How do you organize your writings?

[grimsleygl]

I am the most unorganized person I know of...seriously! There are stories and journal entries I have written, ideas for future writings, quotes that I like, writing website addresses I want to keep, various writer's guides, etc. all over the the place in my computer files at home--and even some in various files at work that I probably do not have at home!

I have two printed shorts that I've submitted and have hard copies of them along with their cover letters. Then there is the manuscript to the one book that's soon to be in print along with the contract, emails and letters from the editor, etc. They are "somewhere." Here and there!

I'm considering putting everything I write that is finally "finished" in a three ring binder so I will at least be able to find these, and perhaps put a sticky note on each one telling where it can be found in my computer. I'm not too sure if this is the best idea though.

I'd love to hear how some of you file things you have written or things you one day want to write about, etc.

Perhaps I will be able to pick up some good ideas that will help me be more organized. Oh, I do hope so! Even one helpful hint will be greatly appreciated.

By the way, this is a lifetime problem and it's not only in my disorganized writing. I'm quite pitiful actually.

[Tamera]

I have file folders and a filing cabinet for hard copies, but I do most of my organization on the computer. I use the file feature in Word to create new files for each project. Anything that I need for that project: submissions, research, documents, critiques, goes under that file folder. Then when I need something, I know where to look.

[Tarin]

I suppose everyone has to come up with the system that works best for them, but here's mine. :)

I have a two-drawer filing cabinet (eventually to be expanded, I'm sure) in which I keep loose odds and ends of papers - mostly research notes, although I also keep an "Inspiration" folder, a "Correspondence" folder, etc. Something I've found extremely helpful in organizing my filing system is to make a record in a computer document of everything in any given folder. That way if I'm looking for a particular article I know I saved, I can search for either the subject or the article title to discover where I've put it. Utilizing the "find" function on the computer beats the pants off digging through mountains of paper. :confused:

I keep a separate notebook(s) for each book project, in which I collect notes, sketches, and outlines. When I eventually transfer most of this information to the computer, I make sure each project is allocated to a separate folder. It's often helpful to create folders within folders (e.g., in my WIP's folder I have a "character sketches" folder). I keep folders within folders in my Favorites list on my Internet browser as well.

I make it a point not to leave loose scraps of paper or old notes cluttering my desk. If something's on my desk, it means I need to pay attention to it. Once I've filed or looked up the information, the note gets tossed.

Basically, organization is just a matter of assigning everything to a place and then making sure it stays there when not in active use.

[Angelsunaware]

Hi! This won't be helpful at all, but I am pretty close to where you are at. But in my disorganization, I am mostly organized. I can usually find most anything, just takes a couple of minutes to find... Sorry, just wanted to let you know you aren't alone. But there were some good ideas that almost want to get organized! LOL!
Byee,
Angelsunaware

[Knight of Christ]

organization ????? I'm not sure i know the meaning of the word lol

I am lacking a printer at the moment so i can't back up with hard copys so most of it just goes into my documents lol

[tneeley]

Gerrie:

It's so funny you posted this. I was thinking just today about posting the same question. I've been trying to decide how to keep up with what devotional I have submitted where, etc., and I've decided that one thing I am going to do is on the actual Word file type in at the top above the title in a larger font when and where I submitted it. In addition, I think I'm going to use a 3 x 5 card file system to keep up with the submissions. I already keep an index card file with random thoughts and ideas, quotes, scriptures, journal prompts. I also keep a huge double 3-ring binder with sections of writing guidelines, writing articles, devotions I've written, workshop notes, etc.

Whew! I still need to fine tune that system.

Thanks for the question, Gerrie!

[melw]

Organisation is hard for me. Never really kept up with it.

Now I was just talking to someone today that i need to get more organised. I am thinking of starting up a writer's goup and so i know i will need to be more organised to do that.

At the moment i have one of those little expanding files, for hard copies of stories. Or A4 file booklets (used for school) to write it. (i write long hand first)
I also have a little hard cover notebook i write down the files and where to find them on the computer and/or disks.

I am thinking i will need to get a filing cabinet, but i think i would fill it with too much junk. Anyway good luck

MEL

[lynnmosher]

I do basically the same as Tamera and Tarin. I keep a "journal," a notebook with all the thoughts that come into my head while in prayer, watching TV, from conversations, reading books, sayings, quotes, whatever strikes my muse. I then put those thoughts into files on the computer.

Tina, to keep track of submissions, what they require and pay, email address, editor, dates of acceptance or refusal, etc., all goes into an Excel spreadsheet. I love it because I can tell at a glance what is there.

[tneeley]

Lynn, that's assuming I might actually know how to use Excel, which hasn't happened yet in my world! Thanks for sharing, though. Maybe I can get my Daddy to write the spreadsheet!

[lynnmosher]

It really is easy. Get him to show you. You can do it. If you can type, you can do it. If I can do it, you can, too!

