Ideas for Using Aeon Timeline
1. Timeline
The simple answer to the question “What do I use Aeon Timeline for?” is a timeline. I know that sounds obvious, but think about how that could work for a project.
Chart each event of a novel, novella, story, whatever with details added for character, setting, and arcs. Once that task is complete, scour the timeline for missing events, abandoned arcs, and characters that disappear. Once the information is entered, sort the project by character or event to find missing or incorrect data.
The timeline can also show unusual time jumps. I rush my stories, having everything occur in a few days. Aeon Timeline shows me the story pictorially and I can then add more days for my characters to fall in love.
Using Aeon Timeline to track the project can save an author time in editing. (And we all know how much I hate editing.) I suggest creating the timeline as you write the novel. That way charting events, characters, and arc is not so daunting.
2. Story Bible
The great thing about the program is it doesn’t stop with one story. An author can add multiple tales along the timeline, charting a multi-generational story or a very in-depth, multi-character set of books. The program is helpful if books overlap with characters or events. My current set of novellas happen almost all at once with a Christmas ending. Using the timeline, I get days of the week correct, events orders in line, and keep all those details of the stories in one place.
With a bible, no more questions about side-character’s last names or eye color. Aeon Timeline will keep all the details in one file.
3. Organizing a Writer’s Life
Everyone can use a datebook. Aeon Timeline can serve that need to organize personal projects, school assignments, and professional obligations. I’m a planner by nature, but longer-term is harder for me to organize. Using AT, I can add short deadlines into a large project and get an enormous task done a bit at a time.
Use it for marketing plans, book launches, kid’s school projects, prepping for conferences, or teaching a class. Since the timelines can be squashed down to seconds (!), projects such as speeches or teaching classes can be outlined and printed.
This is just the tip of the iceberg for uses for Aeon Timeline. Watch the videos and create!