Maybe this is possible. I want to be able to leave myself breadcrumbs, and also automate some tasks.
E.g. 100 pages from now I want to check a detail about the previous time Our Hero was beaten up. When I’m writing, I want to be able to do something like [K: Beaten up] and then in find have a way to limit my search to [K this is a keyword phrase]
Extend this: In Structure view have a “show K blocks” so below each leaf item you can see what keywords you applied.
I’d also like an S block. [S: * this is a bullet point for my synopsis]. Then each synopsis pane has a checkbox “Show S block” which would the contents of the bullet points first in blue. I could then either rewrite them into something more elegant and hide them, or just leave them.
I’d also like an N block for notes. A lot of notes for me are things to check.
If I’ve understood what you want correctly, many people use Inline annotations for this. Put your keyword and the phrase, highlight them both and then use cmd-shift-a to add the annotation. Or just press cmd-shift-a and type. E.g. K: my annotation
Then you can search for all the K: annotations with Edit > Find > Find by Formatting and enter your trigger text (K:). You can then cycle through the entire text with Find next formatting cmd-opt-shift-g.
And there is a handy checkbox in Compile to remove inline annotations from compiled output, so none of this annotation gets exported with your text.
((There are also keywords (and subkeywords) with which you can tag things at the document level. Also , custom metadata fields which can be used (again) to tag things at the document level.))
I had not used annotations as discussed above but like the idea of it. I was using text tags to identify problems set up to be easily searchable. Since annotations can be removed with Comiling. I will add codes to annotations as a hybrid. below is a working group of tags based on problems, taking you to the exact text location and using tags can search by problem through the whole novel at one time.
Mxxx -map needs development
BSxxx- for backstory issues or to mark and make sure consistent and pertinent.
WBxxx -for world building issues
Fxxx-foreshadowing occurring
FFxxx foreshadowing failing/needs work
Charxxx- character needs more development. Since there are many possibilities, you could list the specific issue in the Inspector note panel. You could also use the character’s first initial after Charxxx to identify which character is the issue.[ Charxxxw where W is first letter of a POV character named will.]
Sxxx-set/location needs work
Pxxx- plot needs development
SPxxx- subplot needs development
Thxxx- theme needs work or tagging
Cxxx-conflict needs work
Dxxx-dialogue needs work
Yes, this would work. I could also do it by creating a style that is not included in compiling. This could allow me to skip the K: if I define a style called Keywords. This could be given box, pink background, whatever, so they stand out. A Separate style for my other ones, coloured differently, means when I search for something, my eye can skip the ones I don’t want.
