~ ~ ~
Note to Self: Put the numerous Notes to Self in some kind of order and start paying attention to the important stuff.
There are certain things that come to
mind when we’re writing that we don’t want to forget. Yellow stickies come in
very handy. As a matter of fact, I have them pasted all over my desk, and it’s
a fairly large roll top desk. I have stickies stuck to books, pieces of paper
and to each other.
Will I ever get them sorted out? I
tried it once, but it confused me when I tried to figure out what went with
what. Was that sticky about a book or
about taking the dog to the vet’s? Now I have folders that are filled with
articles, papers, and of course, plenty of stickies. A lot of good that did.
Now I have folders and loose notes everywhere. I’m almost thankful when one of
the dogs gets his or her paws on a note and chews it up.
I also have a small handheld recorder
where I record notes to myself. Unfortunately, I forget to listen to my verbal
notes.
What hinders me even more is that many
of my notes are about personal things, not writing. Did I have an appointment
or did my character? When you write, you have so many things on your mind that
sometimes it gets away from you.
The dogs bark and you don’t want to
drive the neighbors nuts, so you have to go put a stop to it. Someone wants
something and you have to drag yourself away from your Work in Progress (WIP)
to take care of whatever it is. One look in the refrigerator and at the
cupboards and you know it’s time for a trip to the store. Another look, this
time at the mirror, and you realize it’s time for a haircut. And there’s always
family to drag you away from your writing.
Housecleaning? What a joke. Ah, but
when I finish a book I do a deep cleaning of the entire house – every nook and
every cranny. It kind of makes up for my lapses while I was writing, or at
least that’s what I tell myself.
Sometimes I have to take an important
note and move it because if I get used to seeing it in the same place all the
time, I start to ignore it. This would include things like a note that says,
“Headers and Footers”. I’m quite good at
forgetting to put those in my books and need a constant reminder. This is a
note that stays up all the time.
I bought a new desk chair and the arms
need to be tightened. I keep telling myself I’ll take care of it soon, but at
this point I think the arms are ready to fall off. I’ll write a Note to Self
when I finish writing this post – if I remember that long.
Do I sound disorganized? I am, but only
to a point.
Preview of the Cover
I just finished “Choosing One Moment –
A Time Travel Mystery” and now I’m editing it. I hope to have the book
available in a couple of weeks. More about that in a future post. Anyway,
that’s when it will be time to deep clean my office and maybe put some of the
notes in order. Of course, half the fun is when I come across a note I can toss
because the book is done.
I have friends who write and they’re
much more organized than I am. I envy them. I’m not good at spending my time
wisely, and at my age (none of your business) I don’t care as much as I used
to.
Maybe I’m rebelling and I just don’t
realize it. When I worked full-time there was a place for everything and
everything was in its place. Things got done without a lot of confusion. I was
on top of my game. I was somewhat of a perfectionist. Hmm. I don’t miss those
days.
How about you? Can you put me to shame
because you’re so organized or, in the reverse, because you’re worse than I am?
Oh, well, at least the book is done
and will be out there soon.
Until next time, organize your notes
and do some spring cleaning. Think of the cleaning as good exercise.
CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s
website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to
Amazon.com
Ah, but you can now rejoice. Your book is finished. Well, finished being written, that is. There's still the editing and a million other details but you can take a deep breath - and smile. (I can't wait to read it.)
ReplyDeleteI envy you. I'm still struggling to finish my fifth Malone mystery. As you mentioned, there are just too many other obligations and distractions. I long for the day (soon, I hope) when I can say "I finished writing my book!"
Thank you, Pat! It won't be long until you can smile at yourself in the mirror and rejoice that your book is done. I can't wait to read it! Those distractions can sure slow things down, but we work our way through it. Thank you so much for commenting!
ReplyDeleteOrganized, smorganized! If we have a mess, it's our own mess and if no one likes it, they don't have to look. With as many books as you've completed, you must be doing something right, so don't stress on it! congrats on finishing the book. Now the real trouble begins. Promoting it!
