lists
Everyone has all these new blog plans, what day they’re going to talk about what, etc. I want to do that, but since I can’t even manage the Thursday Thirteen on a regular basis, I know better than to even try.
It’s strange, because I am pretty well organized, life-wise. With the five-year old, I have her day mapped out, which includes time for me to get on the treadmill and get myself ready for the day.
The writing thing? I’ve tried to make plans, to say, I’m going to do X number of pages today. Never happens. I’m just lucky that I’m a fast writer and can make up for days of missed writing very quickly if I need to. I’m much more motivated by what I’ve already done. I’m the kind of person who makes lists after the fact, just so I can cross out what I’ve accomplished.
One thing I have done is keep a book with just my writing stuff in it - my daily writing stuff, the things I do for my career in general plus I keep track of my reading and any discussions with my agent and editors. And the deadlines, of course. But I don’t put anything other than writing things in that book - I do think that’s one of the main reasons I don’t use a big program, like Outlook, to organize everything together. It might be too overwhelming to see Real Life and Writing Life all jumbled together.
What about you? Are you a list-maker?
Steph T.
January 16th, 2007 at 11:02 am
I am such a fly-by-the-seat-of-my- pants kinda gal! I have all these good intentions, but….
I used to use a Franklin day planner, but I kept forgetting to update it, or I’d write something on a post-it meaning to transfer it to the planner and just never got around to it.
Or I’d make a list and forget where I put it or walk out of the house without it.
But my methods seem to work for me. Most of the time, anyway!
January 16th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
I use Outlook to keep up with appts and when folks are gone or on vacation but that’s about it. I make lists on paper but inevitably lose them
January 17th, 2007 at 9:20 am
LOL, Step! I am big on list-making. I have a mini spiral notebook in my purse, one on my desk, a bigger one for biz and writing to-do’s, another list in my PDA . . . and I never seem to have the right one with me when I need it!
January 17th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Ahem. And that would be “Steph” not “Step”. Need. More. Coffee.
January 17th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Sure, I make lists all the time like 10 men I’d most like to…but I guess that isn’t what you are talking about. I make grocery lists, menu lists, errand to-do lists but no writing lists. I don’t make writing goals at all, I’ve tried but I ignore them as soon as I write them down.
January 17th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
I live with notebooks. And I have lists. I *heart* lists. I’m with you, Steph.