When writing software, a developer is expected to write “maintainable” code. That means to write in a manner that someone else can look at the work and quickly understand what it’s trying to do, and why. This is achieved by writing clear, concise code, and supporting documentation.
It’s not much different for creative writing. You are expected to write clear and concise prose, that instead of moving bits of data around paints a picture in the mind of the reader. What about the supporting documentation? That’s what is known as a Story Bible.
There’s a lot of details to track when writing a novel, especially across multiple drafts. What secret affiliation does this guy have? How does the protagonist like to dress? Was this city east or west of the other one? What in this character’s past makes them so ambitious?
It’s beneficial to keep a repository of notes of important details you’ll need to tell your story. Though the benefit isn’t limited to you, the author. Think of the poor editor who’s wading into your fabricated world. Like in software development, you need to consider the next person to work on this piece.
I gather this is not all that common. I recently requested the aid of a developmental editor, and she said a good Story Bible is “an editor’s dream”. I regret that all I had to offer was the nightmare collection of my unorganized notes, maps, and references.
Going forward I now know the supporting documentation isn’t just for me. I need to write “maintainable” prose.
A more thorough description, including a template for preparing your own story bible, can be found at The Novel Smithy.