The Great Binder Tutorial (Plot, Character & Setting)

Start off by adding your dividers. You'll need at LEAST five, I personally use six. However you'll need a minimum of five. I personally use the ones with pockets and purchased these at Target for under 3 dollars. (In fact everything in this binder was from Target and a part of their generic Up & Up brand - which is low priced.)




Now you're going to need to label your dividers. I've included the labels in a graphic below.





My 6th tab is RESEARCH. I do recommend doing that, but if you don't want a tab for it, that's okay too! Now you may want other tabs like "Pre-Writing" or "Drabbles" or all kinds of things. Go for it!





Next step are these clear folders that were on my list. I stated you'll need at least 3. 2 (minimum) go in your character tab and one in setting. However you may want more than that for your characters. You're going to use one folder for each main character you have. Or you may want to bundle them up.




I personally used 4 and paired up my characters by either spouses or siblings, depended on what worked. So you'll want to label these now. Make it creative and think about it, because ...




Next step is to add a character sheet. Don't put them inside the folders, but place them by them. However you want to use the sheet, use it. Make your own. Use your favorite, but come up with a character sheet. (see the character workshops thread for lists of character resources). 



Now grab your notecards. Inside each clear folder will got a notecard for each character. Write the character's name and 'first sentence' on it and as you write your nano, whatever is their first spoken word goes on it! Also create others for favorite colors, super hero power, whatever! Let your imagination guide you!




Next is inspiration. Inside each clear folder, place things that remind you of the character. For example, the red cloth represents something for my characters there, so I slid it inside. But for you it might be a cd, pictures of an actor that represents your characters, pictures of the car they drive, music cds etc. This is your shadow box for the character.





Create a setting sheet for the setting. Then do a clear folder for it as well. Think dirt, air, grass. (See Setting Workshop thread for a list of resources)



Include all your research here.



Print out a goal sheet. You can use mine or make up your own.
This is Mel's: www.dropbox.com/s/2db5rpygsug2asn/goalsheet.pdf

This is my (Emmy's) modification of my regional's goal/progress sheet from 2012 (the tiny boxes are 25 words). www.dropbox.com/s/5twd37iy01jv8d4/Progress-Chart-2012.pdf



Title here!




Be inspired!



Other Notes: 

The baseball card sheets which are optional are so you can make mini-cards about your characters, your settings, your props, your prompts, your inspirations, whatever small things you might need in order.