This is great advice, Scott. I have a strong aversion to journals and diaries that I've never been able to figure out, so my version is slightly different. I have a few very close writer friends. I write them every day when I'm on a big project, recording close to what you describe above. And I keep those emails in a collection for my own records. Ultimately not that different from your Word doc, is it? But writing to another person makes it possible for me. Note: Two good books that come out of similar processes, which I recommend to everyone here, are 1. Year of the King by Antony Sher, in which he records his process of preparing to play Richard III with the Royal Shakespeare Company, taken from his journals and sketchbook. It's a dramatic and riveting read (you won't believe what he goes through) that provides great insights for writers as to what a good actors does when he gets his hands on your script and tackles the role you've just written. 2. Dr. Who: The Writer's Tale, by Russell T. Davies and Benjamin Cook, chronicles Davies' experience writing Dr. Who, drawn from a long-term email exchange between Davies and Cook. I was afraid that recycling email into a book would produce something cheesy and flimsy but the resulting book is surprisingly substantial with good information on how to write, on the emotional aspect of being a writer, and the business of a writing career. If you keep those notes today, through whatever means works for you, you may have a book on your hands in the future.

I've used several methods ahead of "FADE IN" to ensure my blueprint is as solid as it can be ahead of construction. My current method is a splice of diary and index cards, both using Apps on my iPhone/iPad. "Momento" is a great personal journal App that enables you to tag entries, easily allowing you to group together thoughts around projects, plot points, characters etc. It's great to revisit those moments of discovery as they came to you back when, and they can also be a lighthouse of inspiration as you find yourself lost in the mist of story again. "Index Card" is a neat App for virtually structuring your plot scene by scene. I also use it for building up character background and story ideas. Saves on having stacks of real index cards littering the walls. I've not read the Anthony Sher book but I can totally agree with Shaula's other recommendation. "The Writer's Tale" is a fantastic journal of the writing process, a truly organic book whereby the creation of the book itself can be witnessed in the early emails between Davies and Cook. The Q&A between them leads to some great dissertations on the writing process by Davies, a fascinating peek behind the curtain at the production of one of the BBC's flagship programmes, and a fantastic moment where the lines between script-writer and journalist blur as Davies actually revises the course of his current script to take into account Cook's concern about the fate of a particular character. Whenever I find myself torn about the writing process, this is one of the books I reach for.

I use a journal to sort of talk to myself without sounding crazy. Your post exponentially opens up more uses for that Word file.

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