Keeping track of facts in your novel

I am an organizer. You would not believe it if you visited me right now, but in my working environment, I want everything in it's place and, I want the elements of working on my novel to be organized so I can go right to what file I need, when I need it, to check a fact. I have created files and charts, by the dozens, in an effort to find a method that works.

Now, I'm in what is turning out to be my second, but not last, final edit of my young adult novel. In looking for more reassurance on plotting (I have a fear of plotting that transcends all rationality), I have found Beverly Brandt's 12 steps to Plotting; which I highly recommend. http://www.beverlybrandt.com/spreadsheet.htm and which I will go over, as how it pertains to me, in a future post.

Beverly Brandt got me thinking about this whole spread sheet thing as a way to organize my novel. I now have a six column chart, in MS Word, that is my salvation to organization. I do realize that a spreadsheet might actually make more sense, but my comfort zone is in word processing. I would not even begin to try to count how many files and charts I have started and found too cumbersome to track my work. But, this one does what I need, at this time.

Column one is for Scene: I put the chapter number/the scene number (that would be 2/13 - as in chapter 2/scene 13, then the chapter title and the page the scene starts on. Because. I am focusing on scene, in this edit, to ensure that every scene has a purpose, knowing what page a scene starts on is a real time saver.

Column two is for the date and day this scene takes place. A word here about scene: It takes place in one location, in one time. So, when the day ends, you move on to another scene. When they change locations, you move on to another scene. It's just life-little chunks of life on paper. And, in creating this chart, I have found dates out of order and even foggy winter breathing in July.

Column three is for Plot Category: is it part of your main plot or a sub-plot and which one?

Column four is for Scene Description. At 60,000 words plus, I need reminders.

Column five is for Purpose of the scene. It MUST have a purpose. Today, I cut out a scene I really wanted but, in examining it, it served no purpose.

Column six is for things I have to follow-up on: foreshadowing, explaining, don't forget to wrap all those lose ends up. As I am nearing the end of the book, I am going back and striking out those things that are wrapped up.

AND, I have also added a row every time I have hit one of Beverly's twelve Plot Points. I was proud to be right on until Plot Point 9, when I had to add to a scene to hit that point. It has made the book much better, and now I'm back on track. YIPEEE!

This chart has been a great help to my not-so final edit. It takes a lot of the fear of failure out of the equation when you are able to see that it is all coming together