I have been looking at some very useful software for describing sometimes complex communication and neural networks. It occurred to me this kind of stuff, which lets you visualize the 'whole novel at once', simplified into lines and connections,could be useful for writers embarking on or developing novels.

In such a network it would be easy to change things in plot structure and relations between characters and examine the effect of those changes on the rest of the characters/ structure.

Does network modeling software exist for writers yet?

Would any of you use it if it did?

Andy

<Added>


Don't go rushing off to develop this idea, there's a ton of modeling tools here.

http://www.makhfi.com/tools.htm

I think it would be useful to have a specific network modeling packages for writers with nice graphics , but in the meantime you can play with these if you like, to get the idea.

Most are free.

Andy

I do it with pencil and paper - lots of spider-diagrams and mind-maps expressing the relationships of people. If it gets too big for a sheet of A4 I get the sellotape out.

Also places - sketch maps which make it clear that you have to drive past ex-girlfriend's house to get to new girlfriend's, for instance. Also a big grid for the structure and relationship of the different strands of plot.

Very occasionally I think it would be handy to have something which could express the more complex kinds of relationships in 3D, which would mean a computer. But so far, I've managed.

Plus, paper can sit at my elbow, so I don't keep having to flip between it and the script on screen. And I can work with the computer off, which I do a lot.

Emma

Emma

That sounds a lovely , more contemplative and creative approach
than clicking and tapping when you are trying to think deeply.

Might try it.

Andy

I'd second Emma's thoughts. The trouble with software that can do this kind of thing is that, unless it has an extremely well-designed user interface, you end up spending at least as much time thinking about how to drive it as you do thinking about whatever you're trying to model.

Having said that, there are occasions when it would be useful to capture complex interconnections (especially time relationships) in a manner which avoids endless rubbing out and constant re-drawing to make it fit on the paper.

There are software development tools that could do things along these lines. I use some software called Enterprise Architect. It's for modelling things like business processes and databases, really, but could potentially be used to model plot elements and characters, with a bit of imagination.

you end up spending at least as much time thinking about how to drive it as you do thinking about whatever you're trying to model.

Alex, thank you so much for putting this problem into words! It's the thing which is so hard to explain to the person busily showing off the bells and whistles of their latest gadget for something which you just want to Do The Job.

Emma

Does anyone remember TV weather forecasts before they had computers? They would come on with a handful of little clouds and suns and raindrops. Presumably they were magnetic. I've often thought that something along those lines would be ideal for mapping and plotting. We could write conflict points on the clouds, happy bits on the suns. Add a few different coloured strings to connect them... ok, getting carried away now

Some of the freebie UML tools could be used to good effect either. For example; http://www.umlet.com/

G

Enterprise Architect is a UML tool, although not free (the only free version gives you read-only access to files that others have created).

I think I looked at Enterprise Architect and got a) intimidated (I have a notion of what UML is meant to do, but am not formally trained in same) and b) put off by the price.

By contrast, Umlet is free and really simple to use. It's basically a glorified text editor with click-and-drag-and-drop to position things. I imagine it would soon show its limitations for anything major, but it works really well for the kind of things I do.

Most importantly, from the POV of novelling, is its basically the easiest way I've found to draw connectors. Since finding this thread few minutes ago, I've been mapping out all my characters and their relationships (with notes on their connector arrows).

Not sure it's the only way to go about it, but definitely worthy of an experiment, methinks.
G

Hi - not been here for a long time, but logged in and saw this thread ...

There's also Personal Brain (there's a free version) which has run my work life for the last year but is also useful in tracking plot, characters, locations etc.

At a more basic level there's also MindNode for Mac (also a free version).

PB is great - it can be made as simple or complex as needed.

Hope everyone's well.

David

I agree with Dee, though: what I really want is thirty square metres of wall space covered in whiteboards, and an endless supply of whiteboard friendly pens, and post-it notes...

Emma

Or just one of those whiteboards that can do photocopies. Then, when you run out of space, you just photocopy it and then clean it.