How to Create a Character Timeline You’ll Actually Use

When writing stories, it’s good to have an understanding of exactly who your characters are and what makes them important. Why is the main character the main character? What made the villain a villain? 

This is where a character timeline comes in handy. Timelines can also help keep track of when all events, big or small, are happening in the story so you don’t lose track of where your characters are. They help you stay organized.

What Makes Up a Character Timeline?

Like most other things in writing, there are many ways to create a timeline for your characters, and many options to include. Personally, I like to draw an actual timeline in my notebook; one for each main character, including protagonists, antagonists, and any other major players in the story. 

You can also create a digital timeline or physical timeline with sticky notes or a dry erase board. After the basic timeline is created, having a more in-depth character chart can also be useful.

In your character timelines, make sure to include these 3 key components:

Major events that shape the character, before and during the story. Major events include anything that’s important enough to greatly impact or change the character’s arc. This doesn’t necessarily mean that every single event has to be on the timeline because that might get overwhelming; however, it does mean that anything that changes the character’s life or outlook should be on the timeline. 

Character origin, or where they came from. When you think about “origins” you might be thinking specifically about location. While this can be important, the piece that’s important to the character timeline is their relationship to the other characters -where they came from and how long their relationship has been going on with the protagonist or antagonist. In some genres, location is much more important, but for timeline purposes, you want to think about each character, how they progress, and how that progression is related to the others in the book.  

Character end goal, or where they end up. Although it’s likely you won’t know the exact ending until it arrives, you should have some idea where you want each character to end up. You can include info about the actual ending, or some ideas about how you want their arc to end. Where do you want this character to be by the end of the book?

Why is a Character Timeline Important?

As exciting as it is to start thinking about and writing a new story, it can also be overwhelming. I’ve found that a good place to start is taking time to flesh out the main characters. 

Character timelines can identify plot holes so we can fill them, build in foreshadowing as we’re writing, and help us create more intriguing characters in general.  

Character timelines can identify plot holes so we can fill them, build in foreshadowing as we’re writing, and help us create more intriguing characters in general.  

For instance, in my most recent WIP, I started with 3 timelines. I knew who the main character was, who the love interest would be, and who the antagonist would be. I started their timelines to figure out where they would intersect. 

As I was creating the timelines, I was able to determine what drove my main character toward the others. This piece helps me build in foreshadowing about major events and make sure nothing big is missing from the story as a whole. I also learned exactly what happened in each character’s past made them who they are, which allows me to weave in interesting details throughout - including special interactions between characters and even humor!

How to Build a Character Timeline

When putting together a character timeline, start with where your story begins. Think about these questions: 

• Who are the characters we should care about right away? 

• How do they relate to the main character? 

• Is there a specific event the story opens on? 

For example, in my WIP, the main character starts as a 14 year old. There were obviously events that led to this point, but for now, the important things are why the story starts here and  what event marks the beginning of the story? This is the beginning of your timeline. 

Once you determine a starting point (remember, this can always change later on!), think about what brought them to this point. Pay close attention to: 

• Traumatic events

• Joyful events

• Key people they’ve met & interacted with

• Actions they took

• Anything that could be defining for them throughout the story

When you’ve determined more about where the character came from, you can start looking ahead to their future! Where do you want or see them ending up as of right now. One of the most beautiful (and sometimes frustrating) things about writing is how much it can adapt as we’re doing the writing. 

That being said, your story has to go somewhere! So it’s good to have a working idea of where each character is headed so you can help them get there. It doesn’t have to be a fairytale ending, or a gruesome ending for that matter. You might also find that, as you write, your characters decide their own fate, which is great! For now, just give it your best educated guess.

The final step in the character timeline is to fill in the steps that will get your character to their end goal. As you’re thinking about these steps, consider: 

• Major milestones

• Major and minor events that define the character’s experience

• When important relationships begin and end 

• New people they meet

• Major shifts in their mindset and/or beliefs

All of these pieces, especially other people, can be critical for the character and how they develop.

Character timelines are a great way to enhance your writing, not to mention they can be a lot of fun! I love creating timelines for my characters because it really helps me get to know each character better. Ultimately, it also helps readers love my characters, too, because I can incorporate all the pieces and details from the timeline into the story. 

When readers can see and feel back stories, strengths, and weaknesses from the characters, it helps them connect.  It makes everything more real. Connecting to readers in these ways are super important for writers!

My challenge to you is to create a character timeline for your current story. 

Have you used character timelines before? Did you find it helpful? What’s your favorite part about creating a character? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

Interview with an Author: Alexandra Franzen

NOTE: This blog contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Our April author is Alexandra Franzen.

Alexandra Franzen is a writer, consultant, and entrepreneur based in Hawaii.

Her sixth book is The Checklist Book: Set Realistic Goals, Celebrate Tiny Wins, Reduce Stress and Overwhelm, and Feel Calmer Every Day. Other books include You’re Going to Survive and So This Is the End: A Love Story.

She has written articles for Time, Forbes, Newsweek, The Huffington Post, and Lifehacker. Her work has been mentioned in The New York Times Small Business Blog, The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Times, and Inc.

She writes about a wide range of topics: life, love, death, grief, unplugging from technology, creativity, focus, productivity, simplicity, time–and how we spend it.

She is the founder of the Tiny Press, a publishing imprint specializing in very short books–100 pages or less. Tiny Press books include Say It Now by Sherry Richert-Belul (#1 Amazon New Release), Wishwork by Alexa Fischer (featured on Good Morning America), and Your Next Level Life by Karen Arrington (nominated for 2020 NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Instructional Literary Work).

If you would like to purchase Alexandra’s book, The Checklist Book, you can find a copy here.

Tell us a little about your writing journey. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

When I was a little kid, I had big clunky braces, bad eyesight, big glasses, and pretty severe asthma. I was also incredibly shy. Let’s just say, I was not drawn to sports and athletics! Haha. I loved quieter pursuits.

I loved going to the school library, reading, writing, and making up stories. I made my first “book” when I was about 7 or 8 years old—it was about flying unicorns, and I stapled it together in my dad’s office.

I’ve always loved the power of language.

I’ve always loved the power of language. To me, it’s incredible how you can have such an emotional impact on someone’s life just by saying the right words in the right order. Just one sentence can shift someone’s whole day.

I ended up majoring in English in college. My first job after graduation was at a media/radio broadcasting company. Later, I decided to jump into self-employment. I started my own company specializing in writing, publishing, and marketing services, and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last 11 years.

Was there a certain point you remember where you felt empowered to call yourself a writer? Or have you always felt like you were a writer?

I still remember the very first time I got paid—actual, real money—for a writing project. It was back in college. I got a part-time job working at the university magazine.

