One of the reasons us writers experience writer's block is because we're unorganized. If you're anything like me, you have all of this stuff––and more!––crammed into some disaster of a file like this:
When your workspace looks like this, you're going to feel like shit. Why? Because you can't find anything. File dumps are chaotic, stressful, and uninspiring. I mean, look at dat mess. I don't look at that and go MAN do I want to write. I look at that and turn on Netflix and watch 30 Rock.
The good news is that our situations are totally fixable. To the video we go!
The goal here is to make your novels easily accessible and to be able to find your files. Please adjust my guidelines to best suit your novel-writing needs!
1. Create a new folder. Title it "Novels."
2. Give that folder a kick-ass icon.
3. Within the Novel folder, create a new folder for each of your novels (both published and currently in-progress). Repeat #2.
4. Create a WIP (Works in Progress) folder for any story that's on the back-burner. Put your WIPs in there. Repeat #2.
5. Dig up your most recent document for each story. Put it in its respective novel folder.
6. Create a new folder for "Past Versions/Deleted Scenes" for each novel. Repeat #2.
7. Round up any and all non-current versions of your work and move them to their respective "Past Versions/Deleted Scenes" folders.
8. Create an "Inspiration" folder for each novel. Step #2. Use these folders to collect inspiring images that directly relate to each story. (We'll cover general Inspiration folders later!)
9. Create a "Misc" folder for any files that don't have a home. Step #2.
Have covers for your novels?
1. Create a "Cover" folder.
2. Give that folder a kick-ass icon.
3. Place the final copy of each of your novel's covers into this folder.
4. Create an "Elements" folder within the Cover folder. Use this folder to organize (by novel) the elements you used to make your final cover. This includes source images and raw files.
Important Tips!
- If you add your Novel folder to the sidebar like I did, be sure to press control while holding down the mouse on the folder's icon. You'll need to select "Folder" under "Display As" instead of "Stack."
- Want to make the size or your file previews larger or smaller in Finder? Press command + J after opening the folder you would like to modify.
Did you give this a try? Thinking about it? Have questions? Let me know!
This is so very useful! I've done this and my desktop is less cluttered. It's easier to go directly to my things, and i don't get sidetracked anymore! You organization, genius, you!
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