I’m outlining a project right now, and thought it would be a good time to review best practices for index cards.
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Keep it short. Maximum seven words per card.
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A card represents a story point, be it a scene or a sequence. You don’t need a card for every little thing.
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Keep cards general enough that they can be rearranged. (“Battle in swamp” rather than “Final showdown”)
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Horizontal (a table or counter) often works better than a vertical (a corkboard).
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Post-It notes make good alternative index cards.
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Consider a letter code for which characters are featured in the sequence. Helpful for figuring out who’s missing.
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Most movies can be summarized in less than 50 cards.
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Cards are cheap. Don’t hesitate to rework them.
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Consider a second color for action sequences. Helps show the pacing.
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Write big. You want to be able to read them from a distance.