How to Use Index Cards to Write a Novel Outline

Everyone has plans to write the great American novel. In fact, most researchers believe that everyone has at least one great story inside them. However, you may be wondering, then if everyone has a great story, how can they get the story out?

The key to getting the story out is to organize your thoughts with an outline and get busy writing. Sounds easy, right? It can be. If you use the handy-dandy index card system to write your novel outline. In fact, if you use this easy-to-follow plan, you will be able to quickly and efficiently organize those thoughts and get that great American novel out of your head and into paper!

How To Write A Sonnet

But, why note cards and not paper, you may be wondering. Here's why:

How to Use Index Cards to Write a Novel Outline

o They are incredibly small and easy to carry around. In fact, you can easily plop them in your purse or bag and write down your ideas as you think of them.

o They are easy to discard. If you change your mind about an idea , you can throw it away without having to throw away the entire paper.

o They are easy to organize and sort.

o They come in various sizes to fit your precise needs.

Now, that you know why they're so great. You may be wondering how to plan out a novel using them.

Here's how:

1. Figure out what you would like to accomplish with your novel and write specific questions on each note card. For instance:

o How many chapters will you have?

o What will be your plot and setting?

o What type of characters and scenes will you have?

o Will you choose fiction or nonfiction?

o What tone will it be?

2. Next, start evaluating your ideas further by taking 10 more note cards and writing answers to each idea you come up with. That is, put one story ideas at the top of each card.

3. Third, go through each note card and place a star by the ones with the most potential while crossing off the ones that won't work. When you come an idea that won't work, throw it away.

4. Then, go through the cards and choose the idea that has the most potential.

5. Once you've decided, take 10-20 more cards and create chapter headings for the winning idea. Write down how you want the novel to be organized. For each new thought, place it on a separate note card.

Congratulations! You now have a working outline that you can use to write your novel. See, that wasn't so bad at all? All it took was a little brainstorming and organization. Now, take those cards and get that novel out of your head and onto paper.

How to Use Index Cards to Write a Novel Outline 10cc - Silly Love Tube. Duration : 4.30 Mins.

A video of 10cc playing Silly Love, live at De Bijloke in Gent, Belgium on May 16th 2007.

Tags: 10cc, silly, love, live, bijloke, gent, graham, gouldman

How To Make "It's All Greek To Me Salad"

I was fortunate enough to have an incredible history teacher in high school. In fact, I had a couple of really good history teachers in high school, but the one I am thinking of taught me about the world and everything contained within it.

I had just come into public high school from years of home schooling. As I would say constantly throughout my first year of high school, "it's all Greek to me." Quiet and withdrawn, Mr. Berg was exactly what I needed to give me a kick start.

How To Write A Sonnet

First you must understand where I am coming from. The minute I got to high school I was terribly confused. Slang terms such as "gay" and "dog" were used. To me gay was still a sexual affiliation and dog was a pet. I felt like I was on a completely different planet, except for one place: Mr. Berg's classroom. His class made me feel enriched and empowered by the materials put before me. True, half of the class was there just so they could tell colleges that they had taken a honor's class, but the other half was there because we were truly interested in what was to be talked about. Everything from ballroom dancing, music, poetry, battles, and (my favorite) art, was discussed.

How To Make "It's All Greek To Me Salad"

He expected us to talk up in class and express our opinions. He wanted us to discover the strength within ourselves. Unlike any other teacher I had known up to that point, he pushed me beyond my safe box and, though he probably never knew it, pushed me to see the inner confidence within myself.

In fact, one day I remember that it was extra credit day. The assignment was to memorize a Shakespearian sonnet and recite it in front of the class. I had been feeling incredibly lazy the night before and I just had quickly glanced at a sonnet before I decided to go to bed. Mr. Berg came up to me on extra credit day and said "What about you?" I told him that I didn't memorize it; I had been very tired the night before. He knew better. "I know you know it. Come on, push yourself. You do consider yourself an actress don't you? This should be easy for you." You want to know something? He was right. Deep down inside me I really did know it. It took a little while for me to recite it, but he was patient. Mr. Berg made things feel a little less Greek.

In fact, part of his curriculum was us being given a lecture on battles between the Romans and the Greeks. We were taught that Romans were trained for war and the Greeks were trained for the intellect. They were the delvers into knowledge. They cared about what was inside the human mind. Suddenly, I found myself not using the term "it's all Greek to me" anymore. I found out its literal meaning. With that in mind I would say that Mr. Berg's class was all Greek to me. It was a place in which we were trained to use our intellect.

Mr. Berg retired after that year. Although I never told him what he did for me that year, deep down I think he knew what he did for all of us. He gave us the tools we need to be explorers within ourselves and also out in the world. For that I am eternally grateful.

This Greek salad is dedicated to Mr. Berg. It's got all the ingredients a good teacher should: confidence, adventure, boldness, and packed full with a lot of flavors:

Ingredients: 1 sliced cucumber, 1/8 tsp pepper, 5 cups washed spinach leaves torn into bite-sized pieces, ¼ cup oil, 3 tomatoes cut into wedges, ¼ tsp salt, 4 cups Boston style lettuce torn into bite-sized pieces, 2 tbs lemon juice, 2 dozen pitted ripe olives, 1 cup feta cheese, 1 and ½ tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp Splenda, and ¼ cup sliced green onions.

Likely Page Break1) In tightly covered container, shake the oil, lemon juice, sugar, Splenda, mustard, salt, and pepper.

2) In a large mixing bowl, toss the lettuces, cheese onion, olives, tomatoes, and cucumber.

3) Put dressing mixture in salad mixture and toss again.

4) Enjoy with intellectual humility.

*Base of recipe from Betty Crocker and I molded it from there.

How To Make "It's All Greek To Me Salad" February 22nd: Road Trippin' and Sonnets Video Clips. Duration : 4.32 Mins.

Wherein Lizz films in the car on her way to -- somewhere... finishes and reads her sonnet "by captain glover" ... has no real semblance of order except for mostly chronological... and is in a car teehee my sonnet (heart lines are in CAPS) if i could tell you i'd be HOME SOON TO write the words i long to say HOW NICE to say i'd be home soon 'til then i LOVE YOU every day DEAR ONE to be with you would be bliss TO hold you near as the sun grows dim even if only for the space of ONE KISS a small comfort, I HOPE, when life turns grim ONLY YOU can soothe my aching soul IT'S LOVE that pulls me through these endless weeks to GO HOME remains my fondest goal 'twould BE GOOD to hold at last what my heart seeks look at us now, a lady YOU & ME a lover memory of your SMILE shall keep me your steadfast Captain Glover

Keywords: Lizz, squirrelytonks, sonnet, captain, glover, road, trip, in-n-out, vegas, st, george, random, fluffy, hair