My husband, without realizing it, placed my copy over the original document. With my doctor’s document having no page numbers or order, figuring out the correct sequence had me thinking.

Yes, I went to fuss out loud at home. But then I remembered that a time ago, I had dropped one of my manuscripts on the floor. One that I had not numbered. Self-pity filled me as I grumbled at myself. I had no one to blame. All I had to do was look in the mirror.

I now number everything. Which reminded me how books follow the same idea. Getting things in order hasto be accomplished. Everything that makes a book a book has to coexist: scenes, characters, dialogue, and more.

Is there a timeline a reader could follow? If not, it doesn’t matter how you think the book is. The timeline is important in any book.

As an avid reader, I pay attention to this. And keep it in mind when I am working on a WIP.

If your timeline is imprecise, you may not get your book read and/or miss a new fan.

It’s not rocket science to take some time to map it out. If you are having problems with your book, checking the timeline can be helpful if you are putting scenes too soon or too late in your WIP. That has happened to me a few times. I would reread a few pages that I was having some problems with. When I looked at the time between the pages, I realized I’d put things in the wrong part of the story.

Granted, this won’t solve everything, but it will not hurt to double-check.

The order of the pages, the order of your story, and characters all work together to make an enjoyable read for your readers and yourself.