  Short Stories
This week: Map Your Course Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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"Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll,
that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever!"
~ Job 19:23-24, Holy Bible, New International Version
I'm always looking for ways to streamline the writing process. Apps, software, anything that will make my writing life a little easier, and when I find something that fundamentally changes how I write, I have to share it with other writers.
Whether you write short stories or 100,000-word novels, keeping your ideas organized is essential. I've scribbled notes on napkins, saved them on my phone, sent them to myself in an email, and written them on my body so I wouldn't forget. But what if you scribble multiple notes pertaining to your work in progress and can't find them all when you need them?
Mind mapping is an easy way to organize your ideas in one place and view them all at a glance. Unlike outlines, which are the bane of every writer's existence, mind maps are quick, easy, and fun.
While you can mind map by hand (drawing everything on a piece of paper), I prefer mapping electronically. I first learned about mind mapping as a writing tool here and have followed his format ever since. There are numerous mind-mapping apps available, but I would like to talk specifically about two today.
Popplet can be downloaded onto your iPad or iPhone. Popplet Lite is free and allows you to create/save one Popplet. The paid version allows you to create an unlimited number of Popplets. The Popplets are fully customizable: you can change the color of notes and Popplet boards, draw and upload images, export your boards as PDF files or JPEG images, and share/collaborate with others. You can try out their web-based version for free, and if you buy the app for $4.99 you also get 10 online boards. Here's a simple example of a map I made in about ten minutes for a story I'm working on.
While Popplet is colorful and affordable, MindMeister is more expensive and professional-looking. The paid version costs $6.00/month or $59.00/year, but users would argue the features and functionality make the program worth it. You can download the app and/or build your maps online. Here's the MindMeister version of the Popplet map I made for my story. Just like with Popplet, I made the map in about ten minutes as a bare-bones example of what MindMeister can do and what it looks like.
With MindMeister I can save my map ten different ways (Word doc, PowerPoint file, PDF, image file, etc.) and share it with others. What's cool about sharing with both of these apps is that I can set the map to view only, or I can collaborate with other writers and allow them to view, edit, and save their changes. As you can see my four main categories are characters, plot, setting, and timeline. Your categories can be whatever you want: chapters, parts, scenes ... the options are only limited to your imagination, and each main category can have as many subcategories as you need.
How do you map out your stories? Do you outline, email, post-it note, or jot them down on your arm? Have you tried mind mapping? Tell me how you manage your story ideas and I will include your comments in next month's newsletter.
Thank you for reading.
"The more work you put in on your outline and getting the skeleton of your story right,
the easier the process is later." ~ Drew Goddard
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I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. Please do the authors the courtesy of reviewing the ones you read. Thank you, and have a great week!
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The following is in response to "Introverts, Extroverts, and You" :
Elycia Lee ☮  writes, "Yeah. I read the book. It's a very good book and very enlightening. Thanks for sharing." You're very welcome. Thank you for reading! 
☮ The Grum Of Grums  writes, "Yay, Shannon, INFJ here, and I do so appreciate your newsletter. I've always known I'm introverted, but in a previous life I was in a job where that wasn't acceptable, and I couldn't wait to get out. So I reinvented myself as a social worker, and my only regret was that I didn't do it earlier. THANK YOU." Yay! It's great that you did what's best for you. Most people don't. Thank you for sharing. 
Starr Phenix  writes, "Shannon, I know I'm an introvert. I've been that way for as long as I can remember. I take a trip once a year on my birthday to my favorite place--the beach. My only companion on these trips is my laptop. I sit on the balcony, or on the beach when it's deserted enough, and write and unwind and it is marvelous. At home, there are always demands made upon my time, which makes it hard to write. I feel terribly guilty if I insist on alone time, but I am slowly learning that it is okay." That sounds lovely! I've often said my idea of a perfect vacation is being dropped off at a cabin in the middle of the woods for a month. Alone. I can totally relate. Good for you! 
brom21 writes, "I totally relate to this article. One thing I find is that I am ignored or patronized by the more sociable kinds of personalities because of my demeanor. And even when I 'act like a friend' I still get the same treatment. Quiet people are belittled by society. But you know I’m happy to have a few close friends and be gifted with writing any day! Thanks for this very relevant insight." Yep, belittled and called names like antisocial, unapproachable, aloof, rude, and even cold. It's amazing to me that in 2016 we are still so uneducated about this topic. Thank you for reading and sharing your story. 
dragonwoman writes, "I took the test. 75% introvert it is!" You're in pretty good company. 
Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk  writes, "I read QUIET a couple of years ago... it's so great! She really did an amazing job of explaining how and why introverts see the world the way they do, and making a case for why they can be just as important in a home, workplace, community, etc. as extroverts. I've recommended it to several people at this point, especially introverts who feel like there's something wrong with them because they're not the social butterflies other people in their life expect them to be. Great newsletter, as always!  " Aw, thank you, Jeff. I'm glad you liked it. 
Osirantinous  writes, "I'm definitely an introvert - a very strong ISTJ - backed by being a Capricorn, a very go-it-alone sign. I live by myself and though I love being around friends, family, workmates, I need time to be alone, to not have to bother interacting. Not sure it's overly affected my writing, other than my characters tending to be rather similarly quiet (and stubborn)!" I tend to write about quiet, reserved, contemplative characters, too. I guess it's because we can relate. It's always exciting to write about the other end of the spectrum, though, as if I'm living vicariously through my characters. I'd rather live vicariously through them in a story of my creation than live like them in real life.  |
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Short Stories: August 10, 2016 Issue [#7786]
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