The book editor for Reedsy comes with a planning board to help you write your novels. It’s an exceptionally valuable tool that can hold all kinds of information for you. And it’s great for saving marketing information and links.
The planning board can be as basic or as elaborate as you’d like. There are a lot of features to track everything from outlines to web addresses for when you want to save and cite your research.
The boards played a massive role in how I wrote Shadows of Atlantic City and Fury, and it will continue to do so with future books. Instead of writing down or bookmarking the sites in my browser, I can save information directly for each individual book.
Since everything is saved in the book in Reedsy, you can essentially store your planning board indefinitely.
What is the Planning Board in Reedsy?
The planning board is essentially a place in the writing app where you can store just about anything related to your book. You can create sections for plot outlines, make notes on locations and characters, and add research information for reference.
The planning board is a tool to help keep your notes and information organized as you write. These notes can include text, checkboxes, links, dates, and connected relationships. For visual reference, you can also include an image in the notes.
As you can group virtually everything in the planning board within folders, you can keep everything isolated depending on your needs.
For example, you can put all of your main characters in one folder and the locations in the book in another. Or, perhaps you want a folder with notes on specific books or research to keep them organized.
I just wished they had the planning board back when I wrote Kingmaker. It would have made the book so much easier to write.
Getting the Most from the Planning Board
There are a lot of ways you can use the Reedsy planning board. It’s very versatile and can accommodate a wide range of ideas. Essentially, it comes down to how creative you are and how much organization you’ll need when writing your book.
I used a notebook and a pen when writing my first book. Although it was quite useful and made me feel more connected to the story, it lacked a bit of efficiency. Mostly because I kept losing the notebook and wound up spending quite a bit of time looking for it.
The most useful part of having the planning board in the Reedsy writing app is that it’s always connected to the story. I can’t lose it and always have access to the information I need while writing. This, alone, has saved me a great deal of time while writing the last three books.
It’s like having a dedicated notebook connected to the story. As each book has its own planning board, it’s easy to keep everything separated and relevant to the project on which you’re working. That way, you don’t have to sift through a mess of notes and scribblings you might have scattered across your desk.
Don’t get me wrong, I still have a notebook and pen at my side. However, I use it far less nowadays due to having the planning board available.
The following are just some ideas for getting the most out of the planning board. I’m sure you’ll figure out all kinds of ways to use the tool to help you write that next greatest novel.
Creating More Than One Board
First, let’s talk about keeping everything organized. Reedsy lets you create more than one board while planning your book. That means you can have separate boards for story outline, research, character development, and marketing ideas. You can store everything in isolated folders, keeping everything nice and tidy.
All you have to do is click on the “Create Boards” button on the left, select an icon, give it a title, and you’re good to go.
I’ll go over why you should use icons in a moment.
Once the new board is made, you can start adding the things you want to track. For instance, I just added a “Marketing” board so I can save ideas for marketing this specific book. This will include sites to advertise on that are relevant to the book’s genre, podcasters I might want to reach out to who read the genre, a checklist for sites I want to use, and much more.
You can add things like hashtags for Twitter, Instagram, Threads, and even YouTube while keeping them separated in their own notes. That way, you have everything ready for when your book is completed and ready to publish. You could even go so far as to write up the post text for social media you want to use when your book is live. Then, you could copy and paste it immediately.
Think of the planning boards as a central hub for all things related to your book. You can create as many boards as you need, each with a unique purpose, to help you keep it all organized.
Icons for Quick Glances
One of the features of the planning board is the ability to add icons to each one you make. This makes identifying them much easier at a glance as the board’s title isn’t visible unless you hover your mouse over it. It’s not overly complicated to just hover the mouse when you need a certain board, but I find it quite useful to see where everything is at a glance.
In the event of the book’s outline, I use the icon for a Composition notebook. That’s because I was using a Composition notebook to save and note information as I wrote. It’s a reminder to me of what information is on that particular board.
In the case of setting up the marketing board, I used a wired image of a globe. That’s because I am marketing to a “global” audience.
Reedsy essentially has all of the icons that you can think of similar to most phone messaging systems and social media. In fact, it’s quite reminiscent of the icon and emoji tool on Threads and YouTube. So, you’re more than likely going to find an image that helps your planning board stand out more.
Of course, you can use any of these icons as you see fit. I just find them quite useful when creating a board so that they are easy to identify when I need a specific piece of information.
I would love it if newer versions of the planning board came with uploading your own icons. But for now, we’ll just have to use what’s available from Reedsy.
Grouping Notes in Folders
Creating separate boards is only part of the organizational process. You can also create separate folders within them to store a plethora of notes. That way, you can keep all of the highly detailed elements together in one section.
For example, let’s say you created a board to keep track of researching a specific location. You could create a folder to store all of the different websites you use and then another for just the YouTube videos you’ve watched for future reference.
Another example, again, is keeping certain parts of marketing separated and easy to find. You can use one folder to store all of the Twitter posts and hashtags and another folder for video strategies on TikTok.
I use folders to save information such as societies and important landmarks of specific regions in my fantasy books. I also have folders separating the religions and beliefs of the people.