At my school, the magazine got distributed weekly to about 20,000 students, professors, and folks in the local community, so getting published in the magazine felt like a big deal to me. It was exciting and also nerve-racking, knowing that thousands of people were going to read (and potentially criticize and judge) my writing every single week.

I remember feeling so much anxiety the night before my very first article got published.

Would people like what I wrote? What if they hate it? What if the editor fires me? Aiiyeedsfgisofgsgskfjgf.

I rushed to grab a copy the next morning. I still remember the rush of excitement I felt, seeing my name in print…in an actual magazine! It sent sparkles all through my body and I was grinning so hard my cheeks hurt.

That was the first moment when something clicked and I realized:

Huh, maybe this is a real ‘thing’ that I can do. Maybe writing can actually be my career path.

Your book, The Checklist Book, talks about your checklist method, The Franzen method. Could you talk a little about how and why you developed your own method?

You know how some people have a daily journaling practice, or a daily meditation practice? I have a daily checklist practice. It’s a daily ritual that keeps me feeling organized, calm, and powerful in this crazy chaotic world.

Every evening, I make a checklist for the next day. So, if it’s Thursday evening, that’s when I make my checklist for Friday. That way, when I wake up on Friday morning, my checklist for the day is already ready, done, sorted out ahead of time. Kind of like setting up your coffee maker the night before—it just feels so good! Like a little gift to your future self.

As I am making my checklist, I ask myself:

• What’s my main intention for tomorrow?

• What are the highest priority things that need to get done?

• How could I make tomorrow feel calm, peaceful, and joyful?

• What are some sweet, simple little ‘moments’ that I want to experience tomorrow?

My daily checklist includes things I want to accomplish (“finish the proposal and send it to Rachel”), and also, things I want to experience (“take a moment to enjoy your coffee and look at the dawn sky”).

It’s really important to include both—things you want to do, and things you want to experience, savor, and feel. To me, that’s the secret to creating a fulfilling and emotionally rich day. Often, we focus too much on the doing-doing-doing and we forget to just live.

I’ve been making a daily checklist for years, and I’ve come up with my own format and approach for doing it.

A couple years ago, I started showing my daily checklists to other people and the reaction was so interesting. Many people were like, “Show me how to make one.” “I want to do this, too.” “Can you make a template for me that looks like yours?”

That’s when I realized, almost accidentally,

Oh, I guess I have a unique way of making checklists. I have a ‘method’ that I could teach to other folks, and I didn’t even realize it!

There are 4 chapters of fun and interesting info before readers learn about the daily checklist. Tell us a little about your philosophy on how knowing yourself on an intimate personal level can help you make more effective check lists?

When you type out a checklist for your day, what you’re doing is setting a clear intention for your day.

You’re deciding, “These are my highest priorities. This is how I intend to spend my time. This is how I want my life to feel,” and you’re putting those intentions in writing—in a list format.

So, in order to make an excellent checklist, first, you need to know yourself deeply. You need to know your values and what you care strongly about.

When you type out a checklist for your day, what you’re doing is setting a clear intention for your day.

That’s why I start The Checklist Book with an exploration of some deep questions, like, “What does living a ‘good life’ mean to you?”

For instance, if you decide, “For me, living a good life means making a positive impact on my client’s lives, and it means laughing and playing with my kids, and it means connecting with nature,” then, you can plan your day accordingly and make a checklist that includes the things that matter most to you.

This isn’t complicated stuff. It’s pretty simple. Consider what matters strongly to you. Then, plan your day accordingly. It’s simple yet difficult, because often, we forget to slow down and actually do it. By creating a daily checklist habit, this gives you an opportunity to do this every day.

Describe your writing and/or creative process.

I’ve written around six books so far, some fiction, and some non-fiction. With each book, I usually start with a central question or idea that intrigues me.

For example: “What if you knew that you only had 24 hours to live? What would you do with your time?” That’s the central question that inspired me to write my novel, So This Is the End: A Love Story.

Or, an idea, like, “Making a daily checklist will change your life.”

Once I’ve got a clear question or idea, then I build out the book from there.

I always start with an outline, which is usually one page or less. It’s basically just a list (yes, huge shocking surprise, I love lists, haha!) of the main points I want to cover in the book.

I always start with an outline, which is usually one page or less. It’s basically just a list (yes, huge shocking surprise, I love lists, haha!)

Then I block out time to write. For me, blocking out 5 to 7 days is usually what I need in order to make serious progress on a book manuscript. I can usually pour out a first draft in that amount of time, and then refine from there. Of course, it depends on the book. Some books require research, interviewing, and gathering materials before the actual writing begins. And some don’t. Every project unfolds differently.

Ideally, I like to go somewhere—check myself into a hotel, or an Airbnb, somewhere where I can completely concentrate without all the distractions back at home.

Sometimes, I don’t have this luxury, so I need to just work with whatever I’ve got! For instance, I wrote most of The Checklist Book on my bedroom floor with my laptop, sitting cross-legged, using a low wooden bench as my temporary “desk.” I planted myself there because it was blazingly hot, and I wanted to be directly under a ceiling fan.

What was your biggest writing obstacle and how did you overcome it?

My biggest obstacle has been learning how to deal with criticism from readers and from complete strangers online.

I’m a very tender-hearted person. I feel things deeply. And, I deeply want to “do a good job” and make a positive impact on people’s lives. So, when I occasionally see a book review that says, “waste of money” or “not worthy of purchase” (these are actual things that have been posted online about my books) wow, it hurts. It rattles my confidence. Even if there are 48 positive reviews and only 2 negative ones, it’s the negatives ones that I fixate upon and replay in my head.

Over time, I’ve had to learn how to handle criticism gracefully and move on without letting it drag me down. I’m still learning. It does get easier over time.

What motivates you to keep writing?

Impact and connection with readers. I’m motivated by a desire to make an impact on people’s lives, in any way, big or small.

I’m motivated by a desire to make an impact on people’s lives, in any way, big or small.

When I get an email from someone saying, “Your book really helped me”…or…“Look, I used your book and I made a checklist!”…or…“I’ve been having a hard time lately, and the message you shared was just what I needed to hear”…whenever I get a note like that, it moves me deeply, and I feel motivated to keep writing.

What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to aspiring writers?

 Often, I hear people say things like, “I am not a ‘real writer’ because I only write blog posts.” Or, “I only write a newsletter.” Or, “I only write children’s books.” “I only write short poems.” And so on.

You might feel like, somehow, your writing doesn’t matter and it’s not important. Like somehow, your project isn’t “big enough” to be worthy of praise and recognition.

Your style is valid and important and powerful.

Please remember tiny projects can create a big ripple effect. One blog post can touch thousands of lives. One 5-line poem can change someone’s whole day. A lovely children’s story can bring a family together at bedtime.

There are so many different kinds of writing projects. Not everyone feels called to write an 800-page novel and that’s okay! Do the projects that call to you.

