Now, where did I put that... ?

I've been reading a lot of blog posts, Tweets and Plurks about getting organized. It is that time of year when people resolve to be better about keeping track of their stuff and where they put it.

There are many options for writers to keep backups of their writing. The one thing I always try to do is keep an actual hard copy of anything I write (well, anything I sink a lot of time into, anyway). I print it out and put it in a plastic sleeve, and then put it in a 2 inch binder. I haven't written enough pieces for this to be a space issue just yet.

As for virtual storage and organization, this is what I do...

• I keep one copy on my desktop computer, as that's where I do most of my writing.
• I have a designated SD card for my writing and I keep copies there as well. Jump Sticks work just as well.
• I also upload my files to Google Documents, so that I can access them from anywhere I can acquire an internet connection.
  

There are online backup sites, such as www.4shared.com or www.mozy.com. Some are free, some are not.

If anyone has other ideas/ways they stay organized, please chime in. Now, where did I put that... ?

Back in the game!

My New Year's resolution is to get focused and get back in the game of Freelance Writing. I veered off course as soon as the kids went on Summer Break last year and it was all downhill from there.

But...

I have submitted a gardening tip to a major mag and it's under consideration. I sent a query to a regional gardening magazine regarding a reprint. And, I've spent a lot of time the last couple of days jotting down ideas and researching publications to query.

I've also come to the realization that I've been much too isolated and I NEED to get out and socialize, and participate in life if I want to have a hope in hell of generating interesting ideas. So, one other goal for 2009 is to do things I've never done before. Nothing radical or bone breaking, but do some of the things I keep saying I'd like to do - like spend a weekend camping up North in Minnesota, visit the places in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and go hunting next Fall.

That's my plan for the year. What's yours?

Book Review - The Writer's Planner by Gayle Trent

If you're a writer, you probably have a system for keeping track of your works in progress. But, if you're a new writer, you may have found yourself lost as to how to organize your work. Gayle Trent has provided an excellent tool with The Writer's Planner.

"At last, writers have a planner all their own. This printable, editable planner includes articles, URLs of interest to writers, quotes from writers and a submission tracker. You can even list your TBR list and your favorite sites with passwords. Best of all, the planner can be used year after year as long as you save a copy of the original."

The Writer's Planner is available at the Amazon Web Store.

Be a Shutterbug!

Last Christmas, one of my gifts was a very nice digital camera. It was a discontinued model and cost less than $100.00. The photos are crisp and clean, and the camera is easy to use.

I have made it a habit to have it close at hand. I take it with me wherever I go. I took some gorgeous photos this Fall when I was out hiking in the nearby woods.

If you are a freelance writer, photos make your stories that much more desirable to editors. And some publications pay you for your photos, as well as your words. So, get to clicking that shutter, you never know when a photo might complement one of your articles.

Freelance Writing stuff

Freelance Writing Jobs - FWJ branches out into radio today at Blog Talk Radio. The show starts at 11 am EST. Today's topic will be first freelance writing jobs and how things have changed since that first gig.