But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 7

In a previous Alexa Writes Books post, Index Cards Are My Friends, I shared the method I use to track the scenes of my book.

This index card method is Step 7 of But HOW Do You Write a Book?

Basically, for each potential scene, I write a few words, in fine-point Sharpy marker so that the cards are readable from a distance. (Ink or gel pens, even bold tips, do not provide large enough lines/lettering.)

The cards might include scene descriptions or a few words, such as:

At cabin, family still missing.

Water floods cave.

Back home.

Cross in garden.

Grave empty.

Things to consider might be using a certain color for your main plot points and another color for your love scenes. OR if your writing in multiple point of views (POVs), using a different card color for each individual POV.

Next, I tape them on the cork board, white board, door, or wall to see how the story works out.

Seeing my story laid out, even if it's in ever-changing rainbow lines of index cards, helps me to visualize or imagine what happens, what's next, and where the story goes from there.

Step 7 of But HOW Do You Write a Novel? is listing scenes on index cards and displaying them for easy viewing.