The Sidetracked Writer s Planner The Writer J U L I E H O O D Copyright 2001, 2002 Julie Hood. For personal use only. Do not distribute without permission.
The Sidetracked Writer s Planner By Julie Hood Copyright 2001-2003 by Julie Hood/Finally Organized LLC
The Sidetracked Writer s Planner 2 Copyright 2001-2003 by Julie Hood/Finally Organized LLC. Disclaimer This ebook is provided with the understanding that the author is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Every effort has been made to make this ebook as complete and as accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes, both typographical and in content. Therefore, this text should be used only as a general guide. The purpose of this ebook is to educate and entertain. In some instances where a product has been recommended, the author may receive a commission if you purchase it. However, all recommendations have been made based on the author s experience, not incentive. The author shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this book. No part of this ebook, in part or in full, may be reproduced, stored, copied, printed or transmitted by any means without the express written consent of Julie Hood. This ebook has been provided free to subscribers of the Writer-Reminders newsletter available at http://www.writer-reminders.com. E-Printing, 1 st edition Published by Julie Hood http://www.organizedwriter.com Julie@organizedwriter.com All rights reserved worldwide.
The Sidetracked Writer s Planner 3 The Sidetracked Writer s Planner TABLE OF CONTENTS The Sidetracked Writer s Planner Task-Create your planner... 4 Shopping list... 4 Task-Fill your planner... 5 Working sections... 6 Success!... 7 Forms Double-Sided Divider Labels... 8 Monthly Calendar... 9 Weekly Calendar... 10 Daily Calendar... 11 Projects Index... 12 Activity List... 13 Project Detail Sheet... 14 Idea Index... 15 Manuscript Index... 16 Manuscript Detail Sheet... 17 Clips Index... 18 Clip Detail Sheet... 19 How To Index... 20 Books to Read... 21 Websites to Visit... 22 Supplies to Buy... 23 Addresses... 24 Submission Tracker... 25 Query Index... 26 Income and Expense Records... 27
The Sidetracked Writer s Planner 4 The Sidetracked Writer s Planner As a writer, it is so easy to get sidetracked. Your writing time can get lost in an avalanche of email, jobs, chores and family life. You need a one-stop shop to keep you focused your own personal bible of what s happening in your writing life today, this week, this month, and this year. Today we will create your writer s planner the place to keep you organized. Task-Create your planner First, let s look at what should be in your writer s planner. Then, fire up your printer and start filling it. During the days ahead, Writer- Reminders will discuss the best ways to use it. Your planner consists of a binder and dividers. The following are must-have sections: Monthly calendar Daily or weekly calendar, but not both Working sections Addresses Shopping list The links in the shopping list below take you to online supply stores, Amazon.com/OfficeDepot.com and http://www.franklincovey.com. Obviously, you can buy these items from most discount or office supply stores. I also use http://www.quill.com. You need to buy: Binder. Select a 1 ½-inch or 2-inch binder that lies flat and is easy to open. Dividers. At least 15-20. Page/tape flags. We ll use these as subdividers so get lots of them. Three-hole punch. Get the biggest one you can afford.
The Sidetracked Writer s Planner 5 Pen(s). Use clicker pens since you can turn them on or off with one hand. Other supplies you may use: Page finder(s). The page finder is a nifty bookmark that lets you easily open your planner to a certain page. I use five different colors. Each one marks a section I flip to daily. You could also use paper clips to mark your most important pages. Three-hole paper. Pre-punched paper saves time but costs a bit more. Label maker. A label maker is one of my favorite tools for keeping your binders and file folders neat. Use it instead of the Divider Label form at the end of this book to make your labels easy to read and easy to find. It saves time and only costs about $30. They often go on sale during January and before school starts. Address and phone directory sheets. Use these sheets in the address section, or use the blank form at the end of this book. Task-Fill your planner! Print the forms at the end of this book.! Make your dividers using your label maker or the double-sided divider labels.! Insert monthly calendars for the year. Buy monthly calendar pages to fit your planner, or make them using the form at the end of this book. You could also print them using PVS Calendar Maker (be sure to change the days to Sunday through Saturday) or FileBottle.com (formatting, color and pictures are available). Record all your Appointments on this calendar (both writing and personal). Glance at this calendar daily. Use these calendars as a tickler to tickle your memory when query responses and invoice payments are due. Only include Appointments and Reminders on your monthly calendar and not To Dos. Appointments are tied to a specific time of the day. To Dos or I Want Tos live on your daily/weekly calendar.! Add daily or weekly calendar. Choose either a daily or a weekly calendar. How many To Dos do have each day? If you have more than five to eight, use a daily calendar. How diligent are you about carrying information forward from one day to the next? I use a weekly calendar because the procrastinator in me leaves some
The Sidetracked Writer s Planner 6 chores for tomorrow, and the perfectionist in me hates to recopy my To Dos from day to day. Instead I use a weekly calendar and do not waste time rewriting. Try to eliminate all those random sticky notes and pieces of paper by making notes on the daily/weekly calendar.! Insert the Journal divider and some blank sheets if you like to keep a Journal. Working sections The following sections are Working Sections. Each section has an index page first and several detail pages. Use page/tape flags as subdividers. For each detail page, list it on the index, and write the number on a page/tape flag. Attach the flag to the detail page, and you have created easy and inexpensive subdividers. Keep the index pages current! You want to have one reference page when looking for your information. Otherwise, you end up flipping through all the detail pages looking for the one you want.! Projects Section. Put the Projects Index, Activity List, and Project Detail Sheets in this section. Any time you think of a new project, list it on the Projects Index. If you know the action steps to complete the project, list them on a Project Detail Sheet. Once a week, glance through your Projects Index and the Projects Detail Sheets to find your next steps. The Activity List, which we ll discuss on the 7 th each month, is your first project. Use it to remind you of your routines. For example, if you start your taxes each March, list it on the Yearly table.! Submission Tracker. Put the Submission Tracker form in this section. List your start date on the first page. Each time you send a query, list the details on this sheet. We will discuss this again on the 22 nd, Track Your Submissions.! Idea Grabber. Put the Idea Index here along with some blank pages. On the 15 th, we ll talk about the best ways to track your ideas.
