Above: The use of old-fashioned 3-by-5 cards provides organizational flexibility in the early plotting stages, simplifying the process of interweaving various plot threads and details. In addition, as the cards approach their finished organization, they provide a visual "calendar" of the story, with vertical rows representing days.
At left: The finished outline/proposal gives a brief narrative description of all pertinent details and action in each scene. This allows the editor to spot problems and recommend changes before drafting, and it gives the author a precise map to follow during the actual drafting.
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