[Phy]

I have a Documents folder on my primary HD, and another on my backup external HD. I have subfolders for RGR and Phywriter (my personal fiction).

My favorite trick is to open Gmail and start an e-mail to myself, then save stories (either as text or as attached) as drafts, essentially using Gmail as a storage mechanism I can reach from anywhere in the world. It's fast and free.

[grimsleygl]

Thanks everyone! What wonderful ideas. I'm inspired...really! Now, we'll see how long I can keep it going once I have time to get a real filing system going. (Sadly for me, it will be a while before I can concentrate on putting some changes in place because, just like my paycheck, at the end of the week I find that my whole weekend has already been blown and there is too often nothing left for me!)

I appreciate knowing I am not alone in this struggle. I kind of figured I was not the only one. Perhaps some of these suggestions will help those of you who are my kindred spirits by nature in all of this as well.

Lynn, I especially liked your Excel idea. I have never thought of making a spread sheet for anything to do with my writing! A special thanks for that one.

Phy, this is a great idea too! I don't travel much any more, but still...it would be great to have things stored in gmail just in case I ever want to look something up when I am not at home, or if something (God forbid) should happen to my computer, or simply to clear up a bit of space on my own computer if that should ever become a problem.

Hopefully more ideas will be coming in to look at as well. I appreciate everyone's input!

[Louchiere]

[QUOTE=grimsleygl;153721]I am the most unorganized person I know of...seriously! There are stories and journal entries I have written, ideas for future writings, quotes that I like, writing website addresses I want to keep, various writer's guides, etc. all over the the place in my computer files at home--and even some in various files at work that I probably do not have at home!

Wow! I seem to have the same problem lol! I have bags and boxes that I stuff everything into, and then strew it all over when I'm looking for something. Some of us just don't have it in us to be organized I guess lol. I acctually get someone else to do this for me as it's the only thing that works for me. Sometimes that's the best way:)

[grimsleygl]

[QUOTE=Louchiere;153930 I acctually get someone else to do this for me as it's the only thing that works for me. Sometimes that's the best way:)[/QUOTE]

I have a friend who is just getting her new "Get Organized" business going. I've honestly thought about buying her time for just an hour to look things over and help me get started on a real plan for all this. I know life would be so much easier if I were organized! (sigh!)

[VLSmith]

I hate paperwork. Notes, folders, post-its, everything. Too easy to lose, blow away and misplace. So I keep everything in my computer.

I have a primary folder called Writing which is my filing cabinet for all things writing related.

Inside is a file called Agents. It is a spreadsheet with agents I have queried or would like to query, their address, query requirements, contact information, etc. If I have queried them, I don't delete them, I just cross them out. They might be a fit for a different project.

There is also a file called Checklist. This is the final inspection each piece must pass through before I ship it out to an agent. It's a spreadsheet checklist of words that might have crept into my work, as well as words I know I have a tendency to overuse. I run a find, eliminating and tightening.

My writing goals are also there in a file called...Goals. What I need to accomplish this year, next year, the year after...There's a plan for it all.

There is a secondary folder called Books with folders for each project: "He Wore Sandals," "Exodus of the Daldonians," etc. These project folders contain the novel, the synopsis and another folder of all the queries that have been sent out on that project.

For story ideas, I have files started "Book 7 - Private Eye" or "Short 6 - Bridal Shop" with just a filler title. But inside, I jot all my ideas for that project. Every time a phrase or scripture, plot twist or character idea crosses my mind for that particular piece, that's where I store it. Even the questions or research reminders are filed right there. Then when I'm ready to work on it, I already have a head start.

Years ago, I wrote a newsletter for the company I worked for. I collected tidbits of information and kept them in a file folder until I was ready to write the newsletter. If I were doing something like that now, I would probably scan those documents and save them on my computer. I could organize them in folders as well as save them for future reference.

Anyway, that's me. Organized to a fault. But can I write...the jury is still out on that one. None of this organization will mean diddly squat if the words don't flow.

You know what I mean? :(

[AyatsuriNingyo]

I have my computer set up like a "virtual house" or virtual "world" ... so everything has it's own room. In each "room" there are folders where everything is divided up. For instance, I used to keep my system-related software... like the security programs, writing tools and what not that I install on my computer... in a "room" called the Engine Room. So if I needed a piece of system related software, it was in the Engine Room folder. In my Attic folder, there are some template files which, however important, I actually need next to never. The parlor is full of ebooks. The Study is the warehouse for my language resources and translations, and materials for the study of Go (Igo).

It's kind of a fun way to set up a computer, because it takes on the feeling of a virtual place. But more than that, it helps me keep organized. All of my pictures are in the Gallery (which has wings for various kinds of art). All of my productions work (creation of icons, animations, wallpapers, websites and other non-writing related works) are in the Studio. Gigabytes of icons are tucked away in the Basement. I know where everything is. And once in a while I take a day or two to clean everything up and move stray files into their proper places.

