How do YOU keep track of your alien race?

Just come up with it and catagorize it as you write. You may want to use it again........

In my case, I usually don't have a problem keeping up with my main alien race for the past few novels. I wrote from the POV of several of them in the past, and got to know the characters so well that writing in their quirks, different psychology, beliefs, and cultural details became second nature.
Still, I have come up with so much that I felt the need to keep track of it all, in case I took a break and needed to pick it up again. So I use a microsoft program called OneNote.

OneNote works like a notebook. I can paste bits of writing into it, along with my maps, character illustrations, and any relevant web links. You can also write directly in it. When I set out to create a race, I create a new notebook. I have main pages (Cultural overview, psychology, physiology, technology, etc) and then, when relevant, I create sub-pages for individual cultures within that alien society. I also keep biographies on major and minor characters this way. I implant hyperlinks to other parts of the notebook so that I can easily reference back and forth.

Hope that helps. OneNote is part of Microsoft Word 2007 I think. If you have it, give it a look. It took me from having jumbles of random word files to a virtual encyclopedia for my aliens.

Good luck!

PS: What are your aliens like? ^_^

I have a list of alien names I can use, a short description of all the aliens I introduce, and some notes on their mannerisms/quirks. A lot of stuff I can keep in my head, but it's easy enough to write down. Just try to keep things simple, and you should be fine :)

It's pronounced "dack" -- All my stories are autobiographies. Some are just a little more shameless than others!

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Well, it's easier that I only have three races that might count as "alien," that is, not human. One is a fierce overlord/protector type and the other two are a cute land-based species and a cute aquatic species. I actually came up with several but slashed most as irrelevant and/or ones I might want to use for future writing projects.

2009: My first year of Nano and I am psyched! Working title: "Veroshi City Festival"

I find if I write a character sheet for the alien main character I can throw in cultural traits and such in that. Then I print it up and have a handy reference. Unfortunately I have not done that this year and have character info all over my notebook which makes it a pain in the but because I'm also writting my novel in said notebook. Happy writing-Bob

I tend to go the extreme. I come up with a society, write a few short stories, novellas, or even novels having just to do with the race, I build the world, and I immerse myself in their culture. Consequently, my alien society is built more than my Earth society. And I've got a few more that I'm trying to build a little bit more.