| The writer must remember that time is passing in | | | | Betty's pregnancy did not last more then nine |
| the novel as the story progresses as it does in | | | | months. This may seem trivial, but it is very easy |
| real life. In some novels such as crime fiction, for | | | | to be so deeply into the writing that these small |
| instance, which are often plot driven, the time | | | | yet important details are overlooked. Do not |
| span of the whole book can be a week or even | | | | underestimate the reader. If such mistakes are |
| days. That is to say, all the action of the story | | | | made the reader will spot them, and the writer's |
| happens in a short space of time. In other genre | | | | credibility is spoiled. |
| like historical fiction, family sagas, or novels about | | | | Such a chart is useful also to keep track of |
| relationships which are mostly character driven | | | | historical events happening in the outside world of |
| the time span can be months or even years. | | | | the novel. World Wars for instance cannot go |
| Over the intervening years in the novel the | | | | unnoticed. Even in contemporary novels national or |
| characters marry, age and die. Babies are born. A | | | | world events can have an effect on your story |
| record must be kept of these events. In novels | | | | and your characters. These world happenings |
| that have a long time span it can be difficult for | | | | should be part of the writer's research also. |
| the writer to remember all the possible | | | | A novel has an organic growth pattern and so |
| combinations of these happenings and so he must | | | | what happens in each subsequent scene must |
| keep careful track of these events. The best | | | | also be carefully noted. The best way to do this is |
| way to do this is with a chart. | | | | in a suitable notebook where the scenes are |
| Apart from the plot outline the writer needs to | | | | numbered consecutively with brief notes of what |
| have a time chart. The ideal time chart is one | | | | each scene was about. Earlier scenes can have an |
| where each important character in the novel is | | | | effect - consequences - in subsequent scenes. To |
| named, and his life events noted. For example in a | | | | keep the all important continuity and logical |
| chart for a historical novel it is important to know | | | | progression of the story accurate the writer |
| which years in the novel when certain events | | | | must be able to refer to notes on the scenes he |
| occurred. The chart needs to show the age of | | | | has already written. What happened and when. It |
| each main character at the opening of the novel, | | | | is impossible for the writer to remember what |
| with columns whose headings indicate subsequent | | | | happened precisely in each past scene. Once a |
| years. | | | | scene is written it goes out of his mind to make |
| As the writer progresses through the story he | | | | way for the happenings of the next scene he is |
| can keep track in these columns of when events | | | | creating. The writer cannot have too many notes |
| happened to the characters; when Betty got | | | | to which he can easily refer to prevent glaring |
| married or when George went off to war. He can | | | | potholes in his carefully conceived plot plan. |
| note when Susan was born, making sure that | | | | |