ARTICLE Organization as an Art Form by Linda J. Hutchinson We all do things in different ways, from how we brush our teeth to which foot we slip into our shoes first. Just as we all write in different voices, so do we organize—or not. “stress, lost time, lost productivity, embarrassment, arguments, depression and environmental chaos--just to name a few”. How “organized” is your sock drawer? Do you have rows neatly divided by color, type, style? Or are they dumped into the drawer fresh from the dryer? (I know some who will wear their socks and then put them back into the drawer to wear again. Definitely not my style, but it works for them.) The art of being organized, like any other art form, doesn’t have hard-hitting rules. Even though several writers and organizational gurus have attempted to come up with a one-size-fits-all plan, no plan will work for everyone. I’m the “organized chaos” type. I may have a stack or two of
unrelated paperwork on my desk, along with a pile of books to be read and reviewed, but can easily find what I need, or ignore it all and get on with the story. My desk may look messy, but don’t take a pen from it without asking because I’ll know it’s gone and come looking for it. The best way to organize your mind, your desk, your life, is to do it your way—if your way works. If your way isn’t working—and you’ll know it isn’t working if you can’t lay your hands immediately on what you’re looking for—then perhaps it’s time to analyze the situation and make some changes. If you’re a beginning writer, now is the time to set up your system. Don’t put it off. If you’re doing what you should as a writer, you’ll soon find your work in a
heap with no way of tracking submissions or income. Set yourself up to succeed NOW. Do it in 15-minute increments if you have to. Those characters ricocheting in your cranium will thank you later. Invest in your writing career by having what you need to stay organized. Buy file folders, envelopes, file totes or drawers or cabinets (or make them from cardboard boxes), pens, CD’s to back up your work, and software to create professional level product. Your product is what you have to sell—your writing. What you produce for sale is what settles the argument of whether you are a professional writer or a wannabe. I use MS Word and its spell-checker, but couldn’t write a paragraph in most instances without the help of one of two dictionaries
and the thesaurus that I keep on my desk. On the shelf behind my desk are The Chicago Manual of Style, The AP Stylebook, and the MLA Handbook. Start organizing by deciding on a starting point. Sounds much simpler than it is, but you have to start somewhere. Then attack in baby steps, time increments, or do a clean sweep if you’re of the grand gesture persuasion. Once you get it organized, keep it that way. It’s much easier to pick up and put away a few items on as as-needed basis, than to face a ceiling-high pile of who-remembers-what. Most writers I know need to be organized to stay in top writing form. Our minds are usually messy enough, whether we’re creating worlds or writing fact-based non-fiction. Check out www.GetOrganizedNow.com and www.LifeOrganizers.com for guidance. Get Organized Now suggests that you “swat that clutter-bug” that causes Life Organizers: “With effective time management, you can squeeze more productivity out of each day – and actually accomplish more”. If your real world is in order, you’ll be able to paint, knit, sculpt, or write any story. It’s all art. Bio: Multi-published freelance
writer and TWC staffer Linda J. Hutchinson writes for magazines and newsletters about writing, parenting, volunteerism, food, construction, and heavy equipment. In between freelance assignments she writes fiction as J’linn Kramer and attempts to convince Audrey and Renee to join her in various outlandish pursuits—like the three of them actually … meeting. www.lindajhutchinson.com | 
