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Topic: How do you organize your writing life?
| Author | Message |
| bebe | Posted – 1/16/2007 8:13:30 AM | show profile I am trying to pitch more and also come up with more ideas. This seems overwhelming to me. How do you keep track of everything? |
| jlm920 | Posted – 1/16/2007 8:38:05 AM | show profile This might be old-fashioned, but file folders and Excel spreadsheets work for me. At my desk, I keep folders (the smaller expandable versions that can stand up) for different things - ideas go in one, pending pitches in another, current work (separate folders for each assignment) in others, tax info (receipts and such) in another, etc. I also keep Excel spreadsheets to keep my accounting up to date. Calendars and lists help, too. I keep a calendar of when I need to follow-up, or when I want to have a rough draft completed. And every evening I come up with a project list for the next day. |
| writesonwater | Posted – 2/25/2007 2:51:42 AM | show profile | email poster When I pitch an article by email, I put an identifier word in the subject header. For me, it's pitch. That way, I can call up all those pitch emails by searching for the word PITCH, and that gives me a summary of recent activity, which helps me track. |
| Metro Writer | Posted – 3/2/2007 12:25:09 PM | show profile I also like Excel worksheets to keep track of pitches, payments, and markets (contact information, fees, rights, etc.). I created a folder in Outlook which I call Queries so I can keep track of them and copy and paste them into new ones if I get rejected. I use Tasks in Outlook as reminders. In My Documents, I have separate folders for Articles and Advertising Copy. In each of these, I have subfolders by year and subfolders by topic if I have to keep notes and digital photos. I also have subfolders for PDF clippings. Even though I'm good with software, I often print out hard copies and put them in a narrow binder. That binder has a photo storage sheet which I use for brochures and business cards and extra paper for ideas and scribbles since I don't always have my computer with me. Check out Julie Hood's website, The Organized Writer. |
| mmiehls | Posted – 3/3/2007 6:57:45 AM | show profile | email poster I organize my writing by CRM (contact relationship) Software I organize using Contact Management Software. I can attach emails to companies or individuals within a company and list out my "prospects" that I'm querying to. It's a great tool for organizing everything. I know who to follow up with when, when I've talked with them last, etc. I love it. I call up someone's name and I can look at emails and documents associated with them. Technology is wonderful. |
| bones | Posted – 3/3/2007 2:22:25 PM | show profile spreadsheet I created a simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my assignments. There are columns for assignment, editor, word count, due date, fee, contract in hand, filed on date, invoice number, paid amount, paid on date, revise date. On the bottom, it keeps a running tally of my total billing and receipts for the year. |
