How many writers does it take to figure out an organization system?
I’m not sure either.
You see, a group of eight to ten weirdo writer people video chat every Wednesday morning to talk about writing stuff. And since we have no agenda, the topics vary considerably; not just each week, but twelve hundred different topics are possible in one hour.
Between the ADHD’s, the OCD’s, the perfectionists, the observers, and the Chatty-Kathy’s, conversations range from actual writing techniques to story ideas to make-your-own-pasties to cougar puberty. What can I say? We’re writers. We lack focus.
But on this fine Wednesday morning, one writer took the whole group down a unique rabbit hole.
She asked the best means to stay organized.
Now, if you happen to know a writer, or live with a writer, you know first hand that organization is a bit of an obstacle for us. Which made the hour discussion that much more entertaining, and I’m going to try my best to paint the picture for you.
As soon as the question was asked, a peculiar kind of void emerged from the depths of outer space and into our call. In that one millisecond, twenty eyes faded into a place of unknown origin that seemed like some recollection from a distant past or another life. Ten writer minds searched their memory files, trying their best to understand the question. But a split second is all we needed to gather our thoughts and all try to speak at once. (Writers aren’t very good about listening when they get an idea they have to talk about.)
The conversation turned into a show-and-tell event that took me back to my kindergarten days.
One woman held up her phone and explained the app she uses to stay focused. Most of us him-hawed on that one because that seemed a little too normal. A few held up their legal notepads with scribbles all over the page. One writer show-and-telled her 800-page year calendar—twelve pages of actual months—the rest with little half pages to mark the in between days. (If that sounds confusing, you’re not alone.)
I took a different approach. Instead of trying to talk over every writer who clearly has no sense of organization, I held up my technique, which of course is the best one.
One by one, I picked a single scrap of paper off of my desk and held it in front of the camera. One after another. Five pieces or so into this production, I was acknowledged for my superior organizational skills. And if you know me, I love being the center of attention.
Once the room quieted down, I began reading off my little scraps of illegible hand-writing as I went.
“Sometimes you have to break an egg to make an omelet.”
Look up everything that happened in 1939
Good vs Evil Analogy
Hex Schuss, which I still have to look up.
Story Idea: Every time you end a Zoom call, someone dies
The pile of scrap paper is organized for the most part—as in, they are stacked on top of each other for less clutter.
I know what you’re thinking… “Wow, look how organized you are!”
And you know what, yes, yes I am.
But the best part of my organizational system is that most of the time I forget what I wrote down. So, when I find that little ripped piece of paper with an ingenious thought, I start a new project before the last one was complete.
And that’s organization for writers!