![]() You might think you’re organized, but are you really, really organized? I thought that I had a great filing system. It's one that I had been using for years. Then, I read my friend Nancy I. Sander’s blog on writing journals. Previously, I always began each project with a new folder where I stuffed every slip of paper, note, magazine article, and photos on my current project. When the folder became unruly, I switched to a file box. When that box was totally crammed, I moved to tubs. My materials were together, but they were a mess. I was continually looking for a line, phrase, page, etc. that I knew I’d written, but couldn’t get my hands on. I assumed that this was just part of the creative process. It never occurred to me, until reading Nancy's first post, that there was a much, much better way to keep track of your work. I’m embarrassed to say that I have actually spoken at conferences on organization and writing. Yikes! Nancy is truly the master of organization. Imagine this - a Table of Contents! And notes! ![]() More importantly, imagine being able to know exactly where your images, quotes, resources, reference tools, opening and closing lines, etc. are! Nancy explains her system in a series of seven posts. After these first few, each one will include organizational skills that every writer needs to know, right down to putting a sticker on the upper right-hand corner of your journal’s Table of Content since you will be flipping back to it so often. ![]() One of my favorite posts was an explanation of the topics Nancy puts in her journal. This gem will always be on the inside cover of my writing journals. I love notebooks, markers, stickers, and glue sticks. As a former librarian, I love cataloging information. This writing journal stuff was made for me. And now I can say (thanks to Nancy) that yes, I am really, really organized.
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