Storyclock Notebook: How it works and why it’s awesome!

When I first heard about this on Twitter earlier this year, I knew it was going to be something useful.  A small, simple tool to help bring order to my internal chaos of runaway story ideas? I am totally in! That tool was the Storyclock Notebook.

What is the Storyclock Notebook?

The Storyclock notebook is a research and development tool that helps writers organize their ideas and find gaps in their stories. For screenwriters (which were the intended audience) it helps them get a bird’s eye view of their story to really nail down the details of the story. Created by Seth Worley, a Los Angeles-based director/writer, he drew up the idea for the Storyclock out of his own frustration with half-baked ideas, but no story to put them to. Starting out on Kickstarter, the Storyclock Notebook decimated their intended goal and kept everyone in the loop about the progress.

When I saw the Storyclock, I knew I could use this for preparing and organizing my own stories, whether it’s a short story, a novel, or even a screenplay.

Why is it Awesome?

For an interview video with the tool's creator, click the photo.

Outside of the fact that Seth Worley made it? Not much. Just kidding. What makes it great is the ability to organize and develop a story all in one place. For people like me that occasionally struggle with keeping all my ideas straight, this tool will add a much-needed focus to crafting stronger, sharper stories. It also gives me a more visual way of looking at the story. It doesn’t just feel like a block a text. It feels like fleshed out, beat for beat, story. It helps me play out the story like a movie in my head.

So, where are they now? The Kickstarter ended a few months ago and are just starting to move into the shipping process of the physical copy. For those who backed it, a digital copy has already been received along with a hilarious, 80’s VHS inspired tutorial. Seth is always one for surprises!

If you want to learn more about the Storyclock Notebook, check out Storyclock.co.

Also, I was not sponsored or asked to promote this product. I just believe in it's use and think it could be a great tool in a writer's journey. I recommend using it next time you want to organize your ideas and create a strong, yet flexible foundation for your story.

-J.J.