Time to Get Organized

Writers are busy people. We have lives apart from our characters and their issues. Children, and pets who are our special children, require attention. Spouses need affection and nurturing, too.  And sadly, our personal muses refuse to take over the chores that would free us up to write more. If you have convinced yours to do your housework, please tell me your secret.

What we need more than anything is time. Beautiful, shiny minutes that add up to sparkling hours to spend with our beloved friends everyone else thinks are characters.

One way to save time is to be organized. Here are three free ways to organize your character sketches, setting descriptions and research.

1.       Google docs. You can create documents and spreadsheets and file them in a folder with your WIP’s title. All you need is a Google Mail account (free) and you can access your files on your Google Drive from any device. While it doesn’t have the formatting necessary for submitting your manuscript to a publisher, it is a great place to store documents.

2.       Gingko. A new Chrome app, this cool new program organizes your notes in “tree” format. It’s like notecard writing from high school, but way sexier because it’s digital and cloud based. I am so using this for my next manuscript!

3.       Evernote Web. This Chrome app is also available through the Apple App Store so it’s universal. Accessible from any device, you can make notes whenever inspiration hits you. Widely used in education and business, that many users can’t be wrong!

Try one or all of these organizing apps. Put everything in one place—including your characters sketches—and your heroine won’t end up with a different eye color at the end of your masterpiece.

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