How do you organise your writing?

[dreamhunter]

Im in a cascade of paper and would love some of your great ideas to help me out.

PS I dont like saving stuff on discs as Iv lost a complete book that way with faulty ones.

If you just let the paper smother you and deprive you of oxygen, you'd get some fantastic inspiration. LOL.

Sorry, Purds. I just couldn't resist that one. Merry Christmas. But, honestly, I heard that they do something like that to ancient oracles to get the most accurate prophecies from them.

Seriously though, I believe that a certain degree of disorganisation may be just par for the course for a writer. Comes with the territory, nature of the beast, whatever.

But it would certainly help to have a fair idea of where what thing is, so you could spend more time actually writing, than searching around in vain for stuff that you had an hour ago.

I would keep most of my stuff in soft copy, in: (1) my PC (one big folder - with many files - on 'Desktop', where it'll keep waving at me and begging me to open it, and another one in 'My Documents'); and (2) two different 'Pendrives'. I work mostly on the one on 'Desktop', and I regularly copy back (about once a week) the latest draft into 'My Documents' and the 2 'Pendrives'.

When I'm out, I leave one 'Pendrive' in the office, and take another in my pocket, in case I stumble upon some interesting new stuff. I don't see much point in lugging anything heavier than a cellphone around, like a laptop, everywhere I go. It's such a waste of precious energy, which I'd rather spare for my brain. If I come across any interesting website anywhere, I'll just jot it down and type it into soft copy as soon as I can, in any suitable chapter file, before it gets lost.

For example, I'll just type: http://home.exetel.com.au/thrace/battles.htm, for instance, at the head of any appropriate chapter file and leave it there. If that website dissappears some time, well, tough then. I rarely print out stuff other than my own draft, if I can help it.

I try not to keep too many many bits of paper, clippings, printouts etc. lying around. They just tend to vanish into thin air. Talk about organising, now, just keeping those from disappearing would be another challenge of organisation, wouldn't it? I'll type stuff down, then throw them away. But I do print out chapters, or chapter parts, and carry it in my pocket, either to let friends/family have a look, to do some casual proofreading/editing over a cuppa etc. when I feel like it.

 

[Susan Boulton]

Badly. But as long as I end up with a first draft, and a final one I don't mind.

 

[goldhawk]

A neat workplace is the sign of a sick mind.

One place I worked for had a clean desk policy. Since they sometimes did military contracts, their policy is that nothing is left on your desk when you're not there. So, the last thing you did before going home was open the top drawer and shove everything into it. The desk tops were clean. Their drawers were hazardous to open.

 

[Purdy Bear]

Im so glad Im not the only one that lives in utter chaos.

Iv worked in a clear desk policy job and its quite amazing the amount of panic it causes five minutes before the end of work.

I am very creative, not just writing but with crafts as well!

I think I need to sit down and brain storm it. I'm heading towards using an old colour coded vegetable wrack (at present used as a wardrobe accessory sorter but will shortly be replaced).

Thanks for all your advice so far, and for any to come after this post.

Purdy

Ps I think the Butler killed the warewolf on the Starship, cause he was sick of cleaning up his fur shed all over the carpet!

 

[Dimentio]

I am unable to make notes except on the computer. The main problem is the amount of names, especially of historical characters and context. I am very much a guy who is operating according to chronicles, so I have files with economic development, historial rulers, population growth and other things which normal people are finding boring. I need that in order to be able to work and move myself into the framework of the world.

I also need maps. Maps, maps, maps, maps.

 

[Vargev]

Normally when i'm starting a new project, i'll create a new file on my computer, and organise the new book chapter by chapter. Finally when its finished i combine all the chapters into one document, give it a final check over before i submit.

However i also have my work on a memory stick too, just in case. And all my original notes are hard copies as well.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

I always have both paper files and computer files. Paper files are handy when you want to riffle through something to find a section quickly. Also, I tend to have maps/pictures, so I can use them to navigate my notes.

I'd never rely on computer files only!

 

[Ursa major]

Another vote for maps from me.

But they have to be informative, even (especially?) when they're not intended for publication.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Maps can be good as "extra" material, on a website for example - a bit like an alternate version or mix of a hit song on a CD.