ReplyDeleteLOL Great outlook, Elaine! You're right, now the real work begins. I'll try to make it fun instead of thinking about work. Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteI think doing housework with the thought that I'm getting in some exercise is a great idea! As for being organized, I was going to send you a photo of the giant toppling stack on my desk, but I can't find my phone. It's somewhere in this mess. :)
ReplyDeleteToo funny! I hope you find your phone, Amy! I should have taken a picture of my desk for the post, but I probably would have embarrassed myself. Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteYikes, Marja, you just moved into a new house. How you be disorganized already? LOL I'm pretty organized but I've lost track of some pretty important papers, like my collie's pedigree. I'd never have thrown it away, and I've looked all over the house. Maybe it's time for some deep cleaning. All that matters, I think, is the finished product. In your case, your book almost ready to launch.
ReplyDeleteOld house, but new to me, and I haven't finished putting everything away, believe it or not. Like a box with my To Be Read books. One of these days... I've got my camera, but I can't find the camera case with the cord in it to download pictures. I hope I run across a few things while I clean. Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteLove your book cover. My problem with notes, is my handwriting. It's always been bad, but most of my ideas or "to-do" things need jotted down the minute they pop in my head or I lose the thought. I feel disorganized too. Not enough time.
ReplyDeleteI can't read my handwriting either, Linda. It looks like sanskrit.
DeleteYour handwriting sounds like mine, Linda. You might think about the small handheld recorder idea. Unfortunately, that means you have to carry it with you all the time, and I don't. Not enough time is right! Thank you so much for commenting!
ReplyDeleteI think we're all guilty of this. How many times have I written a note listing things needed from the store, then gone to the store without the note?
ReplyDeleteI used to have to call my husband from the store and ask him what was on the list, Jim. We're all guilty. Well, most of us. :) Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteI laughed when you said you didn't listen to your recordings. I don't either. I periodically "consolidate" all my notes---the task doesn't get done, but the reminder note gets written twice, sometimes three times!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we can laugh at our notes, Maggie. I just finished my new book and I've got at least seven notes on the recorder. Guess I'd better listen to them before I publish. :) Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteBoy, I was the same as you, Marja. I had sticky notes everywhere, until my husband said I was spending too much money on them and he was tired of looking at them posted everywhere in room. So I bought a couple of medium sized spiral-bound notebooks, and I write my novel notes, or anything that has to do with writing, in them. It helps me to consolidate what's important, such as a plot twist I thought up while I was doing the dishes or ideas for my next novel. I keep the sticky notes to remind me to do personal things. Love your book cover. Can't wait to read your new novel.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Evelyn! Maybe I'd better invest in a few notebooks. Come to think of it, I have note pads stuck in every nook and cranny I could find. Hopeless? Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteI'm with Evelyn. I have a main notebook to jot things down: astrology, notes for the Posse Round-up, anything I want to check out. When I'm done with a page, I rip it out.
DeleteGreat post, Marja and I can totally relate. I look at my stick notes and they have sticky notes on them and I feel like they have been up to a little hanky panky and spawned new notes. I usually let things pile up until a project is getting close to finished and then I like to do massive clean. Congrats on the new book about to launch!
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving me my laugh of the day, Michele. Love the hanky panky comment. My house is about to go through a massive cleaning -- soon. Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteI guess I'm fairly well organized. I keep a daily record of everything I do each day in a hardcover book with blank pages--sort of like a diary but written in my own shorthand. I keep a list of what I eat at each meal on my writing computer. I list the books I read in a regular notebook and in another blank page hard cover book, I write reviews of all the books I've read. My to do list is also on my writing computer and that includes all my book/short story ideas. My memory is getting worse as time goes by so I have to do these things.
ReplyDelete(we hate you. . . .)
DeleteSmart lady, Pat! I wish I was even half that organized. So does Sunny, apparently. LOL Memory does become an issue at some point in our lives, and sometimes part of it is just that we have too many things on our mind. Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteI'm a sticky note writer, too, Marja. Staples had a sale and I just bought a package of yellow ten 3 X 3's. I must have one of those, plus the 2 X 1//2 inch pads on my desk and on the dining room table for note-taking. I'm giving away some books on writing -- used for teaching -- and am pulling out the Post-its now, reading what it is I marked years ago. Congratulations on finishing your new book. Great news!
ReplyDeleteEileen, Would you believe, I have a pad of "easel size" yellow stickies? I have no idea what I'll do with it, but it was on sale and I had to have it. I'm glad there are so many people who are as bad as I am. Thank you so much for commenting! Oh, and by the way, the ebood version of "Choosing One Moment" is now available, and the paperback will be out in the next couple of days.
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