Unca Rog,

In "The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics" ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/0823010279/?tag=imwan-20 ), Denny O'Neil cites a device used by Paul Levitz in his Legion-writing days to plan accordingly for the interleaving of sub-plots within a basic storyline.

Paul used to use a spreadsheet-like grid on paper to track a hierarchy of sub-plots ( B,C, and D) and their progression. Each sub-plot was interleaved with the main story A. As soon as plot A had come to resolution, plot B would graduate to plot A, C to B, D to C, and a new D would be introduced ... or something like that.

Did you ever use a formal planning structure like the one above when embedding sub-plot snippets into your stories?

Thank you.

I'm afraid that I was never as organized as Paul.

I tended to keep my "spreadsheet" in my head. I'd just let story elements rattle around in there until they felt ready. Mind you, I'd often jot down little notes to myself, but those were mainly reminders.

-- Uncle Rog