Now if only my computer had the power (RAM) to be totally customized, I could actually skin my folder windows to have backgrounds like the rooms they're named, and set it up so that I could click on a book in the Library to get a good story. But being just a poor word artist, I don't have that luxury. :(

Another thing, though... on my computer, each story has a folder of it's own, and in that folder, a set of folders all it's own. So each story has a "basement" or archives, a visuals folder, notes folder for old notes, and depending on the story's scope, sometimes even a folder in which each character or country/area gets their own folder and materials. That way, all the stuff for that story is in one place.

I do tend to keep everything on my computer though. Handwriting is just too painful for me anymore.

[T M Cart]

Hmmm.....organization. The span of my life is peppered with failed attempts to organize, optimize and categorize. The ideas seem so tangible at first. Sadly, I am resolved to accept the truth that any hard copies I generate anonymously migrate into the endless towers of unwanted junkmail and kindergarten spelling tests strewn about my house.
Digital copies aren't afforded any special treatment. They also make their homes in whatever folder is default at the time. Yet, somehow, I manage to find what I need.
This, as you can imagine, is a never ending source of frustration for my poor wife, who is a master organizer.



-T. M. Cart
www.truthinministry.org

[grimsleygl]

[QUOTE=AyatsuriNingyo;154401]I have my computer set up like a "virtual house" or virtual "world" ... so everything has it's own room. In each "room" there are folders where everything is divided up. For instance, I used to keep my system-related software... like the security programs, writing tools and what not that I install on my computer... in a "room" called the Engine Room. So if I needed a piece of system related software, it was in the Engine Room folder. In my Attic folder, there are some template files which, however important, I actually need next to never. The parlor is full of ebooks. The Study is the warehouse for my language resources and translations, and materials for the study of Go (Igo).


WOW! I AM WAY FAR BEYOND IMPRESSED! I love the idea of a virtual house for your filing system. Amazing!

Thanks for sharing. !thumbsup!

[grimsleygl]

T M Cart. Hmmm.....organization. The span of my life is peppered with failed attempts to organize, optimize and categorize. The ideas seem so tangible at first. Sadly, I am resolved to accept the truth that any hard copies I generate anonymously migrate into the endless towers of unwanted junkmail and kindergarten spelling tests strewn about my house.
Digital copies aren't afforded any special treatment. They also make their homes in whatever folder is default at the time. Yet, somehow, I manage to find what I need.
This, as you can imagine, is a never ending source of frustration for my poor wife, who is a master organizer.




Oh my T M! It sounds as though you and I might be in the same boat. :rolleyes: I can just hear some of the conversations between you and your wife now!

My husband and I have some interesting conversations about organization at our house too. Isn't it so like God to bring us life partners who compliment us by being total opposites in certain areas? I'm sure it helps balance out the children anyway! :)

[melw]

My husband and I have some interesting conversations about organization at our house too.

I am not a neat person, i am a messy my husband bought me a book about how to get over some of your messy traits. And to live with it.

Still trying to get through it, but am getting better.

My hubby goes through cleaning phases and hates when i leave something there and don't clean it up straight away

MEL

[grimsleygl]

Hey Mel, my husband vacuums the carpet to where it all the vaccum lines are going in the same direction! What a guy. (Seriously!)

[Rachel E.]

I keep all my writing that I do on the computer in what I call my writing folder. It's pretty full, but I can find everything there. Sometimes inside of that I have mini-files as well. When I do print out hard copies, I store them in my portfolio. But it's almost full, so I haven't done that in a while. I probably should, just so I have it. I've had the computer crash and lose everything. That's really hard.

[Rhadaghast]

I was hoping this was about organizing a story.
I use excel to chart my chapters, then I can move them from one column to another. The columns are labeled and I can see easily how the story flows with a short note on each section of a chapter.

[grimsleygl]

[QUOTE=VLSmith;154087]
Anyway, that's me. Organized to a fault. But can I write...the jury is still out on that one. None of this organization will mean diddly squat if the words don't flow.QUOTE]


This too is quite impressive. I like it! I like it alot! !thumbsup!T hanks for sharing.

[grimsleygl]

I was hoping this was about organizing a story.
I use excel to chart my chapters, then I can move them from one column to another. The columns are labeled and I can see easily how the story flows with a short note on each section of a chapter.


This sounds quite interesting. I can't picture it in my mind though. How do you actually "chart" a chapter? Do you mean you somehow actually do your writing in excel?????? Or do you write a chapter than cut/paste it into excel?

[musiclovesoul]

organization I basically have a chaos organization method. notes and resourses posted in notebooks and folders all over the place, huh. I think I lke the idea of a virtual house. I think I'm going to try and get my writing and my research organized. It might actually help me get more done. wow.