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Thinking about workflows
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Posted by Hugh
Nov 13, 2009 at 05:38 PM
Hi Edwin
For project planning I use a piece of project-management software called Merlin which is overkill for my current needs, but which I acquired for completely different purposes. For me, project planning of writing projects is important to keep BIC (“bum in chair”).
But is this what you mean? Or do you mean what do I do for project planning in the sense of outlining?
H
Posted by Edwin Yip
Nov 14, 2009 at 04:29 AM
Hi Hugh,
I mean would you list what you actually need to plan for your writing project? Maybe the deadline, target word counts, etc, for each chapters? During a generic project planning one breakdown tasks into workable pieces, set the start/due dates and define the outcome, I wonder how all these map to the writing project. Thank you.
—
Edwin Yip
Writing Outliner - Turn Microsoft Word into an all-in-one writing software.
http://WritingOutliner.com
Hugh wrote:
>Hi Edwin
>
>For project planning I use a piece of project-management software called
>Merlin which is overkill for my current needs, but which I acquired for completely
>different purposes. For me, project planning of writing projects is important to
>keep BIC (“bum in chair”).
>
>But is this what you mean? Or do you mean what do I do for
>project planning in the sense of outlining?
>
>H
Posted by Hugh
Nov 14, 2009 at 10:46 AM
There are at least three ways of doing this (apart from flying by the seat of your pants).
One is to use an outliner with columns (or an Excel or Numbers spreadsheet) to create your writing outline, and then add a couple of columns that record daily word-count progress and dates.
A second is to detach your daily progress from your writing outline and record it separately in a spreadsheet or journaling software such as MacJournal. There are several Excel templates skating round the Internet, but this one, created by the husband of the writer Kristal Shaff, does the job and is certainly one of the prettiest: http://www.kristalshaff.com/Links.html.
A third is to add daily records and targets to the task meta-data stored in a project-management application like Merlin, a task manager like Omnifocus or project-conceiving software like Curio.
H
Posted by Edwin Yip
Nov 14, 2009 at 03:56 PM
Hi Hugh,
Thank you so much! I’ve just made a mind map and get my thoughts clarified! The first version (not the beta version) of Writing Outliner will be focused on four aspects of the writing workflow:
1) Project management
2) Research
3) Note taking
4) Writing
All functions should be existing to support any of the above 4 tasks.
My ‘Writing Workflow that’s Supported by Writing Outliner Word Addin’ mind map which will be serving as the design and implementation guidelines ;)
Posted by Edwin Yip
Nov 14, 2009 at 04:00 PM
BTW, the mind map is made with MindVisualizer at http://www.InnovationGear.com