The Organized Writer: 30 Days to More Time, More Money and Less Frustration

                                                            By Julie Hood

 

As I progressed through my Long Ridge course, materials began to accumulate:  sample magazines balanced in piles, writer’s guidelines, notes, queries and assignments tucked here and there.  For a while I knew where everything was, but the day came when I spent too much time searching for part of an assignment. Then the piles fell down.  Things had gotten out of hand.

 

I found Julie Hood’s website, www.organizedwriter.com, and her e-book The Organized Writer.  Hood provides a 30 day plan to help writers get organized in manageable steps.  She begins by having the reader assess how she currently organizes.  Then a chapter a day addresses one aspect of organizing, such as using time wisely, arranging the workspace, using the computer efficiently and keeping track of projects from the idea stage through receiving payment and paying taxes.  Her daily presentations are easy to follow and include lots of links to additional helpful material.

 

I found two parts of her plan especially useful.  First is the Sidetracked Writer’s Planner, which provides calendars to help manage time, places to store ideas for future projects and information on current work, forms to track submissions, and places the store queries, manuscripts and clips.  Second is the chapter on creating a working file system to store guidelines and materials in a logical, accessible way.

 

Hood’s web site offers a sample 30 day plan for free, but I am glad I spent the $14.95 for the complete program in the e-book, which is available at Hood’s website.  Now when it is time to write, I get my cardboard hanging file box and my 3-ring binder Writer’s Planner and I have everything I need where I can find it quickly and easily.

 

Reviewed by Lynette DuBois