The Busy Writer's Book of Checklists (4 page)

#  Have you used the subplot to
maintain pace in your story when the main plot has to slow down? (Complications
from the subplot can restrict the main character's ability to act, or take his
attention away at a critical time.)

#  Does your subplot shed light on the
personality of one or more of the characters?

#  Are your plot and main subplot
interwoven from the beginning of the story? (A second subplot can be introduced
slightly later.)

#  Have you given your readers a chance
to get to know the people in both your plot and subplot before the story gets
underway? (Readers care more about what happens to people they
"know".)

#  Is your subplot closely related to
the main story? (The story should be able to stand alone without the subplot,
but don't, for example, make it about two minor characters that the reader
doesn't care about.)

#  Have you shown how the events in the
subplot cam affect the action in the main plot and vice versa?

#  Does your subplot follow the same
basic pattern as the main plot? (Developments and setbacks; crisis and
resolution.)

#  Have you made sure that the subplot
doesn't overshadow the main plot?

#  Is the subplot interesting to
readers or an annoyance that drags them away from the main action?

#  Have you structured your story so
that when the main plot is going through a calm period, the reader is given
something of interest to read about via the subplot?

#  Have you ensured that your subplot
doesn't have a 'tacked on' feeling to pad out the story? (Introduce it near the
beginning and weave it in skillfully)

#  Have you made sure that everything
is resolved in the subplot by the end of the story? (All loose ends need to be
tied up, just as they do in the main plot.)

A large part of being an effective writer
is being able to put your hands on what you want, when you want it. That might
sound simple, but unless you’re already supremely organized – it’s not.

How many times have you frantically hunted
through your computer folders, looking for some notes you made, or for a vital
checklist? How many times have you saved and re-saved something in several
different directories, and not been able to find the most recent when you need
it?

How many times have you worked in a
teeny-tiny space because you’re hemmed in on all sides by piles of paper and
books?

In a comment added to a Weekly Challenge on
my Writing Challenges blog (the Challenge was to ‘whip your office into shape’)
one writer said:
“I was getting frustrated with the pile of ‘stuff’ near my
desk. The pile was getting taller and messier and my writing not progressing as
I seemed to be distracted by the ‘stuff’. So I ignored websites, challenges and
all else and set about creating order in the chaos…. I work in a limited time
frame with many family commitments so often feel a focus on neatness an
unnecessary luxury, but in reality a sense of order eliminates distractions and
saves time when I can find what I need quickly. For anyone out there feeling
frustrated and ‘out of sorts’ a good ‘clean out’ clears not only your personal
writing space but the mind as well. I’m not a fanatical housekeeper but order
in my writing corner is essential to my creative being.”

Enough said.

Even if you don’t want to get organized
now
,
the time will come. When it does, it really helps to have a checklist at hand.

These three checklists will help you
organize your time, your working space, and your files. If they don’t suit your
present needs, use them as a basis to create your own ‘Get Organized’ checklist.

Before you can start using your time more
productively, you need to be aware of how you currently use time. This
checklist starts with that, then goes into other aspects or organizing time.

#  Know how you use time: draw up a
chart in half-hour increments, starting when you get up and finishing with your
normal bedtime. Fill in hours already taken (your job, household duties,
social/family commitments etc), and then fill in what's left as you do it. Keep
this record for 2 days. Then start culling.

#  If you don't want/need to be on
certain committees or a member of social groups, do what you need to
(phone/write/visit in person) to opt out.

#  If you are carrying too much of the
household chores, create a new roster or outsource some of the work.

#  If you watch certain TV shows just
because others like them, block off that time and use it to write/plot/edit
instead. Or else keep a notebook by you and use the time to jot down
plot/character ideas based on the show.

#  Eliminate anything that you
either
don't enjoy or don't need to do.

#  Look at all areas of your life:
family, health and fitness, recreation and relaxation, self-development,
finances, employment, writing. Rank your goals in order of importance. Now look
at the time you are allocating to achieving each of these goals, versus the
time you NEED to allocate. Juggle the allocation until the most important goal
gets the most time.

#  Create timelines to achieve your
goals. Remember you don't have to achieve everything at once. Some goals can be
worked on in 3-6 months' time.

#  When you have decided on the amount
of time you want to allocate to your various goals, plan your day the night
before. (Especially what you want to achieve with your writing.) Don't overload
your 'to do' list. Set yourself
up for success, not failure.

#
 Balance
your to-do list to maximize success. Put fast and easy tasks at the top of the
list. Next schedule the 'big' tasks - those that need concentration or a large
chunk of time. (Place your not-so-favorite tasks here, while you're still
fresh. If they threaten to run over time, decide whether it's more productive
to finish them now or continue the next day.) Finish off your list with
smaller, more easily achievable tasks, or ones that can get away from you (e.g.
social networking, email.) 

#  In a notebook, draw up a list of
small tasks you can work easily wherever you are. (Make these things you can
finish in a short time - anything from 5 to 30 minutes. E.g. think of a name
for a character, write an opening hook, write 10 lines of dialogue, create a
setting. Keep the notebook and pen in your handbag.)

#  Institute a system of
prioritizing/dealing with tasks as they arise. The easiest is the 4-D method:
Dump it, Delegate it, Delay it, Do it. (The trap for the procrastinator is the
3rd 'D': 'Delay it'. Keep that particular list SMALL.)

