Zettelkasten Forum


Tracking characters and interweaving plot lines

The age old question for authors. I have tried far too many systems better off forgotten save for the lesson that there must be a better way, analog and digital. This is yet my latest foray into the breach. My hope, and brief experience thus far is that Archive is a wonderful balance that maximizes the benefits of digital while minimizing the downsides.

My basic plan is to start with a character card (Sorry, I don't know and likely won't bother with the technichal zett lingo) per character, which will list the Characters personality, description, basic plot line, and the stories/chapters they are in. Interlinked with this I plan to have a story card per story/chapter, listing the plot summery and characters in it. Thus, clicking on #FatherGeorgeClement will pull up all stories in which he appears.

The similar version of this I've toyed with is to have all published stores in my Archive, and then add a summery and character list at the top.

What have you lot all found works for you, or not? Suggestions?

With abandon,
Patrick

Comments

  • edited March 2021

    Not specific to The Archive, but there are a few videos of authors using Obsidian to write and keep their fiction and non-fiction projects in order.

    The framework described in these videos is conceptually similar enough to ZK that the approaches should be pretty easily ported to any ZK including one using The Archive.

Sign In or Register to comment.