Write down the major events in your timeline. Do this in a simple numbered draft that shows you at a glance the major events you'll need to include in your timeline. Underline and number the major events, then lesser events beneath the major event, with letters indicating the order of importance or occurrence. In a timeline, the order of events is typically chronological (by date), followed by importance or relevance. Importance or relevance is particularly important in the case of events that begin at the same time.
Draw a vertical line that extends the length of a standard sheet of paper turned in landscape mode. Use a ruler to get a straight line. Starting at the left edge of the paper (the beginning of your timeline), write down the first event. A typical format for basic timeline information is the name of the event, followed by a dash, followed by the date of the event. You can follow this with a line or two of description for the event if necessary, although the name of the event should be descriptive enough.
Separate each of the events of your timeline with a line. The line can be drawn perpinducular. Use a ruler to keep the line straight. Use color pencils if you want to relate events in the timeline to one another or emphasize significance of an event. Shading an event with a red-colored pencil might indicate the event is a key element in the overall structure of your project. Two events colored in yellow might indicate events that need to be considered together.