#  Learn to say "NO"
gracefully (but in a way that leaves no room for negotiation). Your time is
precious.

To organize your work space, you first need
to understand your
needs
and your
work flow.
Then you can
organize your work space to accommodate those needs.

#  Do you need to move your work space
somewhere else? (Two contrasting scenarios: you might need to move your work
area somewhere closer to the kids' TV/play area so you can supervise them while
you're working, OR you might need to move your work space AWAY from family
noise.)

#  Do you need to negotiate with family
to give your writing a higher priority? (E.g. is it more desirable for you to
have office space than it is to have a rarely-used guest bedroom?)

#  Do you have to share your work space
with someone else? (School-age child, spouse, parent, friend?) If so, is there
a fair division of space? Stake your claim to YOUR share of the space and
enforce it - no overflowing files/mess!

#  How much space do you have
available? (If necessary, measure it so you know better how to place your
furniture and/or files.)

#  What are the things you can't do without?
(E.g. laptop computer and portable file box.)

#  What things DON'T you have that
would make your work space more efficient? (Desk - chair - lighting - printer -
filing cabinet - storage cupboard etc.)

#  Write down the list of things you
have that you want to keep.

#  Write down a list of things you need
to buy/acquire to make your writing space work better.

#  
Start pruning
. For optimal
use of space,
digitize
as much as possible. If you have a computer file,
throw out the paper copy. If you don't have a computer file of a document,
consider scanning it. Save all digital files a) to your computer and (b) to a
backup disk.

#  Get rid of unnecessary furniture.
(Don't hang on to a set of shelves or filing cabinet simply because you 'paid
good money for it'. If you no longer need something, give it to family, friends
or charity.)

#  Start organizing (or re-organizing)
your work space according to your work flow.  Ensure that tools you use all the
time are close at hand (stapler/sticky tape/pens/note cubes), and the
used-only-occasionally things (reference books/software manuals/fan or heater etc.)
are stored neatly nearby. If you store things in boxes, LABEL those boxes.

#  Storage: Establish an organized
system that works for YOU. (Do you want a couple of storage trays, or do
labelled suspension files work better for you? Do you use notebooks or is
everything on the computer? What size notebooks work best? Where will you keep
them?)

The key to good organization of your files
is simple: you need to be able to find any of your stored information quickly.
This applies to email, contacts, manuscripts, passwords and usernames, research
and checklists.

#  Make a list of all the files you use
in your work. (This includes all the files mentioned above plus any others that
are relevant.) Survey your computer and storage systems to see how you are
currently organizing your files.

#  Identify your files with a color,
number or code to identify those that belong together.

#  Work out the best way to make the
various types of files work for you. (In a filing cabinet? In folders on your
computer? In drawers?)

#  Label folders, boxes, or file
drawers clearly.

#  Ensure that each file is stored
appropriately. (Tip: Keep a small notebook as a Master File List, or open a
Word document or Excel spreadsheet to record where everything is.)

#  Keep often-used files within easy
reach. (Your current project can be kept in a portable file box next to your
desk.)

#  If you use folders, work out a
system for those folders that works efficiently. (e.g. naming the folders,
dividing them into sections, type of dividers (plastic, cardboard, plastic
sleeves), naming each section, contents list for thick folders.)

#  If you use Windows, most of your
files will be kept in your Documents folder. Start by making a list of
aptly-named folders to store your work. (e.g. Master folders can be FICTION and
NON FICTION. Sub-folders under these can be labelled with the name of your Work
in Progress. Sub-sub-folders can be labelled with different aspects of the
work. (Example: DOCUMENTS >> FICTION >> Adventure Island >>
then more sub-folders like Characters, Plot, Setting, Research, Adventure
Island Draft 1, etc.)

#  Make your current projects easier to
find by using Microsoft's LIBRARIES feature. (You can create new collections
[or libraries] of work, and include folders from different places - e.g. Music
or Pictures.

#  Microsoft's ONE NOTE is a handy way
of storing your research in Notebooks which can be then divided into Sections
and Pages. Anything you paste in from online research is automatically
referenced to the source.

#  Take charge of your email: use
filters, stars, tags or whatever is necessary to organize your mail. (If you
are currently checking your email via a web browser, consider using a
computer-based program like Mozilla's Thunderbird as well. You can then create
new folders to store your email, and filter incoming email. Use online forums
and the program's HELP features to learn how to use the program.)

#  If you regularly access sites with
usernames and passwords, consider using a program like ROBOFORM to keep track
of them all. (You can access the list with one master password. RoboForm will
automatically fill in your username and password with one click.)

#  Back up everything. If you do not
have a backup system, organize it ASAP. For peace of mind, back up your work
(a) on your computer, (b) on a disk, external drive or thumb drive and (c)
online. (An example of online storage is Just Cloud. (
http://www.justcloud.com
) There are plenty
of others; do your own research... but DO choose one!)

A project can be anything from writing a
novel to establishing a presence on Twitter/Facebook or planning a workshop.
Each project you begin should have a timeline (starting point and finish point)
and milestones (interim goals). Most of us work better with deadlines: they
give us something to aim for.