Since NaNoWriMo is only a few weeks away, Fable and the Verbivore are having a three-part conversation that unpacks prep work that we do prior to writing. Today’s episode covers writing tools and resources that can potentially help with that process - specifically some of the ones we’ve found most useful.

In this episode, we discuss the benefits and limitations of different writing programs such as Scrivener, Word, and Google Docs. We also geek out on tactile tools such as notecards, colorful sticky notes, highlighters and colorful pens, notebooks, grease boards, and bulletin boards. From story spreadsheets to mood boards to Pinterest to story bibles, we talk about things that can help organize information in a variety of formats and allow it to be at your fingertips when you need it.  

There are also a great many authors who generously share their own writing practice and we talk about being open to giving something new a try and seeing if it’s for you. We specifically mention the story template that J.K. Rowling used for her first Harry Potter book and the excel spreadsheet that Angie Thomas used for The Hate You Give.

The major takeaway for us from this conversation is there is not a clear right way to approach a project and it often requires some trial and error to figure out what will work - and that may change with each project. And, sometimes, just paying attention to what’s not working and pivoting before you’re too far into the process is the best you can do.

We hope you enjoy this episode! Keep reading, writing, and putting your voice out there!

Into the woods,

Fable & The Verbivore