How to make a Time Line for your Book

Though the blog I started, called My Secret Biography Blog, is meant to be silly and fun, and is not to be taken as a brilliant example of what a novel should look like, I would like to use it as an example of how I made a Time Line. I define a Time Line as a list of items or events that will take place up to the climax of your story and after the climax. A Time Line will help you to stay focused on the objective of your writing so you don’t stray too far from what needs to happen in your Plot.

I originally wanted My Secret Biography to last for around 20 days. But because it was more popular than I had anticipated I decided to extend it. Your novels should take 30 days, because that is the goal that you promised yourself that you would finish. So the first thing you need to do is get your Note Book and on a separate piece of paper write the numbers 1-30, all the way down the left side of your paper. You might to do all of this with pencil so that you can easily erase and rewrite things as you desire. At the top of the page label this, Time Line. (You may add the title of your book as well if you have a title already.)

These numbers as you might have guessed represent every day that you plan to be writing. It gives you a clear objective of what point in time your characters need to accomplish such and such a thing.

Take a moment and consider your idea for your book. What is the life changing earth shattering event that will happen at the epicenter of your writing? What is your Climax? Go to number 15, the middle of your list of numbers, and write your climax there. I understand that your climax may take place much later in your book, but for now, we will imagine that it takes place in the exact middle of your writing. This list is flexible so don’t stress out about where you put things, you can change it in the future if you need to.

I will use the Time Line that I created for My Secret Biography Blog as an Example.

Biography of Elliot

1.       History of Elliot’s Life, Short description of Aunt and Uncle, Setting

2.       Escape from the Circus

3.       Goes to Wendy’s sees monkeys, Learns that El Stinko is behind the Monkey Abuse

4.       Learns what El Stinko is planning to do with Chile, Meets El Stinko face to face!

5.       Must find a tutor. Mr. Thumb

6.       Works on developing Powers

7.       People from the circus joins forces with evil Aunt and Uncle

8.       Discover plot to medicate the world through fast food outlets

9.       Elliot an Chris need to defeat this evil plot alone

10.   Using powers Elliot finds an important item to destroy Lord El Stinko once and for all

11.   They are about to use the item

12.   Fight ensues between El Stinko and Elliot

13.   Defeats Lord El Stinko

14.   Plot Twist

15.   Elliot discovers more about his parents

16.   Finds out that his parents are still alive

17.   Searches for more concerning parents

18.   Finds family in Prison Run by Lord El Stinko

19.   Helps them Escape

20.   Reunited with Family, Resolution.

Some of you are probably thinking: ‘I don’t understand this list at all! These snapshot phrases don’t mean anything to me.’ But that really isn’t important, as long as you understand what the phrases mean for your own Time Line and what is going to happen during that time period you are all right. There might be some of you also who have actually read My Secret Biography and know that this Time Line isn’t what happened at all in the actual story. And that’s alright as well, like I said you can change what happens in your actual book, but just make sure that you don’t stray too far from the general idea that your climax no longer is valid for your story.

Now that you have an example of a Time Line and you have written your own climax on number fifteen. You can start writing your own phrases, that possibly only make sense to you, on each number before and after the climax. 

Hold on just one second! I want you to use a rule that I call The Rule of Halves. This means that you can’t just start at number one and work your way down, no! You have to half 15 and go to number 8 and write what event happens between the beginning, or number 1, of your story and the climax. It should have something to do with or that helps bring about the Climax. This can be a lot more challenging to actually think about what is going to happen in the middle of things but it helps you to get a clearer picture of everything that needs to happen in your book before the climax and then before the end or resolution of your fabulous book.

Next you half 8 and write in number 4, what happen between number 8 and the beginning?

Then half 4 and fill in number 2, what happens between number 1 and 4?

Then after all of that write in what happens at the beginning, or number one. The beginning should be something exciting or original that grabs the attention of your audience. It can also contain parts of your setting descriptions that you want to establish.

Then you repeat this process for all of the spaces that remain. And repeat the process for all of the numbers after the climax as well.

Review your list of events, and rearrange them how you like. If necessary put the climax of the story later in Time Line or however you like. Are you happy now?!

Congratulations you have successfully planed out more or less what will happen in your novel.

Keep reading to finally start writing!