Preparing Your NaNoWriMo Story in Advance: 4 Strategies
In the digital age, writers have a plethora of tools at their disposal to help them brainstorm, organise, and bring their ideas to life. From mindmapping and visual note-taking to outlining and timeline creation, these digital tools are revolutionising the writing process.
Brainstorming and Mindmapping
When it comes to brainstorming and mindmapping, there are several popular online tools that can help writers collect and visualise their thoughts. Coggle, MindMeister, and MindMap AI are among the favourites.
Coggle is a free, easy-to-use online mind mapping tool that offers AI-powered node suggestions, automatic layout optimization, and collaboration features. It's suitable for individuals and small teams, with unlimited private diagrams available for free.
MindMeister, on the other hand, is a powerful mind mapping tool designed for real-time team collaboration. It includes AI assistance, integration with productivity tools, presentation modes, and export in multiple formats. However, the free version is limited to 3 mind maps.
MindMap AI is an AI-powered mind mapping software that assists users with brainstorming via an AI copilot chat, capable of organizing thoughts from different media into structured mind maps. It supports multi-layered maps and editing AI-generated maps.
Visual Note-Taking and Outlining
Logseq, Google Jamboard, and Napkin are standout tools for visual note-taking and outlining.
Logseq is an open-source, privacy-focused tool that combines traditional outline notes with a visual whiteboard canvas for flexible idea organisation. It supports bidirectional linking and local-first storage.
Google Jamboard is a digital whiteboard integrated with Google Workspace for quick visual note-taking, sticky notes, basic drawing, and easy sharing. It's best for Google users needing simple spatial organisation.
Napkin is a minimalist visual note-taking app aimed at quick idea capture with simple visual connections, focusing on ideation without complex features. It's popular among writers and creative professionals.
Timeline Creation and Outlining (Specialized Tools)
While the above tools offer outlining and mind mapping that can support timeline visualization in some cases, specialized timeline tools are less commonly mentioned. For dedicated timeline creation, tools like Plottr (often favoured in book writing software reviews) may be relevant.
Book Writing and Outlining Software (Comprehensive Writing Toolkits)
For writers working on books, tools like Scrivener, Reedsy Studio, and Plottr offer more comprehensive writing software that includes outlining, organisation, and some visual planning capabilities. These tools are often favoured by book writers.
Web-based and iPad Tools
For iPad users, Quicklyst or OmniOutliner are good options for outlining. Outlines can be completed easily and quickly in most word processing programs or note-taking tools like Evernote or OneNote. There are also numerous digital note-taking tools that are both web-based or for iPads.
The Importance of Digital Note-Taking
Note-taking is essential for remembering and activating knowledge, regardless of whether you write fiction or non-fiction. A study showed that when note-taking was consistently implemented in science classes, 79% of students scored proficient or higher on state assessments.
Digital note-taking also allows writers to rearrange, edit, and move thoughts into the order best-suited to the writing phase. Timelines can be created using desktop publishing tools like Publisher or Canva, online tools, or spreadsheet programs.
In conclusion, these digital tools are transforming the writing process, making it easier for writers to brainstorm, organise, and bring their ideas to life. Whether you're a fiction or non-fiction writer, there's a tool out there to help you unlock your creativity.
[1] Coggle: https://coggle.com/ [2] Logseq: https://logseq.com/ [3] Google Jamboard: https://jamboard.google.com/ [4] Napkin: https://napkin.app/ [5] MindMap AI: https://mindmapai.com/ [Not available] Plottr: https://plottrapp.com/ [Not available] Scrivener: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php [Not available] Reedsy Studio: https://studio.reedsy.com/ [Not available] Quicklyst: https://www.quicklyst.com/ [Not available] OmniOutliner: https://www.omnigroup.com/omnioutliner [Not available] Evernote: https://evernote.com/ [Not available] OneNote: https://www.onenote.com/ [Not available] Piktochart: https://piktochart.com/ [Not available] Canva: https://www.canva.com/
- For writers seeking a tool to help visualize and organize their home-and-garden ideas, MindMap AI offers an AI-powered software to assist with brainstorming via an AI copilot chat, capable of organizing thoughts into structured mind maps.
- To enhance the creative process of writing about lifestyles, particularly focused on books, Scrivener is a comprehensive writing software that includes outlining, organization, and some visual planning capabilities, often favored by book writers.
