Strategies for Pre-plotting Your NaNoWriMo Novel
In today's digital age, there is an abundance of tools available to aid writers in organising their thoughts and ideas, making the writing process more efficient and enjoyable. This article will explore some recommended digital tools for brainstorming, outlining, and note-taking, based on the latest sources from 2025.
Brainstorming and Mind Mapping
Brainstorming is a visual approach for collecting ideas for a manuscript. Regardless of whether one writes fiction or non-fiction, note-taking is essential. For brainstorming and mind mapping, some popular tools include:
- Miro - Offers a free plan, versatile for brainstorming and real-time collaboration on boards with sticky notes, diagrams, and mind maps.
- MindMeister - Popular for team collaboration with a free version supporting up to 3 mind maps, supports sharing and editing online.
- Coggle - Free plan available, easy for quick and simple mind maps ideal for individuals or teams.
- EdrawMind - Provides free plan options with powerful diagramming and mind mapping features.
- XMind - Best for solo brainstorming and offline use, offers multiple layouts like radial and fishbone, plus note-taking integration.
Timeline Creation
Timelines are graphical representations of a sequence of events over a period of time. They are useful for developing the story's temporal flow and ensuring events are in the proper order. While not explicitly detailed in the results, tools like Miro, Lucidchart, and Creately are known for diagramming capabilities including timeline visuals. These typically allow timeline creation alongside mind maps and flowcharts.
Outlining
Outlines are a traditional method for organizing knowledge on a topic. Outlining is valuable for curating thoughts on subtopics of a theme once a general outline is established. Tools like MindMeister, XMind, and Miro support hierarchical structuring that can be used for outlining ideas and plans. Google Docs (mentioned in collaboration tools) also supports outlining through its document structure feature in real-time collaborative mode.
Digital Note-Taking
Digital note-taking boosts learning and is an important approach to remembering and activating knowledge. Some top modern note-taking apps include:
- Notion AI - Focused on powerful organizational and AI-assisted features.
- Capacities - Known for its AI features and integration with mind maps.
- XMind - Includes integrated note-taking, allowing users to jot ideas and drag them into mind maps.
- Google Docs - Supports note-taking and collaboration in real-time.
These tools vary in features and pricing models, with many offering free versions or trials to get started. Your choice may depend on whether you prioritize collaboration, offline use, AI integration, or specific export formats.
Jacqui Murray, author of the popular Building a Midshipman series and author/editor of dozens of books on integrating technology into education, has written this article to provide suggestions tailored to various workflows and devices. If you need recommendations tailored to a specific device or workflow (e.g., mobile apps, Mac, offline use), feel free to ask for more focused recommendations.
A study from the 2008 Leadership and Learning Center indicates that writing and note-taking in science classes can significantly improve student scores on state assessments. Brainstorming encourages writers to come up with many ideas without worrying about where they fit, making it an essential step in the writing process.
Examples of iPad apps for creating timelines include Timeline and various others. Outlines are valuable for curating thoughts on subtopics of a theme once a general outline is established. Timelines are useful for developing the story's temporal flow and ensuring events are in the proper order.
To complement the writing process and improve efficiency, consider incorporating digital tools like Miro and XMind for both brainstorming and outlining. Miro offers real-time collaboration on boards with sticky notes, diagrams, and mind maps, while XMind caters to solo brainstorming with multiple layout options and note-taking integration.
Moreover, in forming a timeline for your manuscript, tools such as Miro, Lucidchart, and Creately are known for their diagramming capabilities, including timeline visuals, thus making it easier to follow the sequence of events. Such tools provide an all-encompassing platform for brainstorming, outlining, and timeline creation.
