Writers Need Organization

NOTE:  I am going to be out of town for a long weekend. Next new post will be Tuesday, the 18th.

How many times have you heard someone say Do you have all your ducks in a row? This photo certainly illustrates the saying. 

But what about that question? DO you have all your ducks in a row when it comes to your writing life? Are you organized in the way you write, in how you file your drafts and finished pieces? How about the marketing game? Got your ducks in a row there? Do you keep records of your submissions? 

What about your desk or wherever you write? Ducks all in a row there? (I'd hate for you to see what is spread across my computer desk next to my laptop!) I read somewhere that people who have a messy room are very intelligent. When my kids were teenagers, they must have been brilliant if their rooms were any real measure. OK, having a messy work area might not be as important as the items mentioned in the preceding paragraph. 

Some of you are probably wondering why it's important to be organized--ie getting your ducks in a row. For one thing, it's a whole lot easier to find things. And, keeping good records allows you to track a submission and know in a flash what date you submitted, what the response was, if published or not. 

Do you dump your drafts and finished pieces in an overall document fil?. Or do you make separate folders for drafts and ones you feel are complete? How about your writing process? Do you have a certain method to write a piece? By sections or all at once? Write the ending first and then what leads up to it? 

There's nothing wrong with being a creature of habit. We'll never feel like we're floundering in a sea of what's first or last. Developing good writing habits will make your writing journey a lot easier. We're approaching a new year. It's the perfect time to get your ducks in a row. How about giving it a try?