The Sidetracked Writer s Planner 7! Queries. Put the Query Index in this section with your finished queries as the detail pages.! Manuscripts. Put the Manuscript Index in this section. Add your finished manuscripts and a Manuscript Detail Sheet for each one. On the 23 rd, let s discuss manuscripts. If your planner gets full, move a section to its own binder.! My Clips. Put the Clips Index in this section. Add copies of your published articles and a Clip Detail Sheet for each one. On the 19 th, you ll get tips for tracking your clips.! How To. Put the How To Index and several blank sheets of paper in this section. Record unusual instructions here (for example, how to change the ink cartridge in your printer or how to create a mail merge).! Accounting. Place the Income and Expense Records forms in this section. Each month, on the 24 th, Show Me the Money, Writer- Reminders provides easy ways to track your income and expenses.! Other. This section is for Books to Read, Websites to Visit, Supplies to Purchase and anything else!! Addresses. If your addresses are on the computer, print and add them here. If not, use the forms you bought or make 26 copies of the Addresses form, and put a single letter in the box on each page.! Include a copy of your Master List in the very front of the planner (see http://www.organizedwriter.com/master.htm for an explanation of a Master List). Success! Three things will determine your success with your planner. First, you must create the habit of using your planner. It takes about a month to establish a habit. So by next month, using your planner will be second nature! Your Writer-Reminders newsletter will help you remember. Second, keep your planner handy. When brilliant thoughts appear, you want to have a place to record them. Third, make it fun and easy to use. Use colored stickers and fun pens...more like play than work! N ow you are on your way! Your planner is your most important organizing asset for your writing.
Double Sided Divider Labels Put the name of your dividers on two side-by-side cells. Then, cut on the solid lines. Fold on the dotted line, and insert into the divider tab. The name of your dividers will appear on both sides. Monthly Weekly Daily Journal Projects Submission Tracker Idea Grabber Queries Manuscripts My Clips How To Accounting Other Addresses Blank Paper Monthly Weekly Daily Journal Projects Submission Tracker Idea Grabber Queries Manuscripts My Clips How To Accounting Other Addresses Blank Paper
Monthly Calendar for the Month of Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Notes
Weekly Calendar for the Week of Sunday Thursday Monday Friday Tuesday Saturday Wednesday Notes
Daily Calendar Date Day of week Notes 6 AM 7 AM 8 AM 9 AM 10 AM 11 AM 12 NOON 1 PM 2 PM 3 PM 4 PM 5 PM 6 PM 7 PM 8 PM 9 PM 10 PM
Projects Index No. Project Description Done Notes 1 Activity List 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Activity List Daily Job (estimated time) Day Time C? Weekly Job (estimated time) Day Time C? Monthly Job (estimated time) Day Time C? Yearly Job (estimated time) Day Time C?
Project Detail Sheet Date Started Estimated Completion Date Project No./Name Steps to Complete No. Step Done Notes Notes
Idea Index No. Idea Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Manuscript Index No. Manuscript Title Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Manuscript Detail Sheet Description No./Title Category/Subcategory Topic Word count Sold To Editor Magazine Phone Address Notes File name and location Rights Sold Contracted amt Paid when? Amt received Date received Sold To Editor Magazine Phone Address Notes Rights Sold Contracted amt Paid when? Amt received Date received Sold To Editor Magazine Phone Address Notes Rights Sold Contracted amt Paid when? Amt received Date received Sold To Editor Magazine Phone Address Notes Rights Sold Contracted amt Paid when? Amt received Date received
Clips Index No. Published Clip Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Clip Detail Sheet Description Clip No./Name Category/Subcategory Title Appeared in Date Word Count Permission to use? File name and location Text file name and location Web address Notes
How To Index No. How To Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Books to Read No. Title/Author " Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Websites to Visit No. Name URL " 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Supplies to Buy No. What? From where? " 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Addresses Name Address Email Phone Numbers
Submission Tracker Sub. No. Editor Magazine Title (rights offered) Query No. Paper or email Date Sent Expected Response Date Actual Response Date Y/N? Idea No. Man. No.
Query Index Query No. Description Location/ File name Paper or email Successful? Notes
Date Paid To/ Received From For Check # Income and Expense Records For the period to Page of Credit Card Income Advertis ing Car Legal and Prof l Services Office Exp Rent or Lease Travel/ Meals/ Enter. Other Running Total
Like this planner? You ll love the ebook! Click here to order the ebook or to find out more.. "Julie, I love your book. I have read (or at least opened) more than a trunk load of books about writing over the years. Yours is the first I have seen that gives readers so much in one place. For me, the Master List and putting that together was more than worth the cost." -- David Stoddard, Motivational writer, trainer and publisher of the Terrific Life Concepts ezine, http://djstoddard.net You ll get even more forms, tips and tricks for organizing in the ebook THE ORGANIZED WRITER: 30 Days To More Time More Money And Less Frustration You ll get the following forms: Time Map Publication Analyzer Idea Grabber Master List Hanging Folder Labels Better forms for accounting (Income and Deposit Records, Expense Records, credit Card Payments) And much more! Download your copy today from Booklocker.com!
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