Just like there are thousands of styles of music, there are thousands of styles of writing. There is room for your style. Your style is valid and important and powerful.

If you feel completely overwhelmed and you’re struggling to start—or finish—a writing project, have you considered making a checklist? It might help.

If you would like to purchase Alexandra Franzen’s book, The Checklist Book, you can find a copy here.

If you know an author (or of an author) you would love to read an interview with, email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com or submit a suggestion here.

Grammarly Review

The Product - What is It?

Grammarly is a free downloadable tool that helps users edit while writing. It can be downloaded to a desktop or used in a browser for any type of writing. There is a paid option, but I like the free version, so we’ll stick to that for today. 

How It Works

To use Grammarly, you have to download it to our computer first. I have it installed on my Google Chrome browser so it can help me while I write blog posts, emails, social media posts, or whatever else I happen to write online. 

As you write, Grammarly checks your spelling and grammar. It can show definitions or synonyms of words, and predict what you should say next. You can determine what tools you want to use and turn off the ones you don’t want. 

If you’re writing something and don’t want Grammarly to keep chiming in with suggestions, you can turn it off. Don’t worry, if you want to do a spelling and grammar check at the end, you can turn it back on and it will show you all the suggestions. 

Inside Grammarly

Grammarly gives suggestions based on four aspects of writing: 

1. Correctness - whether there are mistakes

2. Clarity - how easy it is to tell what you are saying

3. Engagement - how interesting your writing is to readers; diction (the words you use, the flow of your writing, etc.)

4. Delivery - how the writing sounds to readers; tone (excited, informal, optimistic, etc.)

You can see the edits Grammarly wants to make right on the writing itself, through underlining. You can also check the small circle in the bottom right corner of the screen. It can be green or red, depending on if it thinks the writing needs help. When you click the circle, it gives you an in-depth look at the edits. 

This in-depth look is where Grammarly tells you which aspect the edit falls under. That makes it easier to tell if it’s a necessary edit or something based on your own preference. 

Preview of Grammarly

Pros & Cons

Top Pros:

• By using Grammarly, editing becomes more thorough and accurate. This helps ensure when people are reading your work, they don’t stumble on easily fixable or obvious mistakes. When I’m reading a book, blog post, or other writing, glaring mistakes in the middle of the page take me out of the story and make me nitpick the rest of the writing. It definitely makes reading less enjoyable. Using a tool like Grammarly is a great way to make sure our writing is as readable as possible.

• Another great pro is that it’s free! There’s a premium version that gives you more in-depth suggestions, but it isn’t necessary, at least not for most things. With the free version, you can still see spelling and grammar mistakes, along with some other clarifying edits. I use the free version, and found it very useful for all of my writing. 

Top Cons:

• Sometimes Grammarly gives suggestions that aren’t what we want or don’t work for the sentence. For example, below I wrote “Grammarly picks up on them all” and it suggested I change “up on” to “upon” which is not what I mean. In these cases, you can just ignore the suggestions. 

• If you forget to turn off Grammarly, it will pop up in all writing circumstances, even when it’s not wanted. It’s a small inconvenience, but can be annoying. I ignore it when I’m not using it, but sometimes it can be hard to ignore, like when you’re trying to type up a quick email and it keeps predicting text you don’t actually want to use.

Overall Usefulness

Overall, Grammarly is extremely useful. There have been plenty of times when I’m writing too fast and don’t notice I used a wrong word or spelled something incorrectly. Grammarly is on top of it and corrects me. 

Even when rereading it’s easy to miss some smaller mistakes, but Grammarly picks up on them all. It ensures that my emails aren’t filled with embarrassing mistakes and that my blog posts make sense! 

Those pesky edits we miss can put a damper on our writing, and Grammarly is a great tool to use to make sure that those edits get included. 

I would recommend Grammarly to any writer. It can be helpful in many ways. If it’s not for you, at least you gave it a try!

My challenge to you is to try Grammarly for a week. 

Do you use Grammarly or another app for editing your writing? How does it work for you? Would you recommend it to other writers? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

Classics Series Book Review: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

NOTE: This blog contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is widely known as a classic love story. However, if you read it as a love story, you’ll be sorely disappointed. It’s more a story of vengeance and love lost. The characters, including the ever important Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff are written to extremes. Their intense emotions finally lead to death and destruction.

Content & Message

This book is written as an embedded narrative, or a story within a story. It begins with a man, Lockwood, who is renting the house at Thrushcross Grange from Heathcliff who owns it and the house of Wuthering Heights. The housekeeper of Thrushcross, Nelly Dean, tells Lockwood the story of Heathcliff and Catherine after Lockwood has an encounter with Catherine’s ghost at Wuthering Heights. 

“And that minx, Catherine Linton, or Earnshaw, or however she was called - she must have been a changeling - wicked little soul! She told me she had been walking the earth these twenty years: a punishment for her mortal transgressions, I’ve no doubt!” - Lockwood, Wuthering Heights

As Nelly delves into the story, we learn that Heathcliff and Catherine were brought up together at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff, having been brought in as an orphan by Catherine’s father, was treated horribly by Catherine’s older brother, Hindley Earnshaw. This is when Heathcliff’s deep resentment begins to grow. 

Catherine, though treated much better than Heathcliff, is a bit unhinged. She has dramatic fits when she doesn’t get her way, and has almost as bad, if not worse, manners than Heathcliff. They cling to each other throughout the story. Unfortunately for Heathcliff, he’s not “suitable” for her, having not been from an established family. Catherine marries someone else, Edgar Linton, even though she really loves Heathcliff.  

From here, Heathcliff only becomes more obsessed with revenge. Not only does he want vengeance against Hindley, but also Edgar for marrying the love of his life. He uses the children of each of them, and his own child, to exact revenge. Heathcliff becomes a horrific terror in this story. He ropes in innocent people, not caring about the trauma he is inflicting, so he can have his way. 

“Mr. Heathcliff dislikes me; and is a most diabolical man, delighting to wrong and ruin those he hates, if they give him the slightest opportunity.”

- Edgar Linton, Wuthering Heights

Edgar Linton does a great job encapsulating exactly what Heathcliff is: a diabolical man. There seems to be no redeeming qualities in Heathcliff. Every time he has a chance to make a better choice, he chooses to be cruel, vindictive, and abusive.

Biggest Takeaway

Heathcliff shows us the extreme of what can happen when someone is treated cruelly for their whole life.  It also shows us how, when someone is exposed to such treachery and neglect/abuse, they are often more easily manipulated. 

We see this most in Catherine’s daughter Cathy. Heathcliff manipulates her into marrying his own son, Linton, so he gets all of Edgar's property and wealth. The same manipulation Heathcliff uses on Cathy, including physical abuse, is also used on Linton.

