Book planning with Post-it notes

Hello there

I use a lot of Post-it notes in my actual job as a content designer.

And those of you who've followed my nonsense for a while will know I used Post-its to plan big chunks of my debut novel, A is for Angelica. I have a simple system for doing it and I've been promising to share it for a decade. I keep forgetting. One day soon.

The image above is from Sheffield-based author, Letty Butler who shared her Post-it planning on Twitter this morning. The magic of Post-its is that all you need is an empty wall or window and you can stick things up and move them around as much as you like. Being able to stand back and see your whole book in one place is pretty handy.

But what if you don't have a spare wall or you prefer to keep things digital? Well, I've spent the last year using two tools in particular that are perfect for doing something similar to Letty but on a shiny, bright screen.

  1. Miro allows you to create virtual sticky notes on a huge canvas. You can connect notes, move them around, and work in real-time with other people. It is very powerful.
  2. Mural does all of that too, but with fewer bells and whistles. My preference is Miro, but you may find Mural easier to pick up and get going.

That's it. Enjoy the links below. And do leave a comment on the online version of this email if you have any exciting Post it tips, either virtual or IRL.

Iain


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