Plotting Software
I’ve been looking around at plotting software and not finding much. There are a couple interesting programs, though.
Ywriter
This superb program that is more than just a glorified electronic note card system. It’s set up with all the right blanks to be filled in that will make you think about the story structure.
(Note: For Macs, run this under Wine on OSX or Macbook with Leopard.
Google Notebook This article discusses using Google’s online Notebook to help plot. It’s not much of a variation on other methods, except the data is stored online and is accessible from anyplace, or is easy to share for critiques.
Spreadsheet Plotting This method uses a spreadsheet to keep track of scenes or chapters. Click on the link above to read more.
What other programs do you find helpful for plotting the first draft of a novel? Surely, there are others, but I couldn’t find much.
I’m partial to Scrivener, myself. I just started using it this year, and it helps a ton! I’ve been using it for plotting, drafting, compiling research, linking scenes, tracking which characters are in/mentioned in which scene, and more. :-)