For Writers, Robin Caroll

Learning how to keep records for the
IRS can be trying, at best. Here are
some links that writers can find useful in
keeping records.

Tax Information for Writers

Tax Tips by a Writer

After talking with my a CPA, one of the
most important things I was instructed
to do was to keep a timesheet. Here's
my template for download.

Robin's Time Sheet Template

Some of the best advice I've received
from numerous writers was to "get to
know my characters". In order to
accomplish that, I realized that I needed
to "interview" them. Keeping up with
everything I needed to know, and some
things I didn't, made me realize I
needed some form to help me keep
track. Here's my character synopsis
template, available for download.

Robin's Character Synopsis Template

As I'm a "seat-of-the-pants" writer,
completing a synopsis prior to writing
the book is a completely foreign
concept to me. I usually sit down with
an idea, pound out a couple of
chapters, then read what's going on. At
that point, I do my Character Synopsis
and decide what plot twists my
characters are going to experience. It's
only then that I make myself some
rough "outline". Once I have my rough
outline, I break it into a scene index.
This is especially useful during rewrites
and edits, as each scene has a word
count column and there's a cumulative
column as well. Here's my scene index
template, available for download.

Robin's Scene Index Template

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In progressing the character changes,
there must be a reason for it....here's a
chart that helped me play it out.

Character Changes Worksheet