Heathcliff shows us how far someone will go for the person they love, and how far someone will go to harm their enemies. He dug up Catherine’s grave because he was driven mad with grief and longing to be with her. And then he ruined the lives of those he hated because he had nothing else to live for. 

“Be with me always - take any form - drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”

- Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights

Overall Impressions

Emily Bronte does a great job at making the reader hate the main characters. Honestly, everyone in the story is cruel and dysfunctional in some way. The only characters I had any sympathy for were the children, Cathy, Linton, and Hareton, but even they manage to make me dislike them many times. 

I did feel sorry about Heathcliff’s upbringing, but who he ultimately became kind of destroyed that like he did everyone’s lives in the book. There was no reason for him to go all out, hell-bent on destroying lives, even of his enemy’s children. They were innocents and had nothing to do with the choices of their parents. 

As a love story, I was not impressed with how things played out. The “romance” between Catherine and Heathcliff was more of an unhealthy obsession. This is not a book I want to read again, and I’m not totally happy about the hours I spent on reading it the first time. 

If you are someone who likes to read into a book and analyze the deeper meaning, or the “classical” bit, then this is probably an okay read. Otherwise, it’s just frustrating and sad. 

Why Writers Need this Book

As a writer, it’s always interesting to read books that are considered “classics.” To discover what makes them so popular and what the author did right. Utilizing the book in that way, then maybe it’s worth reading for us writers.

I won’t say that writer’s need this book, because I myself didn’t enjoy it; however, there is something to be said about how extremely dislikable everyone is. There aren’t many writers who can make readers hate almost every character in the intense way Bronte does, so for that I have to give it props. 

You can get the book here. (Or here or here). Better yet, check your local library!

My challenge to you is to read the book and think about Heathcliff’s motivations.

Have you read the book? What did you think? What was your favorite part? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great reading & writing. 

What is a Writing Coach?

I read a rather upsetting article the other day. It was called “8 Ways to Defend Yourself Against Writing Coach Scams” and even as I clicked, I was slinking down in my seat. 

It was bad. 

The article itself was fine, if a little bland, but it was published in a reputable publication. 

Have you ever had one of those moments where you go from thrilled to the bone to do something to questioning all of your decisions? Spoiler alert: it SUCKS. 

My face when I have a moment of insecurity because someone else thinks my business is a scam.

As a writing coach, it’s hard to read about what I do in such a negative light. Hell, in a human way, it’s hard to read that people do that to other people! I mean, come on. Who builds their life around scamming people who are just trying to do what they love? Or make a better life for themselves? 

Gross. Seriously. 

But after I got over all of these emotions tumbling out of my mind around me, it occurred to me that maybe people don’t really know what writing coaches do. I mean, I didn’t really know until I got more involved in the online business world. And there are SO many types of coaches, even just within my little world of writing! 

So here goes: an explanation of what a writing coach can actually do for you, what I focus on specifically (it’s not scamming you - ain’t nobody got time for that!), and what it can help you accomplish as a writer. After all, you are a writer, right? Or you want to be - even if you haven’t quite called yourself one yet. (Which, by the way, completely okay! It’s a whole thing.)

What Does a Writing Coach Do?

Writing coaches tend to focus in one of two areas: development and publishing. Sometimes you’ll find a coach who does both, if they’ve had extensive experiences in more than one part of the writing process, but mostly, we pick one area that we like to work with writers on the most. 

Developmental writing coaches, which is what I am, work with the ideas. We work with you on your thoughts to organize them and start writing. It’s mostly big picture stuff like creating a system of organization, habits, and writing schedule. 

We love hearing about all of your wild ideas and we can help you begin to put them on the page with some kind of coherence - because let’s be honest, our brain is great at thinking about things about a mile a minute and not always great when it comes to actually writing said ideas down. 

Writing coaches who focus on publishing are also called book coaches. There are a CRAZY number of book coaches, which is awesome, if a little intimidating. Book coaches help you get your manuscript ready to query with the hope of getting published by a traditional publishing house. 

They can also help you get a book ready to self-publish, if you’re interested in going that route. These guys and gals are talented in the marketing and networking aspects of publishing. They can help most when you’re ideas and all shined up and ready to get sent out into the world. 

Personally, I love the development - ideas - stage of writing. It’s a super passion for me because confidence is a big deal in the beginning of a new writing project, or a writing career. It’s easy to miss the connection between confidence and writing because, since writing is a skill, it is possible to communicate clearly without being confident. However, just because you can email your boss with ease (maybe) doesn’t mean you would feel good about sitting down to write a novel. 

That takes GUTS. 

So when I work with writers during coaching, a lot of what I do is build up confidence and make you feel good about where you’re at right now. It’s hard to improve when you don’t really feel good about where you’re starting. 

Plus, I get it. I have one of those stories that people are like “Why did you stop writing for so long?” (7 years, to be exact), and it’s literally because I didn’t know how to take criticism and feedback. My confidence was super fragile and having your parents say you’re good at something doesn’t really make you feel great when a professional tells you you’re not. 

How Can a Writing Coach Help You Be a Better Writer?

So what the heck do people use a writing coach for? 

Short answer? To write better. 

Hah! 

Better answer: there are a number of things that writing coaches can help you do, depending on your goals. 

Some of the things that I work with writers on include:

Writing a Novel

Going from idea (or hazy midnight thought to an actual, working idea) through the writing itself. We plan, write, and look at your writing together, similar to a writing workshop.

Writing a Non-Fiction Book

Planning and setting goals for a non-fiction book, like an e-book or something for business, and helping you get through the writing. Similar to a novel, we plan, write, and workshop your writing - with the added consideration of your specific audience. Who exactly is it for and what do you want them to do with the info once they get it from your awesome book?

Writing Organization

Helping you get your thoughts and writing project into some kind of recognizable book-shaped thing. It’s okay if you don’t write the book from beginning to end - I sure as hell don’t! That doesn’t mean you don’t need a system to put everything into so you can actually find the pieces you’re weaving together. Also, eventually it will need to have a beginning, middle, and end, so it’s helpful to develop a way to process things and keep them for later when you're finalizing everything. 

Writing Goals

Even if you don’t want to write a whole book right now, having writing goals keeps you moving. We work together on setting both short- and long-term goals so you can take baby steps toward your writing dreams. Even if you want to be a NY Times bestseller. Even if you just want to write a few pages and see how it goes. No matter what it is, we’ll talk about it together, set goals, and check-in on them frequently. 

Accountability

Here’s the thing - people procrastinate, right? For writers, “tomorrow” can easily become a year from now because they don’t feel like their writing is as important as other things in their life. Or maybe because they’re scared. Or even because they simply just don't have anyone to keep them accountable to what they want to get done. So, as a coach, I do check-ins and create specific tasks for you so you can start doing what you want (and stop feeling bad that you pushed your writing dream back again.)

Where Do You Find a Writing Coach?