My point here is that you can create folders for just about any purpose you might need while writing your book.
Just like the planning boards, you can also add icons to the folders in Reedsy. Then, you can determine which collection of notes you need at a glance. Though, I’m sure most of us are going to use icons because they give us a chance to customize and enjoy the experience.
I know I’m a bit of a dork when it comes to stuff like that.
For instance, if I have a folder of characters, the icon would be something related to people. If the folder was focused on landmasses and regions, it would be a map of some kind or perhaps a globe.
Anyway, don’t underestimate being able to group notes together in specific folders for easy access.
Drag-and-Drop for Organization
Most of the parts in Reedsy’s planning board are moveable using a drag-and-drop function. That means you can move notes and folders, about within each board. All you need to do is grab any note or folder by the six-dot move icon and drop it anywhere you wish.
You can either drag things around in the left sidebar of the planning board or within the main screen of each section. It works the same way, as you just grab the icon and move the note or folder anywhere within the board.
Unfortunately, you’re not able to drag and drop notes and folders from one planning board to another. Instead, you can click the “Move” button on the top right of the note or folder and select a different folder or board.
For instance, let’s say that I accidentally added marketing info to the storyboard and want it in Marketing. By clicking the “Move” button, I can save the note in the Marketing planning board.
You can also duplicate the folders and notes and then put them in their respective planning boards before deleting the old version.
When you do so, it’ll change the name of the note or folder by adding “(copy)” at the end of it. Then, you can just rename it as you wish by clicking into the title.
You can reorder folders and notes, move characters to different folders, prioritize the folders in the left sidebar to keep organized, and more. It really just depends on how you want the board to appear.
Creating Extensive Character Bios
The different functions in the notes can help you drum up some very extensive character bios. These are helpful when setting up and writing your book as it gives you a chance to add “life” to each person.
To do this, create a new note, give the character a name, and start adding attributes. Then, you can flesh it out as much as you’d like.
The “Add attribute” button in Reedsy lets you add fields for:
- Numbers
- Text
- Checkboxes
- Links
- Dates
- Relationships
When creating a character bio, you’re more likely to use the text and number fields for information. However, I have a couple of characters that have links to resources and videos as part of their bios.
For example, let’s say that you want to add a fairy to your book. You could add a link field with the URL to one of your favorite online stories or resources about fairies.
You could also get creative and use checkboxes as a way to remind yourself of the changes you want your character to have throughout the novel. There are all kinds of ways you can use the attribute tool in the Reedsy planning board. It all comes down to what you need and your imagination.
Another function you can use is the “Add group” tool. It lets you organize the character information into folders. So, you can use one group folder for the physical attributes of a character and another for historical references or perhaps behaviors and mannerisms.
The text field under the attributes is there so you can save all kinds of notes about the character that go beyond the attribute tool.
Using Images in the Notes
You can upload images to the notes to either add a bit of flair to your board or assist in remembering each one.
I write very cinematically. This means that when I’m planning and writing, I’m envisioning what it’ll look and sound like if the book were made into a Netflix original. So, I’ll use real-life actors to help me describe the characters in the book. That way, the reader may have the chance of seeing the person I’m writing about in their head.
Of course, every reader is different and it’s unlikely everyone will envision the characters the same way. Yet, the actors’ physical appearances help me describe them in the book.
Not all characters need extensive bios or images, mind you. But I like having a visual of the ones I intend to keep around for quite some time.
You are the only one who will ever see these images. They are not part of the book when it’s published. That is unless you write a tutorial or upload a YouTube video using screenshots of your planning board.
You can use images for any reason in the notes. Unfortunately, you can only have one image at a time. That’s perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks to the note system in the planning board – only one image.
Still, for the majority of novelists, one image is all you’ll ever need, if at all. I just find it useful to remember each character when describing physical characteristics in the book.
Outlining the Book
One of the primary functions of the Reedsy planning board for me is when I outline the story. I’ll create a separate note and then outline the story in brackets. Then, I’ll either copy and paste those outlines into each chapter as I write or I’ll pin the outline note to the book editor.
I’ll go over pinning in a moment.
You don’t necessarily have to outline your book. That’s the difference between plotters and pantsers. Some people can write from the “seat of their pants” while others “plot” out their books. There is no right or wrong answer as everyone has their own method of writing.
Don’t ever let anyone try to tell you otherwise.
I once saw a post on social media where someone said that you can’t write a good book without plotting it out. That’s a false statement as there are a number of great authors who don’t plot their books. In fact, Stephen King doesn’t plot his books and is quite successful.
The only reason I suggest plotting is because it works for me. I’m less likely to have writer’s block and like being able to see where the story is going and how I’m going to get it there. Using the notes in the planning board gives me that chance while keeping it all organized.
While plotting the book in a note, I can then add various attributes such as links to resources that are pertinent to the book. For example, I linked to the information about the Powhatan as well as the Colt .45 Peacemaker that are featured in Shadows of Atlantic City.
Saving Research Information
As mentioned several times thus far, saving research materials in the Reedsy planning board is quite helpful. Between the attribute function of the notes and the available text field, you can save all kinds of information relevant to that particular book.
