my earlier life. As I write my WIP, mystery fiction, and being memory impaired, I return to my immediately available handwritten page of names, descriptions, etc. I added CLUES—what, who, when, and why. I’ve already discovered a suspect I hadn’t discovered before.
I’ve only recently started focusing on fiction, but thus far, my characters are so real that I haven’t had trouble remembering who’s who, what they’re wearing on any particular day (love that sweater, Rosie) or whether or not they look like me.
But I’m also in the throes of expanding and refining and retooling, so if I’m going to achieve Chandler’s level of complexity (it’s a dream, not a goal) I’m sure I’m going to have to start with better character details, and keep better style sheets and notes.
(Web geekery: I’m a WordPress devotee, but I’ve always been able to comment just fine on Blogger, though of course, real bloggers use WordPress . . . hee hee.
More web geekery: avoid Disqus. It breaks. It adds unnecessary complexity without commensurate benefit.)
So glad I stumbled across your little corner of the web, Elizabeth. Since my Little One’s first middle name is Elisabeth, the name ends up in at least one character in each of my books. I even spell it with a Z sometimes ;)
Vladimir–Interesting! Will have to check that out. Mike Fleming, who created the WKB, has Hiveword, which has a similar function and is very good, too.
Scriptito–hmm. Haven’t tried this one. Thanks!
Izzy–Another memory-impaired writer! I struggle with the details, but notes are a lifesaver.
Joel–You’re good!
Yep, if you’re writing a mystery, even the most basic of notes will work well.
And…yes! By the time I realized I needed to be on WordPress, I already had a prohibitive number of followers..ha! A good problem to have, I guess.
I think I tried Disqus before…and maybe Instant something? But I had some gentle complaints and I uninstalled. :)
It’s a great name, isn’t it? :)
Despite the fact that nobody in my family, either side as far as you extend it, uses nicknames (when I was a kid, folks tried to call me Joey; my parents frightened them into submission) one thing I love about Elizabeth is that it has so many great nicknames, usable for various occasions, from Liz to Betty to my cousin, the one family exception, who goes by Libby.
Margaret is almost as good: who could imagine Thomas Hanks starring opposite Margaret Ryan? Meg, Maggie, the lovely Irish shortened to Mags; I love names.
Is there a man’s name that has so many different variations?
(Re: switching to WordPress — if you discover you’re on the wrong train, it doesn’t matter how far down the wrong track you are ;) . . . delighted to help if you ever decide to make the leap of growth.)