Mapping Your Manuscript
/There is an old saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” It means that sometimes we can get so bogged down in the details of something that we fail to see the context, the “big picture.” This is especially true when it comes to a writing project.
While you are writing, make sure you are always pulling back to get the big picture. One tool we recommend is mapping out your manuscript. Mapping out a manuscript simply means going through the book and writing the titles of every chapter, section, heading, and subheading, and noting how many words are in each section.
Putting away the actual words of the story and looking at the novel in this condensed structure allows you to step back and gain a new perspective. When an artist is working on a painting, he or she will often hold the painting up to a mirror. The reversed image allows the painter to gain a new perspective and look at composition rather than details. Viewing your manuscript as a map of headings and subheads allows you to step back form the words on the page and see the big picture.
Example Manuscript Map:
Chapter 1 (3,000 words total)
Heading (200 words)
Subheading (300 words)
Subheading (1000 words)
Heading (1,500 words)
Chapter 2 (6,800 words total)
Chapter 3 (1,200 words total)
Heading (900 words)
Subheading (300 words)
Mapping out a novel may show you at a glance, “Wow, Chapter One has multiple headings and subheadings and Chapter Two has none! Why? Could Chapter Two be split into more topics?” These kinds of observations can help you work on chapter consistency and organization.
While this is a very useful tool to make sure your chapters and sections are relatively the same length, mapping out a manuscript is not just about word count consistency. This at-a-glance technique allows you to look at how your ideas build on one another and ensure your thoughts flow smoothly from chapter to chapter.
Let yourself experiment. What would happen if you shuffled around some chapters? Do your sections build on each other? Is this map the fastest route? Does it build the most suspense? Mapping out your book allows you to ask the important developmental questions and easily move things around. You’d be surprised at how helpful this tool is!
Whether you use this tool or your own method of organization, it is important to take your reader on the best journey possible. Many books have great ideas; they take their readers on confusing and disorganized routes to get there. Be open to redrawing the map of your book; it might just be the thing that turns a great idea into a great book!
Happy mapping,