I’d like to point out the power of Google...EXCEPT that’s probably not the best thing to do in this instance. I mean, definitely do your research, but Google is a super mixed bag with articles that are informative and articles that supposedly tell “definitively” whether you need a writing coach (or not). Oh, and about the scams. RE: Scared the hell out of me the other day (and I AM a writing coach who WILL hire a book coach when I’m ready. Yikes!)

So, what I recommend is asking around your writer friend circle if anyone knows a writing coach they love (surely someone knows someone). Personally, I feel like a reference from a trusted friend is always more comforting than great copy on a website or other reviews I might find. 

I would also love to work with you! If you’re interested in what’s included in my coaching packages, you can check that out here. And, if you have any questions, we’ll hop on a call and chat. 

There will never be a point where I tell you that I’m the only person who does what I do. Or the best in the world. I mean, I’d like to think I’m pretty great (lol) but in all reality, you’re the only person who can decide whether I’m the right fit for you. If there’s anything I’ve learned about working with writers and marketers and brilliant people in all kinds of industries, it’s that “best” is subjective. There’s almost always someone with more credentials or experience or XYZ than you. It’s just a fact with so many people here on Earth.

BUT

I love what I do, and I’m a damn good writer. I do it for a living! And I’ve loved it all my life. So, I definitely could be the best writing coach for you, which is way more important than “best writing coach ever” or whatever other boxes people tell you to “make sure” they have when you work with them.

My challenge to you is to think about your writing dream and book a call about writing coaching. 

Have you read anything different about writing coaching? Had different experiences with coaches? Have questions I didn’t answer? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

Why I Write Morning Pages Every Day

NOTE: This blog contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is whether or not I journal. And if you would have asked me a couple of years ago, the answer would have been no! I mean, maybe occasionally, but not as a regular habit. 

These days, I’m an avid journaler. I’m hooked. 

Only I don’t call it “daily journaling,” I call it “Morning Pages.”

What are Morning Pages? 

The term morning pages comes from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. It’s an 8 week creativity course that has a book and workbook you read and complete. I have yet to complete it, because at the time when I bought it, I was in a self-help CRAZE. 

If you’ve been around for a little while, you might have seen my end of year reflection blog for 2020, in which I listed the insane number of courses I purchased last year when I was furloughed and later laid off from my job due to the pandemic. It was also during this time that I officially registered my business and began to be fully self-employed for the first time. 

During this hectic time, I did begin The Artist’s Way, and what struck me the most was this idea of writing every morning about whatever you feel like. Whatever you’re thinking and feeling and wanting and hating. Anything and everything that comes to mind. It’s essentially another term, and in my opinion a better word, for free writing. 

So when I say I’m going to do my Morning Pages, I go into my office (or somewhere that has a table surface) and write my 3 pages for the day of whatever I think of.

The catch? I don’t stop writing. I don’t “collect” my thoughts, and I don’t stop to organize them either - they just get onto the page in whatever order they get from my brain to my hand. 

You might also be thinking that 3 pages is a lot. And, for some people it might be! I tried the recommended amount when I first started because I knew it would stretch me, although if you’ve met me you probably know that I have about that many thoughts going at any one time, so it’s really just writing them all down on a daily basis that’s the challenge. 

I’ll also point out that my 3 pages are not standard paper size 8.5 x 11”. I write them in a journal that’s about 6” x 8” give or take a quarter inch. My favorite brand is Peter Pauper journals, and I fill one up about every 6 weeks. It’s a nice incentive to keep writing when I know I get to pick a pretty new journal.

So that’s it! Those are Morning Pages.

Why I Write Morning Pages Every Day

I write Morning Pages every day because I like it. Well, that and it’s had some amazing benefits that I just can’t get enough of. 

It used to be hard for me to commit to writing every day, even as a writer - ironic, right? These days, I find that I actually can tell a difference in the entire day when I accidentally skip Morning Pages or do them later in the day. 

First and foremost, Morning Pages get me writing. It might not be a section of my novel, or a paid client article, or a blog. But they’re my words on the page! And it’s glorious when you can flip through them and see all the words you had in your head living neatly on the page in brightly colored ink. 

They also get me thinking. I don’t know if you have this trouble, but sometimes I get so far into my own head that it’s hard to think clearly about anything, let alone something that’s supposed to be “good.”

Having time to just write freely in the morning allows me space to think about whatever I want, but also gives me space to think about things I can’t get away from. 

It’s a great space for problem-solving! Just the other day I made this great discovery about my business and I was SUPER pumped about it...until I realized that it was so different from what I’ve been working on that I kind of went into panic mode. Like…a business identity crisis. 

Thankfully, when I did Morning Pages that day, I was able to take time to think through those troubling thoughts (that actually weren’t that different from what I’m doing, they just felt like it at the time). Then, because I was able to clarify my fears, I could express them to someone else who kindly talked through it with me. Problem solved! 

Clearly, doing Morning Pages offers me an unprecedented opportunity to dump all of my unwieldy emotions onto the page before they begin to affect others around me...well, usually at least. If I’m angry, it’s a safe place to rant. If I’m sad or anxious, I’m free to wallow for a little while and figure it out before I get assistance or move on with the day.

When I began doing my Pages every day last April, we were firmly ensconced in pandemic lockdown. As in, we could barely even go to the grocery store. So, finding alone time was a valuable asset to me in a small house with my husband and dog when we were together 24/7. I treasure time alone with my thoughts, and although I love my husband and my boys, there are just some things you don’t say to other people! 

Looking back now, I’m also glad to have a record of the whole year - or, most of it at least. It’s really amazing to me the changes I’ve seen and, quite honestly, the sh*t we went through. I mean, everyone’s got their stuff, right? But seeing in on the page really does give a different perspective. In my writing and business, I’ve also been able to identify key moments, almost down to the day, where huge mindset shifts happened, which is pretty neat. 

Journaling really offers the unique chance to record the “right now” in a way that most other forms of expression don’t quite match up to.

Plus, it’s a pretty sweet perk that I get to regularly pick out a pretty new journal to write in.

 I’m not sure what I’ll do when I run out of designs with my favorite journal company (which, by the way, is actually pretty affordable!), but until then, I enjoy my trips to Barnes & Noble, or a good look around Amazon. 

I’m sure the list of Morning Pages benefits could be longer, after all, I’m a lifelong devotee now, but those are my favorites.

Space to think on paper is invaluable to writers, and I highly recommend it, even if you don’t want to do 3 pages worth! 

My challenge to you is to do Morning Pages for a week (including the weekend) and see how you feel afterward. 

