Writing tools for complex storytelling

Posted by Dr Andus
Feb 24, 2012 at 01:10 PM

Just to clarify how I came to visualise the problem (and the writing process), I created this sketch:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/428516/Photo24022012043637.jpg

The black line in the surface represents the final text, consisting of 3 x 10K word chapters. The surface text is made up of bits of 5 storylines, whenever they surface. The challenge is to be able to focus and just write the surface text, rather than having to write up all of the underlying storylines first, which is too time-consuming.

So there are at least two issues here:
1) being able to manage the process (keeping the storylines straight in my head). This is where Storybook Pro might be helpful.
2) being able to focus on writing the surface text only, without having to fully write all the underlying stories first.

The added complication is that this sort of social science writing is not simply a writing-up of what I have already figured out before the writing. The writing process itself is part of the analysis and the discovery process. So I realise the first version of the surface text will not be perfect and it will be draft. But I would want to be more productive and efficient with the process.

@Hugh - thanks for the Flying Logic suggestion. I took a look at it and found the Theory of Constraints very interesting. Having just taken a cursory look (I haven’t downloaded the software), I did find it very expensive though for what it promises to do (considering that VUE or CMAP Tools can do concept-mapping for free).

@Pavi - I think my main problem is not so much managing the structure (your UR solution) but how to manage the tension between surface and depth. It’s about how to focus on the surface text, knowing that it is made up of 5 strands, yet not be sucked into the depth and start following a single story at the expense of the others and the overall word count. But you may be right, Storybook Pro might still be the solution. Thanks.