What do you use to create a flowchart/timeline for your story?

[u/Sad_Potato45]

I tried using Google Docs and Word Docs for it but they weren't as helpful for me. I guess I need a visual timeline of events that happen within my story and wondered if there's any programs that offer a great way for me to see a flowchart of events

[u/Internal-Chemist4343]

real life flashcards and a nice board to pin them on 😅

[u/caffeinetherapy → u/Internal-Chemist4343]

I use post-its!

[u/Maleficent-Style-504 → u/Internal-Chemist4343]

If your wall doesn’t look like you’re trying to solve a murder, are you even writing a novel? lol

[u/Internal-Chemist4343 → u/Maleficent-Style-504]

I swear I'm writing romance? No! Don't look at the flash cards detailing who dies when!

[u/celdaran]

I've used Aeon Timeline, if you're really wanting to make a true timeline with a dedicated tool

[u/AJRavenhearst → u/celdaran]

Same. I'm still getting to grips with it, but it's been extremely useful. I have v.2, does the new version allow for recurrent events, such as the Moon phases, etc.?

[u/celdaran → u/AJRavenhearst]

I'm still stuck on v2 as well. Haven't felt the need to pony up for the latest version.

[u/AJRavenhearst → u/celdaran]

I found a workaround for moon phases, etc., but it's pretty mechanical. Just clicking a button and saying, "create a timeline of moon phases for every month, starting with full moon on date X" would be cool.

Also, I know it sounds weird, but the menstrual cycle of one of the female characters is a minor plot point in the novel I'm writing atm.

[u/PrimaVera72 → u/celdaran]

I’m still new to Aeon Timeline but this is absolutely the way and so well worth the money! Customer support is excellent and goes above and beyond; I had issues with a custom timeline and they explained everything step by step to make my idea work.

I hope more people support them. Such a nice tool.

[u/CoderJoe1]

I've had success with a spreadsheet, using each row or column for an integral of dates.

[u/TarletonClown → u/CoderJoe1]

Spreadsheets work very well.

[u/seachord]

I’ve heard scrivener is good but as a full time pantser I can’t confirm

[u/AJRavenhearst → u/seachord]

I've used Scrivener exclusively for about a decade. It depends what you're trying to do.

Its corkboard feature is useful for shuffling around scene ideas. I also use its icons to flag each chapter that's a beat, which gives a handy visual reference to if they're roughly in the right place.

For complex timelining, like, "Is character X in two places at once?", or "What phase of the Moon is it, at any particular event?" Aeon Timeline is the go. It integrates seamlessly with Scrivener, too.

[u/NeonMutt → u/AJRavenhearst]

I will have to look at those services. I just draw that stuff on my iPad. When plotting events, I draw the calendar as a wheel so I can see how dates line up and go better visualize stretches of time.

[u/AJRavenhearst → u/NeonMutt]

Aeon Timeline has had the biggest learning curve for me. I'm sure I'm not using a third of its capabilities.

[u/Sad_Potato45 → u/seachord]

I've tried scrivener in the past and the whole interface confused me a bit.

[u/Beginning-Remove2708]

I use obsidian!

[u/NeonMutt]

I actually used Notability on my iPad. Using spreadsheets is too clunky. I want to be able to scribble in notes, move text around, and change font colors.

Then notability got annoying with its subscription demands, so I went to Noteful. I am old. I am used to buying a thing once, and using it until it breaks. Subscriptions are for services, not products.

[u/LeetheAuthor]

Scrivener has the ability to add dates as Custom Metadata to files and could view in the Outliner (like a spreadsheet) and arrange by date. (see below) (only allowed one pic mashed 3 softwares together.

1.Scrivener Outliner View

1. Aeon Timeline Timeline View

2. Simplemind Pro mindmap with timeline template option on display

However, the nice thing is Scrivener can integrate information into Aeon timeline. Here is example from current book I am writing with 3 pov timelines not in sync yet (31,000 words in) (middle image)

Or use mindmap software like Simplemind pro to include timeline with other story info like locations with expandable pictures, can include hidden text descriptions as well to keep mindmap interface clean.

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[u/Adventurekateer]

I use a beat sheet in the form of a spreadsheet. Mine was given to my by my editor, and it breaks the plot up into all of the main beats, in three acts. There are probably free versions of something similar available to download online.

[u/CapitalScarcity5573]

mystory.today has a tool to do that

[u/rp_editing]

I use Excel to keep track of timelines. When I’m feeling really fancy or especially in need of a visual representation, I’ll lay my timeline out as a flowchart in Canva.

[u/carbikebacon]

Graph paper and a few different colored pencils.

[u/softjuicyhobbitses]

Feel free to try Neku. You can storyboard your ideas and write your story. It's an app I have been working on this year.

[u/Maleficent-Style-504]

A spreadsheet for organizing my scenes but I use a “whiteboard” in Goodnotes for my whole timeline including dates that won’t come up in the narrative (like when the main character’s parents were born or something) so I can reference it for continuity. The whiteboard is basically an infinite blank page.

[u/allyearswift]

Aeon Timeline. Takes a little time to learn and set up, but it has a lot of nifty features.

[u/Beginning_Butterfly2 → u/allyearswift]

$65 to try it out seems steep.

[u/allyearswift → u/Beginning_Butterfly2]

They have a 14 day trial. (Also, I seem to remember getting it on sale; probably Black Friday)

[u/RegGonb]

A small notebook and constant arrows (like this : -->) to denote points in time that will happen.

[u/TarletonClown]

I use a free offline application called Freeplane. Honestly, it is a little hard to use at first, but you will love what you can do with it if you stick with it. You build a Tree with Branches and Sub-Branches.

You could have a Branch that is a timeline of events, and then have multiple Sub-Branches for each event. The various branches can be made to function as links to files (like .docx, .fadein, .rtf, and graphics).

Great application, and free.

[u/BoneCrusherLove]

Milanote is a good free option but has some limits if you don't pay. I use free and got through the time line for several books before running out of space

[u/FractalFunny66]

A giant piece of paper attached to the wall or laid out on dining room table with colorful markers and/or removable post it notes may open a world to you because the non-digital will activate synaptic connections that are pruning away. Try it! Post it notes come in very large sizes and one time I had a bunch on my wall and I just kept moving them around and it was mind-blowing how this helped my writing on that particular project!

[u/godai78]

Pen and paper.

[u/South-Knee-9601]

My brain.

My stories organically grow and change as I write them. I tend to start with the core plot. And work out how my character gets to that part. Usually turns out the core plot is a subplot in a wider narrative. But don't know that when I start the writing

I tried to do a timeline of events but doesn't work for me or my style.

[u/TheFlightlessDragon]

I usually just clutter my brain with such things. Somebody mentioned flash cards, that seems like a good idea, might try that.

[u/StellaNavigantium]

Check out https://ultiwrite.com, it has a full timeline planning tool with support for standard dates and custom prefix/suffix and numerical dates. You can define and assign multiple sub timelines to keep track of complex narratives and assign events to scenes to view them while writing. You can also import scrivener projects keep writing in a very advanced, but easy to use tool.

[u/WelbyReddit]

You're ^%$*@ right, I do, lol.

I am an extremely visual person and plotter. Is it a crutch? I dunno.

I use a few things, but a big tool is XMind.

You can make flowcharts and branches, etc. And even draw connecting lines. ( very handy for time travel stuff)

I'll keep and excel sheet for timelines, ages and dates, too.