I’m having trouble working up a T.O.C. for my book proposal. (internal link) The reporter I’m writing about penned pieces on countless topics over fifty years. Everything from  marriage to sending free books to Nikita Khrushchev. How should one organize such a variety of subjects?

Arranging the writing within chapters in a chronological fashion seems an obvious choice. But I still need chapters to put that writing into. I could go with the definition of a noun. That includes:

People

Places

Things

Animals

Activities

Thoughts

The reporter didn’t write think pieces so “Thoughts” is out. He did write on everything else, so the other choices are possible though sterile sounding. How about:

People: Characters From Around The World

Places: Near To Faraway Lands

Things: Coffee Makers and Broken Down Plumbing

Animals: Wild and Domestic

Activities: His Routine. And the Not So Routine

I really dislike “Activities” yet I don’t have a good substitute. “Perhaps Day to Day Life.”

What about this? Two divisions with subchapters:

I. At Home

La Casa

Raising Teenagers

Marriage

Divorce

Drinking

The Writing Life

Bills

Camping . . .  and so on . . .

II. Away

California

The United States

Mexico

Latin America

Europe

Asia

Down Under . . .  and so on . . .

Hmm. This last approach suggests too many chapters. I wouldn’t have enough material to fill them equally. Any thoughts? I am three weeks away from submitting a proposal so I have time to consider any suggestions. E-mail me at thomasfarley@yahoo.com.