Organizing
for Writing Success
by Jeanetta Chrystie, OCACW President
August – September 2008 newsletter
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| It’s a new OCACW
meeting year (September through May) and time to take a look at
how we are approaching our writing efforts.
Most of us have writing notes in various places, including our computers,
journals, backs of envelopes, written sideways on church bulletins,
and even on a few napkins. Many of these items are stuffed into a
book or journal, piled on a corner of a table, languishing in the
bottom of a purse, and occasionally run through the laundry in a
pocket. If
you are one of the minority among us, meaning you actually have
a file with project folders in it – which you actually
use much of the time, congratulations! We’ll all visit you
soon to look over your filing system so we can copy the applicable
parts of it in our own homes.
For most beginning writers,
however, knowing how to organize one’s
very own Writing Area is a niggling thought on our “someday” list.
Whether you tend to write on a laptop at a restaurant, a journal
while people-watching in a park, or on notebook pages while swinging
on your porch; you need a place for your writing materials to “live.” Somewhere
they’ll be safe from spills, where you can always find them
when you are ready to write—or to market your writing.
So, to help everyone
organize for a successful writing hobby, avocation, or business;
here’s an “Equipping Your Writing
Space” List. For about $35, you can begin; less if you shop
flea markets and garage sales (and don’t be tempted to stray
from your purchase goals).
- A file drawer – a “milk carton” crate
works fine for this, just be sure it has tracks on the inside
lip to
hold handing folders.
- A set of hanging folders – unless you’re ready to
pay a premium for fancy colors, the cheap dark green ones work
fine.
- A set of manila folders – these go into your hanging folders,
often you’ll have several similar projects that need their
own manila folder but should be grouped together in the same hanging
folder. Again, you can pay a premium for fancy designed folders;
but that goes over the $35 limit.
- A shelf (think garage sale) on which to collect your writing
how-to books, journals, and writing notebooks.
- A set of pens/pencils that have a good feel for you when
you hold them.
- A set of little pocket (2 ½ by 5-inch) notepads. Many
of our best ideas come when we’re doing other things, something
other than sitting at a computer “to write.” Always
carry around something in your pocket or purse so you’re
ready capture those writing ideas when they occur. We think, “I
won’t forget that great idea;” only to realize later
that it was as fleeting as the morning dew.
- A set of cheap mugs (think flea market), large enough to
stash a pocket notepad and a pen inside;
then set
them around the house
so they’ll be handy to capture that idea when you’re
busy cooking, doing laundry, soaking in a tub, working on a hobby,
watching a movie – you understand the idea. You may want
to select distinctive pens, by color or design, so other family
members who are tempted to “borrow” your writing mug
pens will recognize those are “reserved” for your writing.
Now I’m anticipating
hearing how everyone already has, or is, organizing for writing
success.
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