Project Management Tool

Excellent Authors’ Project Management Tool

When an author works on a project her mind swirls with details. “Did I keep the color of the heroines eyes the same throughout the story?” “Are the details of the setting consistent in the beginning chapters with those in the end?”  

Instead of keeping ‘Post ‘em’ notes scattered about or random notebooks, there is a software package that could help save a great deal of time and frustrations.

Microsoft OneNote provides easy, organizational tools that works well in managing research, character development, plot outlines, etc.? All notes are made on pages which are the smallest unit in OneNote. Pages are shown on tabs down the side. Pages can have subpages shown by smaller tabs under the page tabs.

Each section is a separate OneNote (.one) file and are shown by tabs across the top.  A section (.one file) is stored in the My Notebook folder in the My Documents folder on your hard drive.

A folder is an optional level of organization, that contains sections and other folders. Folders are shown by blue tabs with folder icons across the top.  

Advantages of using OneNote over a Word Processing Program:

1. Easier to have everything in one file so you can flip back and forth with a simple click.
2. It automatically saves everything without the extra step of ‘yes, save this’.
3. It automatically records the web address from where a section is copied.
4. Words are searchable throughout all the OneNote files.
5. Pages can be added within each section. 

Ways authors have used OneNote include:

1. Record audio or video notes.

2. Use a business template to track expenses.

3. Each work-in-progress (WIP) is maintained as a separate notebook.

4. Within each notebook, a separate section (tab at the top of the screen) is used for Characters, Setting, Plot.