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Organization is key to a successful career as a freelance writer because it keeps us on our toes. When was the last time you did an
interview only to find you spent three hours searching for those interview notes? Or when did you receive an acceptance for a query you
submitted a month ago only to realize you didn’t know what the editor was talking about? Or worse, you accepted payment for a reprint,
only to discover you sold that reprint too soon because your contract for the original wasn’t up for another month?
Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks that have helped keep me organized and ready to tackle any task.
- Don’t read your email throughout the day because you’ll find yourself rushing through your emails and may inadvertently hit the
delete key instead of the next key. Put aside an hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon to read your emails. If an email
can be responded to with information off the top of your head, do it as soon as you read the email, don’t go back to it later because
then you’ll have to reread the email and that’s a waste of your valuable time.
- When you get the mail, immediately sort it into three piles: trash (usually advertisements and credit card applications), file
(usually bills that need to be paid sometime during the month and invoices), and respond (usually something that needs your attention
such as a letter from a friend or client).
- Develop a filing system that works best for you and your personality type. Purchase a stacking tray. In that stacking tray you can
break down your piles according to your business structure. For instance, in my stacking tray, I have 12 slots. Each slot has a purpose.
One slot has envelopes ready to pay my writers, filled with discount coupons I offer as a bonus to payment. One slot has blank envelopes
for mailing letters, queries, etc. One slot as miscellaneous magazine clippings—clippings that aren’t for long-term use, but rather a
current project I’m working on. And the other slots are broken down to meet my current needs, these slots are changed as my needs change.
They could be used on a project by project basis, such as notes for project A in one slot, and notes for project B in another spot. Then
when the projects are complete, I can file the notes and correspondences in a file in my file cabinet.
- File cabinets are essential to a freelance writer’s career. Each hanging file should have a purpose and be organized in such a way,
that you can easily refer back to those files. I have one drawer in my file cabinet that deals with invoices, contracts, and business
expenses. I have another drawer that stores my completed projects, and another drawer that stores information I’ve saved for future
projects. How you set up your filing cabinet is entirely up to you.
- Computer folders are also important. If you just write and throw all your documents in Microsoft Word®, you’ll have a hard time
finding what you need when you need it. I have one folder named “Clients.” In my clients’ folder are sub-folders for each individual
client I’ve worked with over the years. If you write for magazines on a regular basis, you could start a “Clips” folder. In your clips’
folder, make sub-folders for each individual magazine you’ve written for and place your rough draft and your final copy in that folder.
Other folders may include, budgeting, query letters, books, e-books, paid columns, freebie columns, etc.
On a side note, there was a time when I didn’t save my client’s work and only saved a hard copy. Well, with the many moves I’ve made
over the years, I’ve lost those hard copies so when a client’s computer recently crashed and she lost the work I’d done for her, I d
idn’t have a back-up to give her. While I wasn’t responsible for that, I felt bad. Since then, I always keep a copy on my computer,
which I back up once a week!
- And finally, every freelance writer needs a calendar. Your calendar will keep track of deadlines, interview appointments, and project
status. I have a large calendar on my desk that shows me a week at a time. There are time slots on the calendar from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Not
only do I use my calendar to fill in deadlines, but I use it to keep me on track and show me where my time has gone during the day. For
instance, every night before I go to bed, I jot down my “to do” list on a sticky notepad and post it on the next day’s calendar slot.
When I wake up, I look at that sticky note, then my calendar and plan my day. As I accomplish a task on my stick note, I cross it out and
then write that task into my calendar in the appropriate time slot. At the end of the day, I can look back and see how long it took me to
write an article, handle emails, research a project, etc. It’s a great way to remind myself that I had actually accomplished something
even when it felt like I didn’t.
In time, I’m sure you’ll find other time-saving techniques to organizing both your office and your time. Don’t be afraid to change what
isn’t working and find a better way of doing something. The more organized you are in your home office, the more time you have for
writing!
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About The Author:
Alyice Edrich is the founder and editor-in-chief of TheDabblingMum.com, the author of
several e-books for freelance writers, the publisher of three monthly e-zines,
and a freelance writer for hire.
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