Many authors make outlines of their novels to keep the story arc in place, make sure the important parts are not missed, and to keep up with each character. They each have their own style, as well. See some handwritten outlines from James Salter, J.K. Rowling, Sylvia Plath, William Faulkner, and more at Flavorwire. The chart shown is how Joseph Heller kept up with the characters and their plot lines in Catch-22. You can click the image twice at Flavorwire to bring up the large size, but you might need to put on your glasses to read it anyway. Link
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John Irving's process would be interesting, since he writes his books in reverse, starting with the ending.
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