Writing 101 - 5 Tips for Organizing Your Writing

Here are a few tried and true tips for the aspiring writer who needs help with organization:

1. Set aside ample computer space for all your writing - everything from articles to character sketches to drafts of novels.

When setting up a computer for writing use, set aside a portion of the hard drive aside for all of your writing materials. It is easy to create a petition. As a result, you won't be looking all over your computer for your writing.

2. Be sure to have the necessary software.

While I personally use Microsoft Word, there are many more word processing programs out there. Find one that's right for you. Open Office (Writer) and Google offer free word processing programs. The benefit with Google is that you can store all of your materials on-line. In addition to a word processor, you will also want to ensure that you have a generic notepad (notepad on Windows) program. It will allow you to create text versions of your material when necessary. If you take the time to search for additional software, you'll find free software that will assist writers in organizing their novels. It is worth taking a look.

3. Set up a filing system that works for you.

If you take just a few minutes to create a filing system for all of your written material, it will save you a lot of time in the long run. You won't have to spend time looking through hundreds of word processor documents in order to find what you need. Since you are your own secretary (in most cases, anyway), it will be up to you how items are filed.

4. Use shortcuts and organize your computer desktop.

Again, this tip just takes a few minutes, but it can save you a lot of time in the long run. For example, if you have a home network and store all of your writing materials on a server, be sure to create a shortcut to that server on your desktop. It will always be waiting for you. Also, you can keep a folder on your desktop for unfinished articles or pieces of writing. We all have them. There are sometimes pieces that need to sit a bit before they are finished. Why not keep them all together? Having a neat desktop helps create strong work habits.

5. Create an account with Google.com.

Even though I don't store all of my writing on-line, I still extensively use a personalized Google homepage. Again, it is about keeping you on-track and organized. You can keep your calendar with Google (and even share it publicly if you wish) as well as create spreadsheets and word processor documents on-line. With a strong password, they are secure. At the same time, if you wish to share them with others, you can do so. In fact, you can even collaborate with others. The spreadsheet is useful for keeping track of published material, as well as money earned. The word processor is great for keeping track of writing ideas.

With these few simple tricks, you can be well on your way to being an organized modern writer!