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.