The only thing I would add to the notes is the ability to upload images and resize them as needed. Currently, you’re only able to save the one image at the top of each note.
Nonetheless, it’s always a good idea to save all kinds of notes regarding the research of your book. Even if you’re creating your own fantasy world, copious notes about kingdoms, races, magic systems, and such can be extremely beneficial.
To get a real-life feel for the Colt .45 Peacemaker in Shadows, I saved a link to a YouTube video of someone demonstrating how it fired and reloaded. I also have a link referencing the history of Atlantic City in the late 1800s as well as the clothing of that era.
Something else you can do is copy texts you find online and then paste them into the notes text field. That way, you can keep snippets of information for just about any purpose.
Let’s say you have a character who often uses quotes from historical philosophers. You can copy those quotes into the notes of the planning board for future use. Or, perhaps you’re writing a fantasy series and need to copy and paste past story elements to properly reference them in the next book.
My point here is to never underestimate the value of researching for your novel. It can make it feel more real to the reader with the right details.
Storing Marketing Ideas
I’ve mentioned a bit about marketing earlier, and it’s one of the most important aspects of being a successful author. No one is going to read your book if they don’t know it exists. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most difficult to master.
A part of that difficulty is how each author will have a unique experience with each marketing method. What works for one, won’t necessarily work for another.
In any case, the planning board in Reedsy can help you keep track of all the marketing ideas and projects for that specific book. This includes things like adding notes for specific social media sites, retailers, scheduling book signings, book fairs, and anything else you can think of to get your book out there.
Because you can keep track of website addresses, dates, and checklists, you can create quite an elaborate strategy to market your book. As with everything else in the planning board, it comes down to what you need and how creative you can get with the strategy.
For example, I researched a lot of sites that focus on the western genre for Shadows of Atlantic City, which is a dark western. Then, I saved those URLs and set up checklists for things I needed to do once the book was published.
In essence, Reedsy can easily become your base of operations for writing and marketing your book. Well, at least when it comes to saving specific pieces of information.
Pinning While Writing
One of my favorite functions in the Reedsy book editor is the ability to pin notes while writing. This means you can pin any note you created in the planning board to the manuscript for reference. In my case, I often pin the outline so I can see the flow of the story as I write.
You can pin characters, locations, and any other notes you create to help you write the manuscript.
To pin a note to the manuscript, just click the “Pin note” button of the one you want to show while you write.
The only drawback is that you can only have one note pinned at a time. If you need information for something else, you have to go back to the planning board, pin the note, and then come back to the manuscript. And when you come back to the manuscript, you’re taken to the top of the chapter you were last writing. Then you have to scroll down to where you were.
This can be a bit of a pain, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to write that day.
That’s why I usually pin the outline, which is the most prevalent note I have in the planning board. Everything else is merely a quick reference.
Being able to pin specific notes can easily save you a lot of time, especially if you’re referring to some heavy research during a scene. Instead of going back and forth, it’s available on the right side of the manuscript.
Do You Absolutely Need to Use the Board?
The planning board in Reedsy is just a tool to help you keep all of your notes and research organized and available. You don’t necessarily need to use it to write a good book. As I said before, I used a notebook and pen while writing my first novel.
After Reedsy added the boards to the writing app, I found it so much easier to manage my processes while keeping track of videos, websites, and other bits of information, which I copied and pasted into the notes.
As with virtually everything else when it comes to writing a book, the best method is the one that works best for you. It doesn’t matter what anyone else does to write. Authors can show you how they work on a novel, but it is up to you to either incorporate those processes or ignore them. You have the final say in how you structure your story.
Nonetheless, there is something to be said about keeping your thoughts and research organized for each book. Since the planning board saves everything in Reedsy as you write, you won’t have to worry about losing a notebook or spilling coffee on a sticky note that you can no longer read.
As you have the same type formatting tools available in the planning boards as you do in the manuscript, you can get as fancy as you’d like. For instance, I highlight questions to myself of things I want to consider in bold in the outline. I’ve also used bullet lists, quotes, and italics.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you whether you want to use the boards or not.
Never Underestimate the Value of a Planning Board
Whether you’re using the planning board in Reedsy or have a whiteboard pinned to your wall behind you, they can be exceptionally helpful when writing a book. Although some people can whip out a book without having anything but their writing app of choice, some of us use these tools to fully immerse ourselves in the story and location.
While writing Shadows of Atlantic City, there were times when I swore I could smell the dirt and horse manure. Of course, it’s helpful that I’ve had a horse in the past.
Sticky notes, queue cards, notebooks…they are all tools to help writers put together the most immersive plot possible. Some planning might mean your book takes a bit longer to publish. But it also means there’s a greater chance it’ll feel incredibly real to the reader when it comes out.
As I said earlier, though, the best method of writing is the one that works best for you. All I suggest is giving it a try to see if the planning board in Reedsy is worth exploring. You might love it, or you might hate it. But you won’t know until you explore some of the things it can help you manage while writing that next greatest novel.
If you’re not interested in using Reedsy to write your book, at least set aside a notebook that is specifically for your manuscript. Keeping your notes organized can go a long way to reducing frustration.
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