The Organized Writer by Julie Hood

My writing career officially launched November of 1999, with some small gigs (the first of them being a topic at Suite101.com) and a LOT of ideas. I was doing "okay" keep track of everything and using various resources to keep me on track. Within a couple of months, I was a regular contributor for several sites and it was becoming very overwhelming. More months passed and I was still on track, but I needed help. Fast. I did a web search for this specific term: be an organized writer. I was hoping for some results containing articles, an advice forum or one guide that would encompass everything I was looking for.

I did. Julie Hood's site was the first in the list of links to pop up in the results. As soon as I saw the words The Organized Writer, I knew I found *exactly* what I was looking for. I clicked on to the site and learned it was a book put out by a publisher I was already familiar with (BookLocker.com), so I knew I could trust the content would be quality.

The site was everything I was looking for and more! I found not only the book, but so much more:
1: a free newsletter (which I promptly subscribed to and still hold my subscription to this day)
2: a free planner: when you subscribe to the newsletter, you receive a free ebook (The Sidetracked Writer's Planner)
3: free articles (available for newsletter writers to reprint)
4: resources: links to numerous sites to help build and maintain your writing career
5: more books by Julie Hood

In the book, The Organized Writer, you'll find (copied directly from the site):
1: Learn the one secret tool every writer needs to stay organized.
2: Find out the most precious resource of any writer-and how you can maximize it.
3: Get 30 printable Forms and Checklists to track your ideas, your queries, your markets, and your manuscripts.
4: Determine your "organizing personality" and use it to stay organized.
5: Learn how to file your papers (and actually find them back).
6: Learn tricks to make your computer do your work and save you time.
7: Customize the program to fit the way you work.

This book, along with the free planner (which I absolutely LOVE), has remained in my "author tool box" ever since I made the purchase. I've been recommending these tools to every writer I know, both seasoned and novice, because I strongly believe an organized writer is a productive writer. We all work in our own ways, but if you have to proper tools on hand to keep your thoughts, your notes, your leads, your resources, you to do list and so on right in one place, you'll be able to accomplish more and be more efficient.

Another useful too Julie Hood has added to her site is a .pdf of a wall calendar. She updates this calendar every year and it can be downloaded directly from the main page of her site. Not only does she include all the holidays everyone likes to keep track of, she also adds reminders about when to do things like pay your quarterly taxes and other important points. There's also space at the bottom of the page to write notes and mark off things that should happen during the month. You'll also find monthly book recommendations and direct links if you decide to make a purchase. I've been printing and binding this calendar to hang on my wall specifically to keep track of my writing work every year.

I highly recommend each of these tools and feel every writer would benefit from having them. Yes, this site has been around for a long time . . . but that's for a very good reason. When purchasing this book and recieving your free ebook after subscribing to her newsletter, you'll see a list of supplies you'll need to make these books work best for you. Number one on the list is a binder because you'll be printing out forms. Be sure to get a large binder and all the dividers suggested in the supply list. You'll soon see how often you'll be grabbing for this binder or, like me, keeping it open on your desk.