Have you tried Morning Pages? How did it go? Do you do another form of daily journaling that helps you as much as Morning Pages helps me? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Book Review: You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero (2017)

NOTE: This blog contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

When you read You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero, you discover what’s been holding you back from making the money of your dreams, and how to achieve financial success. It shows you how to reset your mind and puts you in a good space to start making more money now. Sincero’s voice is delightful and instructive, and the book comes complete with chapter exercises, to help you figure out your own path to success. If you’re ready to start living the life you want, and making the money you dream of, this is a must read!

Content & Message

The premise of the book is that we need to change the way we think about money in order to start making money. A big component of creating a new money mindset is changing our inner monologue and the way we talk about money. 

We can easily swap negative phrases, like “Money is the root of all problems” or “Money doesn’t grow on trees” and replace them with more positive phrases, like “Money is great because it pays my bills!” or “Money is all around me.” 

This may seem like a hard sell on its own - after all, money doesn’t grow on trees, right? While that part is true, a positive money mindset and adding new language surrounding money can do a heck of a lot for attracting money into our lives. We need to believe these things that we’re saying for them to work. 

As Sincero says, it may seem weird or awkward to us at first, but when we keep repeating these affirmations, eventually it will be second nature and money will become more present in our lives.

 Worrying is praying for stuff you don’t want”(126). 

By focusing our thoughts on what we want instead of worrying about what we don’t, we can change how we view the world and opportunities will open up for us. 

Sincero also points out that it isn't enough to just say positive money mantras or affirmations, but we also need to think about them, and take actions to bring more money into our lives. One action we can do easily that Sincero offers as an exercise is place money around living space. Seeing money around us every day reminds us that it’s accessible and surrounds us, even when we can’t see the tangible proof.

In each chapter of the book, Sincero includes a success story of someone who has utilized the exercises she talks about in the chapter. The regular everyday people in the stories have succeeded in bringing money into their lives, which shows us that we, too, can be like Sincero and draw in an abundance of money - if we have the right mindset.

As hard as it is, we do have to remember to be patient, and while we can feel free to ask or attract for whatever our hearts desire, it may not come in the way we expect. We must be open to possibilities and change. Sincero discusses the fear of change and taking big risks that are bound to make us uncomfortable. 

It’s these risks that get us the biggest results, though, and we can rest assured that Sincero has been around the block more than once. It’s not her first rodeo, and we learn about the risks she took to get where she’s at today. Getting out of our comfort zone is the only way to live a better life, like the one of our dreams.

 We’ve been raised to believe that you have to work hard to make money...but the real secret is you have to take huge, uncomfy risks (9).

If you read this book, follow through with the exercises, and continue to keep up with them, money should, theoretically, begin to flow into your life. While it’s tempting to choose one or two new habits, try them out for a while, and give up when we see no results, the key to success is to create a habit. 

The key to money mindset and financial abundance - according to Sincero - is to utilize all the new habits. Each one is important to finding success. 

You can get rich too. You are mighty and magnificent beyond measure, grasshopper. You are meant to follow your desires. You are meant to blossom into the fullest expression of your unique and fantabulous badassery. You are meant to be rich (267).

Biggest Takeaway

Change starts within ourselves. If we aren’t willing to step out of our comfort zone, put in the work, and believe it’s possible, we won’t be able to change our lives and start making more money. 

Change your mind, change your life (208). 

There are many great exercises and ideas to help us with changing our old, money blocking mindset. For instance, listing your negative thoughts about money, figuring out where they came from, and rewriting new truths. 

If you really focus on doing the work and making the effort to change your mindset, this book will change your life.

Overall Impressions

This is an awesome book, not just because it teaches us a new way to think about money, but also because it changes the way we think. We can apply these lessons about money to all the areas of our lives. In fact, this isn’t her first book about mindset! Check out this review of Sincero’s first book You are a Badass (2013) to read more about her work (and get another major confidence boost). 

The book is set up logically, with the text of the chapter explaining the money making tactic followed by a success story and a set of exercises to complete. I love it! Taking in the information this way, I could immediately apply the ideas I just learned and put them to use. If it was just a text or just a workbook, it would be easy to let the reading fall forgotten into the shadows.

Why Writers Need this Book

Instills Confidence & Capability.

Jen Sincero is a writer and talks about how she was able to make money freelancing. Now she’s a multimillionaire who’s world renown for her coaching and writing. It goes to show that we all start somewhere - even the wealthiest and most famous among us! It also applies directly to us writers who haven’t yet hit the big time, which makes it feel less overwhelming to apply in our own lives. 

After all, if she can do it, so can we, right? 

In resetting our thoughts about money, we can also work on resetting our thoughts about our writing. Confidence can flow freely through our lives just as easily as money. 

Manifests Abundance.

Sincero discusses Universal Intelligence (also known as God and other life forces around us - whatever belief system you live by) and how we can shape our own realities. We can continually put into the universe - through thoughts, words, and actions - what we desire most. If we believe it and work hard for it, it will eventually become our reality. 

For example, as writers we can say “I am going to sell (#) books this week.” We write it down, repeat it in our mind, truly believe we can do it, put in the work to market our book, and it will come to fruition. The key is that we can’t just sit around waiting for things to happen, we need to make moves to help the universe bring about what we want.

Next Steps

There are a few steps to take next: 

1. Get the book here. (Or here). Better yet, check your local library.

2. Read the book & do the exercises

3. Start utilizing your new money mindset.
   

My challenge to you is to read this book and commit to trying a new money mindset.

Have you read this book? Did you complete the exercises? Which proved most useful to you? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great reading & writing.

Interview with an Author: June Cotner

Our March guest is June Cotner.

June Cotner is a publishing consultant and the author of 36 books, including the bestselling Graces and Wedding Blessings. Collectively, her books have sold more than one million copies and have earned praise in many national publications including USA Today, Better Homes & Gardens and more. June has appeared on national television and radio programs as well as local television including "New Day Northwest" and "AM Northwest" to promote her other titles. Through Book Proposal Services, she continues to evaluate nonfiction book proposals and analyzes concepts for books.

If you would like to purchase June’s book, Hey! It’s Your Day, you can find a copy here.

Tell us a little about your writing journey. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

My writing journey started off with writing poetry in high school. However, it wasn’t until I was 32 that I began working on a book that became The Home Design Handbook: The Essential Planning Guide for Building, Buying, or Remodeling a Home. I tried submitting this book to publishers on my own and I later learned that to sell a book I would need a literary agent and a book proposal. I met New York agent Denise Marcil in 1990 at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference and she loved the book. It was published in 1992 by Henry Holt and it went into 12 printings.

Was there a certain point you remember where you felt empowered to call yourself a writer? Or have you always felt like you were a writer?

When I learned that a major New York publisher was going to publish my first book, I was thrilled, and definitely felt like a writer! I came to discover that I love creating book proposals because I enjoy making the best possible “case” why a publisher should publish my book.

Your book, Hey! It’s Your Day! Is full of quotes and affirmations. What inspired you to write the book?

