I admit it. I’m an obsessive plotter. I like things nice, neat and above all, organized. That’s why I really enjoy using OneNote. (Click on the icon for link to 30-day free trial.) Like the Circus Ponies’ Notebook, it also acts like a real-life notebook, with sections and pages. It also interfaces with all the Microsoft Office programs, allowing you to cut-and-paste screenshots and text into Word, PowerPoint and even create to-do’s in Outlook. It’s great to open one program and have all of my research available and categorized.
Also like Notebook, there are templates available for specific types of notebooks, decorative pages, lists, etc. But I couldn’t find anything specific to writing novels. (There are some research templates.) But, it is very easy to set up your own notebooks. (See my Screenshot.)
I have a notebook for each of my works-in-progress. Within each notebook, I have a section for Characters, Setting, Storyline and Research. Each Character gets at least one page; main characters get more. This program also offers sub-pages, so I use those to show the character arc. For example, my protagonist has a Before and After sub-page to show character changes.
I’ve also created pages for each setting, chapter and any research that I’ve done. Screenshots are incredibly easy: to copy part of a screen, press the Windows key and S; to copy and entire webpage, click on Tools on the Internet Explorer menu bar and then select Send to OneNote. The program automatically launches and copies the selection or page to a new page in the Unfiled Notes section along with a hyperlink, so I can find the website again.
From the Unfiled Notes section, I just right-click on the page tab and select Move Page To. Each of my notebooks are listed on a drop-down menu, so I can move it wherever I choose. Because I’m working on a series, I may use characters or settings for more than one book. No problem, all I have to do is right-click again on the page tab, select Copy, open the next WIP’s notebook and Paste. (Click image at left to see screenshot.)
Now just because I like to have everything organized doesn’t necessarily mean that I am organized. That’s why I like OneNote’s automatic save feature. That’s right, I never have to remember to save my work. Whenever, I close the program, everything I’ve done is automatically saved. Whew! OneNote gives me one less thing to worry about!
Review by Angie Arndt, writing as P.S. McManus
