Saturday 13 October 2012

Further Organisation is Needed...

A box arrived this morning with 50 coloured cardboard wallets- and even with postage, cheaper than getting my OH to drive me to the retail park for numerous packs that would have cost a lot more.

I just have to find a slot for the box now... :-)      

The shelves in the office area are filling up and I'm going to have to shift a few things around, but I need to make a little bit more room for my works in progress folders/files.

As I've been gathering everything from the various points in the living room, I've started to find the big wads of research notes and clippings (that I gather before I start any longer writing project).

So I decided that if they were in folders I could keep them on the shelf with the box-type files that hold the printed manuscript pages of each project.

Eventually I'll scan all these notes and images and put them on a disc, but probably not until I've finished the novel/novella completely. I much prefer to have the pages at hand than having to keep opening and then reducing a document to the bottom of my screen each time I need to clarify something...

So how do you deal with your research notes? Are you a paper or digital storage, writer?


Image: Salvatore Vuono, www.freedigitalphotos.net

5 comments:

Patsy said...

I keep almost everything electronically - partly because I'm so untidy I'd never find anything otherwise.

Paula RC said...

I must be paper as I've just printed up some info this morning for an Idea I have. I like to leaf through things and stand them on my stand next to my computer as I work. I enjoy looking things up and getting books down to read bits. It makes me feel in touch with classic writers.

Good luck with your writing

Lexia257 said...

I keep things electronically - on hard drives, desk tops, discs and memory sticks. I also save things on paper - loose sheets, notebooks, box files and piles on shelves. Every now and then I have a major sort out and have recently learned to be ruthless in discarding what is not needed. Tidy work space = tidy mind.Definately :)

Maxi said...

I'm a bit of both. I tend to try and keep copies in both forms. Like you, I prefer to have notes to hand when I'm writing but there is always the chance that I accidentally recycle something whilst on a tidy-up spree or want to do add something to an article or fiction piece when I'm away from home, so having the majority of the info on the pooter has its own advantages too.

Carolb said...

That's a good reason, Patsy. :-)

That's an interesting thought, Paula.
I tend to keep recently printed items nearby, it seems to keep the ideas or subjects on the paper, just on the edge of my mind so my brain is working in the background.

I have to admit, Lexia, that I not only have the printed copies but often an electronic copy- but not neccesarily in one place that I can easily tie it up to the appropriate project, which is probably why I find the paper system better.

No chance of me recycling anything accidently, Maxi, as my OH would tell you... :-)