I’ve been a quote collector since I was 14. After The Home Design Handbook was published, my agent discovered that I loved collecting graces to say around the dinner table. She suggested the book would be stronger if I created a call for submissions from both published and unpublished writers. I now have 800 writers who contribute to my books. In 1994 Graces was published by HarperOne and it went on to sell 250,000 copies.

I’ve been a quote collector since I was 14.

I created 34 anthologies after Graces, but in the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to create a book of favorite quotes. I kept gathering quotes over 25 years while my other books continued to be published. When I felt I had “the best of the best” quotes, I wrote a proposal for HEY! IT’S YOUR DAY and my agent submitted it to Brenda Knight at Mango Publishing.

Because the book has so many snippets of advice and uplifting ideas from so many people, it must have been a fun and interesting research process. Can you tell us a little about how you chose the quotes that were included?

I wanted quotes that would be both relatable and uplifting for readers. The research process went on for 25 years. I wanted some of the quotes to be recognizable to readers and other quotes that were not. Also, one of my long-time assistants, who is in her early 30s, rated all of the possible quotes for the book. It was helpful to get a younger person’s perspective.

The quotes are broken up into sections, or chapters, based on themes. Why did you choose to separate the book in this way, and how did you determine where to place them in the book?

There are over 800 quotes in HEY! IT’S YOUR DAY and I started with an unmanageable number. As favorite quotes filtered to the top, I asked myself “What is the main theme of each quote?” From those questions the sections evolved.

Describe your writing and/or creative process.

My most creative time is what I call my “Morning Coffee Time.” Before I dive into work for the day, I eat my breakfast and while I’m having my coffee, I work on whatever pleases me. Often it will be a book proposal for a future book.

I also hike with my dog at the end of the day. Being out in nature refreshes my spirit.

I also hike with my dog at the end of the day. Being out in nature refreshes my spirit.

You have many other published books and have sold over a million books worldwide – that’s incredible! How does this book compare to your others, and do you have a specific type or genre of book that you usually write?

My usual genre would be anthologies such as House Blessings and Family Celebrations. I created a prompted journal for Chronicle Books called Say a Little Prayer. I also created We Are Women: Celebrating Our Wit and Grit, co-authored with Barb Mayer. It combines vintage photos of women paired with inspirational and sometimes humorous quotes.

What was your biggest writing obstacle and how did you overcome it?

The biggest obstacle today is that most of my books are gift books and due to the pandemic, people aren’t shopping in brick-and-mortar stores where they would find gift books like mine. Fortunately, HEY! IT’S YOUR DAY is a self-help book in addition to being a gift book, so it’s still finding an audience. I was thrilled to see my book in the Reference section at my local Barnes & Noble store.

What is the part of your published work or writing process you are most proud of?

For HEY! IT’S YOUR DAY, writing chapter essays was a new endeavor for me. It was suggested by the publisher and I like how it all came together.

Do you have any plans for another book or writing project in the near future? If so, could you tell us about it? 

When I think of a new book idea, I create a binder. I have at least 25 binders in my home. I’m also co-authoring a number of anthologies with writer and poet Nancy Tupper Ling and she has about 35 binders in her home for our co-authored projects. Our children’s book, For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day will be published in September by Eerdmans.

When I think of a new book idea, I create a binder. I have at least 25 binders in my home.

What motivates you to keep writing?

I never lack for motivation. I enjoy working on multiple projects at the same time that are in different stages of development, such as pre-proposal, proposal, final manuscript, marketing plan, and then publication!

 What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to aspiring writers?

I think it’s really satisfying to write and submit Letters to the Editor of your local newspaper. Notice what’s happening in the news and see if you can offer a new insight or twist on what was reported in the paper. This activity gives you a quick way to get instantly published (if your letter is published). Once it appears, share your article on Facebook and Twitter. And then start thinking about your next article!

If you would like to purchase June Cotner’s book, Hey! It’s Your Day, you can find a copy here.

If you know an author (or of an author) you would love to read an interview with, email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com or submit a suggestion through the contact page!

How to Make a Table of Contents in Google Docs

I’m super into organization. It’s kind of crazy, honestly. Think Post-Its and color coding everywhere. 

The one place I wasn’t organized was my creative writing. Elsewhere, I’ve written about how I am pretty free range with my creative work because it feels better for me that way. While I’m very much still in favor of doing what feels best for my creative writing, once you actually have a good amount of writing it gets unwieldy without some sort of organization. It’s much easier to be able to click a link and have the document jump to where you want to go.

No one wants to scroll through 10K words to find the one you just saw that you wanted to fix. Especially if you don’t remember what it is, but you know you’d recognize it if you saw it again. Believe me, personal experience has shown that this method is irritating at best and highly uninspirational when you actually want to get some creative work done.

Hence the Table of Contents - lovingly called the ToC for short - was born. At least in my world. 

I’m a huge fan of the Google Suite, and I use Google Docs for just about everything. It’s not that there aren’t downfalls, but Google Docs is cloud-based, which means that it saves for me. You can also open it anywhere you can log into Google from - pretty great. 

This is why my novel lives primarily in a Google Doc. I definitely have backups (because you should ALWAYS have backups), but anytime I write digitally, it’s in that Google Doc. Today I wanted to share how to create a working Table of Contents for Google Docs, because it’s saved SO much time and energy as I’ve been working on my book. It will also work for you as you write more, you don’t have to have chapters already in place or anything!

How to Make a Table of Contents in Google Docs

Creating a ToC in Google Docs is quick and easy. There are multiple ways to go about it, and there is an option to use a pre-made table of contents in Google Docs.

I personally don’t use that because I feel like the way I’m going to show you (that I use on the daily) is easier and more flexible; however, feel free to experiment with whatever you like as you’re writing! 

To make a Google Docs Table of Contents like mine, there are just 4 steps. Watch the video for a full walkthrough, or read on below to create your own.

1. Create a Blank Table of Contents Page with the Chapter Titles Listed

Open up a brand new document. On the top, write out the title of your project (or a working title - just call it something you can easily remember). Underneath that, write out “Table of Contents.” 

You can style these however you like with fonts & colors. Personally I like to keep things plain and simple, but if you’re feeling fancy, change the font if you want!  

The last part of this first step is to type out the chapter or section titles, each on their own line. If you have working titles, you can use those. If you want to use plain numbers, that’s fine, too. The goal is to be able to easily recognize the section of writing, click on it, and have it take you to that section of writing. 

When you’re starting a brand new project, and thus a brand new document, I recommend just putting in a few filler titles like “Chapter 1” and “Chapter 2” or “Section 1” and “Section 2.” 

The beauty of this system, aside from flexibility, is that you can easily add to your ToC as you write rather than committing to a specific number of sections or chapters. So if this is brand new, add a few fillers for now to get yourself set up and familiar with how it works. 

