Make A List

My friend, Annette Gendler talked about her list of things to do in the fall in today's post on her blog. We all have things we like to do in the various seasons. We may make a mental list but Annette has actually written hers down.

It made me think of a mental list I've been making and adding to. There have been several recent calls for submissions that have sparked my interest. When sine have arrived and I go through the wants and guidelines, I've thought that it is definitely something I'd like to submit to. So I leave it in my Inbox and move on. There have been quite a few lately, and my mental list has gotten longer and has also been fading fast. Life and all it throws at us can make that happen.

Last night, I was looking through the list of messages in my Inbox, searching for a particular one. As I scrolled down the list, I noticed a few of those calls that I wanted to go back to. Some I'd completely forgotten. It's obvsious that I need to make an actual list, not try to keep it in my crowded brain, which has been working hard for a good many years.

One of my tasks today is to go back through those messages and single out the ones I want to remember. I'll make a list on paper, in black and white. It's one I will be able to refer to more easily, and needed to keep submission deadlines in mind. It's so easy to get busy with other things and completely miss a deadline.

So, make your list of writing projects. Make a list of calls for submissions that appeal to you. Make a list of books about writing that you'd like to read. Don't try to stuff it all into a little compartment in your mind that might get hidden behind other things in your life. Make a list and keep it nearby so you can be reminded.