This is Part 5 of 6 of my Everything Before Gia series. Click the link to learn more about my debut novel, or return to Part 4.

In 2025, while studying graphic design at RMIT, I created a workbook to present my extensive material in a fresh, manageable and inspiring way.

The first thing I wanted my workbook to include was a selection of ideas that had been overlooked in the process of creating my timeline, which focused on plot. I took all of my bullet point ideas from 2021 to 2024 and had them printed and bound. 120 pages of bullet points!

Using a pencil, I circled everything I resonated with: words, phrases, notes relating to the tone, characters, etc.

I collated the annotated material into a new booklet (right), this time only 39 pages long. It also contained new material from the subsequent six months.

My first draft of the workbook! Included was a synopsis, chapter summaries and the distilled notes.

I designed the workbook with a blank page to the right of each summary. In this first edition, the blank page was positioned on the wrong side. Uh oh! Also, because the first few chapter summaries lacked detail, I wanted to develop them further as the next step.

Success! The final workbook was perfect—blanks on the right, well-organised and only slightly longer than 100 pages.

I expanded the first few summaries in the design library at opening time, 8am, one hour before classes started. This was all I could manage in 2025. With eight subjects per semester, my design course was intense!

In 2026, I hope to use this workbook as an all-in-one writing aid to complete a full draft of my manuscript. I feel confident that this is achievable. It's incredibly exciting!

Click here to view part 6 of the Everything Before Gia novel series!