2. Type out Titles/Text for Chapters in the Body of the Document

Once you have your Table of Contents page typed and ready to go, you can begin to add body text to the document. 

If this is a new document: Copy and paste the titles from the first page. The titles on the Table of Contents page should match the titles that are in your document, that way when you set up your links, it’s very easy for you to tell which section you just landed on. Since you don’t have any writing yet, you can leave them single spaced or put a space in between each title. Personally, I like an extra space because then I can just click it and type there immediately. 

If you have a Work in Progress: If you already have writing that you’re trying to whip into shape (good for you!), go through and give each section or chapter a title. Whether the name is permanent or not doesn’t matter. The goal, again, is to be able to easily locate each specific section of writing, so name it something you’ll be able to easily remember what happens in that section. 

3. Add a Bookmark to the Title of Each Chapter

So far, you have your Table of Contents page, with chapter/section titles, and your titles in the text of the document. The next step is to make a bookmark for each of the titles in the text of the Google Doc. 

The process is simple: highlight the text of one chapter/section title, click “Insert” in the top left corner of the menu, and select the “Bookmark” option. That’s it! Create separate bookmarks for each of your titles. DO NOT do anything with the Table of Contents page yet, just add your bookmarks to the text in the body of your document. 

4. On the Table of Contents Page, Add a Link to each Chapter Title for the Corresponding Bookmark

Once you’ve added your bookmarks to the text of your Google Doc, you get to do the fun part: link them to the Table of Contents! 

All you have to do to link to your brand new bookmarks is: Go to the ToC page, highlight the first chapter/section title (like you did when you were creating your bookmarks), and select “Insert” in the top left corner of the menu. Choose the “Link” option. From there, you have 2 choices: you can search for the name of the bookmark (remember, it should match what you see on your ToC for easy reference) OR you can choose the “In this document” option at the bottom of the pop up. 

If you search for the name, simply click it when it appears and you’re done! Your link will appear. If you open “In this document” it will present a list of bookmarks for you to choose from. Click the right one and it will appear as a link. 

So that’s it! Just 4 simple steps that will probably take you less than 10 minutes to make your project much more organized and easy to work with moving forward. 

My challenge to you is to create your very own table of contents. 

Did you set up your Google Docs Table of Contents? How did it go? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great - and organized - writing.

5 Pieces to Include in Your Writing Notebook

Depending on your writing process, you may have a place where you keep the notes related to your books and other writing projects. 

But if you’re a new writer, or if you’re just starting to get serious about writing, you might have heard the term “writing notebook” and wondered what the heck that is. 

Good news! 

Today’s post is all about great pieces to include in your writing notebook, with simple steps about how to include them. 

What is a Writing Notebook? 

A writing notebook is simply a place to keep all of our ideas, plans, and goals for our writing projects. It can be in a binder, journal, digital format, or any other preferred format. 

The main point of a writing notebook is to keep ourselves organized while writing and to help expand upon our ideas.

The main point of a writing notebook is to keep ourselves organized while writing and to help expand upon our ideas. They can include a multitude of helpful tools and pages depending on the writing project. Here are some ideas for great pieces to include in your writing notebook.

5 Pieces to Include in Your Writing Notebook

When you’re setting up your writing notebook, these are great items to include.

General Plot Outline

A general plot outline is an overview of what will be included in your book or story. It answers the question: What are the main goals of our writing project?

A plot outline should include ideas for:

• Major events (Sometimes major events may not be large battles or huge crises. They can be smaller, internal or external, conflicts that directly impact our main character.)

• Turning points for our characters

• Setting (when & where our story takes place)

• Themes

• Lists of characters/name ideas

• Any information we already know we want to include

It’s also important to have an idea of what the beginning, middle, and end of the story will look like. This helps to keep us on track and ensure we don’t stray too far from the main purpose of our story. 

It’s okay to change our mind along the way. Sometimes we need to switch up the ending, or go back and rewrite the beginning. As long as we know what direction we’re headed, we will be in much better shape when it comes to writing our stories. 

Main Character Page/Character Profile

The main character page is dedicated to the protagonist/main character (MC) of your story. Once we decide on our main character’s traits, it’s important to stay consistent throughout the entire story. A great way to keep track of this is to create a character profile for our main characters.

A character profile should include the MC’s:

• Physical traits

• Strengths 

• Weaknesses

• Motivations

• Obstacles

• Anything that will come up multiples times in the story

• Description of the antagonist or “enemy” and the reason they’re at odds - if the MC has a notable foe

We can also include important relationships on the main character page, for instance: 

• Their parents’ names

• Significant other

• Best friend etc. 

Essentially, this page (or few pages) is meant to give you a space to include all important details about your MC so you can reference it when you need to. Creating this page will also give you valuable insight into your character and their unique qualities. 

Character Chart

A character chart is helpful to keep track of side characters. 

Important information to include on the chart is: 

• Each character’s relationship to the main character

• Physical traits

• Why they are necessary to the plot. 

Having a visual like this will help ensure we don’t have characters that aren’t adding anything to our stories. 

Character charts are also useful when we have many characters because we can go back to it and remind ourselves of who each person is. When we take a break from writing and come back, it’s easy to forget names (especially if you’ve recently changed them) and descriptions. Having the character chart makes our writing lives easier.

Book Timeline/Character Timelines

Creating timelines help us to keep perspective while we’re writing our story. A book timeline ensures that we’re staying on track and each event makes sense as it’s happening. It also serves as a reminder, as we’re writing, of what’s going on in our stories if we need to take a break.

Character timelines are useful to keep track of divergent character lines. 

For example, we can create:  

• A main character timeline 

• A villain timeline 

This ensures their actions line up with each other; a cause and effect type of relationship. Character timelines also help us see if there are any holes in the character’s life that need to be filled.

Goals Page

A goals page helps to keep us on schedule. If we don’t set goals, we may never finish the project! 

There are multiple formats we can use to create our goals page: 

• Time-Related Goals: Goals we plan to finish by a specific date. For example, a timely goal might be “I have written (#) chapters so far, I intend to write two more by (date). Then, I will write (#) chapters every (#) days.”

• Word Count Goals: Goals for how many words we want to write during each writing session. Word count goals can be something we do every time we write, or more sporadically - for instance once a week or once a month. For example, “This week I will write (#) words a day,” or “This week I will write a total of (#) words.” 

Creating a chart for these goals, or using a planner (or both!) is very useful. We can make a table for ourselves in our writing notebook, or create an Excel sheet for our goals. Whatever format best suits our needs. 

Interested in downloading some writing notebook sheets? Check out this writer’s bundle available on our Etsy Shop: The Confident Writer Shop!

My challenge to you is to try creating a writing notebook. 

Do you already use a writing notebook? What will you include in your writing notebook? Do you set writing goals for yourself? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.