I don't know about you, but when it comes to keeping all my writing-related "things" in their proper places, I have moments of organization and moments of total chaos. Below are author Jennifer Hallmark's tips for keeping that chaos to a minimum. -- Sandy
Jennifer: Congratulations! The magazine
article you worked so hard on finally sold. And they need a 100-word bio. You
pull up folder after folder in your computer. Where is it?
You once had a great story idea
about a basset hound, vanilla scented candles, and a high school reunion. What
file did I place it in? You spend hours rummaging through paper folders crammed
in a desk drawer with no luck.
Does this sound like you? I’ve struggled
in the past to find many files, folders, and ideas. Though I still occasionally
misplace items, over the years, I’ve developed a system. Maybe it will help
you. But first, I want to show you some products that are out there for print
or computer.
Paper
systems
Freedom Filer-This system is
versatile and you can add as much or as little as you need. And the prices are
reasonable. There are also many testimonials by bloggers who like this system.
The
Paper Tiger-This system is powered by Google Docs and can help you with
paper or digital filing or a combination of both.
Digital
systems
When it comes to filing your
research for a specific book, I found this article on the ten best
software systems for 2016 helpful. You can then choose which is right for
you.
Here is another article again
mentioning twenty-five
writing software programs that might help you. Some are even free.
What do I use to organize my
writing? I’ll be honest. There is so much out there, it will boggle the mind.
With paper, I prefer the idea of buying certain pieces that are right for me.
My desk has a hanging file drawer in it that I use for receipts and such and is
very practical. I also buy clear cover binders so I can make my own cover like Marketing Tips I Like or Publishers I Want to Research. Below are
some pieces I found during the research for this article that are now on my
wish list. J
I do most of my organization now
digitally. One quick word of advice here. Make sure everything is backed up. I
invested in Carbonite about a year ago
and I cannot tell you how much it eased my mind from the fear of losing
important material. At only $5 a month, it’s been well worth my investment.
The bulk of my work is stored in My
Documents on my computer. I keep a separate file for each of my blogs, each
book compilation I’m involved in, and each book I have written or a book idea
well-established enough to have its own file. I have a book idea file and an
article idea file. I have one file entitled Good Articles on Writing by Other Writers,
filled with invaluable advice I can pull up quickly.
Other important files for me are:
Short Stories, Published Articles, My Newsletter, and My Book Info (which
contains bios, pitches, one sheets, blurbs, etc.) I try once a year to purge
files also. Get rid of files or documents no longer relevant and reorganize as
needed.
For example: If you open My
Newsletter, you’ll see another file for main articles. Each month, I write a
new main article. By filing it, I don’t repeat ideas. I also have separate
documents for My Master Email Subscriber List, a PDF sheet for physical signups
at live events, monthly recipes, Constant Contact hints (that’s who I use to
create my newsletter) and a recipe booklet I created to send to new subscribers.
Everything about my newsletter in one place.
What is most important to becoming
an organized writer is finding the perfect fit for you. Whether in paper files
or digital or a mixture of both, life can be much easier for the writer when
time is taken to put things in order.
Now where did I put the name of the
blogger who wanted this article? J
Do you have a special system you use and will share when it comes to keeping your writing files and accounting in good order?
~~~~~~
Jennifer
Hallmark is a writer by nature, artist at heart, and daughter of God by His
grace. She’s published over 200 articles and interviews on the internet, short
stories in several magazines, and been part of four book compilations: A Dozen Apologies, Sweet Freedom A La Mode, Unlikely Merger, and Not Alone: A Literary and Spiritual
Companion for Those Confronted with Infertility and Miscarriage. She is
currently shopping her contemporary southern fiction novel, When Wedding and Weather Collide.
Not Alone: A Literary and Spiritual
Companion for Those Confronted with Infertility and Miscarriage
Our
society understands how terrible the loss of a child is when that child is out
of the womb, but
These
quiet, private losses are hard for those who have not experienced them to
understand. And these losses leave those who have suffered them feeling alone
in their grief.
Not Alone: A Literary and Spiritual
Companion for Those Confronted with Infertility and Miscarriage is a resource both for those who have
suffered through these experiences and for their friends and relatives, who
want to understand what their loved ones are going through.
This
collection contains true stories that are:
·
sensitive,
and yet honest
·
angry and
raw, but not despairing
·
unique,
and yet relatable
The
contributors to this book are male and female, old and young, some who
eventually had children and some who never did, and yet despite their
differences, they share a common grief and a common faith.
No
experience of miscarriage, infant loss, or infertility is like any other, yet
by reading these painful and hope-filled stories, you’ll be comforted by
knowing there are others who understand the journey you’re on, the loss you’ve
suffered, and you will find that even though your loss is uniquely yours, you
are not alone.
