We learned the craft of time management in high school with those little assignment pads. Remember, having to write down when everything is due? Yeah, remember hating it. Funny how things like that come back to bite you in the rear. Yet, the older I get and the more things that are heaped upon my plate, this simple skill is very important. This year, I began keeping a writers notebook.
I took a plain three ring binder ( of course I made sure it was Turquoise my favorite color ) and purchased a pack of dividers, some colored printer paper, and regular college ruled paper. I divided it into months and wrote the name of the month on the tags. So far, you're with me, right? Then I began thinking what I would need to keep track of. I made one page for a list of monthly expenses and purchased some page protectors to slip my receipts inside for tax purposes. Behind that, I made a list of manuscripts I'm working on, books in edits, books that I'm submitting, and if I'm lucky, books that I've sold. I also created a calendar to remind me when to blog.
So far, it's served me well. I showed it to another writer friend and she's picked it up. Together we are refining our methods and coming up with things that work for us. She's come up with creating tags by printing her book titles on mailing labels in colors for works in progress, edits, deadlines, releases, edits etc. I haven't gotten quite that ocd yet, but I do feel its coming.
I know, written when so much is going paperless??? However, paper works for me. It allows me to set it open on my desk while I'm working to keep me focused. It also allows me to schedule some all important time for me. If I don't fill my well, I have little left for filling my other duties. So, what works for you as a writing schedule?
About the Author Nan O'Berry grew up listening to stories at her grandparents' feet. So it's not surprising that her love of a good story pushed her to begin writing her own tales for enjoyment. As these grew she shared her historical perspectives about the heroes of her imagination, cowboys, lumberjacks, and the country they founded.
Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Degree from Old Dominion University, Mrs. O’Berry loves finding those interesting facts that might lead to a good story. So pull up a chair and grab that glass of sweet tea and enjoy.
You can find me,Nan, on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/nan.oberry.3
Or at my website:
I also have a twitter account:
post-it note junkie...that's how I roll
ReplyDeletedenise
Well you're a dang sight more organized than I am, Nan. I write everything on my wall calendar (free from organizations like the ASPCA and Defenders of Wildlife, etc.). I keep it in my desk drawer. A bit of a slacker here.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed. I've been called Miss Organization when teaching, and later in retirement, running the women's group at our church. I like organization, and heap it upon others when I have the power. Lately though, say in the last year, I have lost the great will to be fully organized. So much of the time I sit and think, now what was it I wanted to do.
ReplyDeleteBut, I do have two notebooks to the left of my computer. The spiral is for longterm projects or new ideas. The tablet is for daily notes. I fill up one page, the rip it off if I know I've satisfied all on the list.
Like Sarah, I have a wall calendar that actually lays open to the month on the right front corner of my desk. Each square is big enough to keep up with all our dr. appts, social things, and blog dates. The calendar is perfect...it comes from The Presbyterian Chrildren's Homes of Texas...I make sure I send in my donation each year, so they'll send me this great calendar.
Good topic, Nan. Thanks.
Nan..we need your name at the top of the post...or in the title. Either will do. Search engines look for names...plus a read must go to the bottom and learn "Who wrote this?" Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI love post-its, too. I also have notebooks to help me remember key points of the story. :) Great post, Nan. :)
ReplyDeleteDo you also like to write using paper and ink? I've read where some famous authors recommend it. I recently found one of my old writer's notebooks full of hand written stories, complete with a floppy disk containing probably the first ever computer backups of my writing, now useless. There's a message in there about old ways are best, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteNan, I do admire your organizational skill. And thank you for giving us a blueprint to follow if we have the motivation to do so. I know being organized saves time. I find that I am more organized on paper than on computer. I think it is a "generation" thing. I work best with hard copy that I can see and touch. Computer files seem so "nebulous" and when they are out of sight, I always wonder if they are gone forever!
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