When writers work on a novel, it’s easy to get caught up in the characters, dialogue, and what happens next. But readers will be put off by a truck that changes from red to black, or a character who gets forgotten for several chapters only to pop in again unexpectedly.
Detail Notebook
For consistent details from the beginning, keep a notebook dedicated to a particular story. As characters are developed, make lists of hair and eye color, mannerisms, vehicles, and setting details. It’s easy to refer to this when the words are coming quickly and the writer can’t remember whether a woman’s eyes are blue or green, or if the motel is Whispering Pine or Whispering Pines.
After the First Draft
Once the first draft, or even the second draft, is done, however, go through the entire manuscript to double-check details. Even using a detail notebook, errors are common.
Character Continuity and Balance
Do characters look the same throughout the story? Do they react plausibly? Are mannerisms consistent? Accents? Clothing? A woman who wears flats because of back problems isn’t suddenly going to slip on four-inch heels to go dancing later in the book.
Do characters get the appropriate amount of attention? Is one character forgotten for a while? Give him a larger role, include him in other scenes, or delete him and have a more substantial character take over his part in the story.
Setting Details
Do particular settings stay the same? The nightclub, the forest, the apartment, etc., should look the same throughout the story. Make sure the details to set the scene—pillows on the bed, mirror above the bar, faded linoleum, etc.—don’t change unexpectedly. Also, determine which direction a window or doorway faces and what the view is for appropriate description at different times of day.
Take Advantage of Word Processing
Computers have made writers’ lives much easier, especially in revisions. For this run-through, use the “find” feature in the word processor to search for a character’s name. Go through each instance where the character shows up and check the details. Then do the same with settings.
Passage of Time
Is the timing of the plot plausible, or are 36 hours of events being squeezed into one day? Does a secretary type a 50-page legal brief in an hour? Does a teen study on Monday for tomorrow’s test, but the test happens on Friday? Has one week passed or two?
The easiest way to deal with time is to make a chart laying out what each character is doing each day. With a visual guide, it’s easy to see when things overlap, when too much or too little time elapses, and to keep track of what day it is.
Plot and Subplot
Of course the plot needs to rise to a climax. But some writers stay tuned to the main plot and forget to balance the subplots. Is one subplot overshadowed by another? Does it even need to be there?
Again, make a chart listing each scene, perhaps with different colors for each subplot. Or use note cards to lay it out on a wall or the floor, which allows scenes to be moved around.
Writers who are attuned to consistent details in their stories will make both readers and editors happy.
