You know, I think most people are list makers. Some use complex organizers, others notebooks. Some like post-it-notes, and some are more techy types with smart phones, iPads, and laptops. I have a daughter that puts everything into her iTouch. From what to buy at Burger King, to when to switch out laundry, she’s got ’em all.
When writing, I tend to have lists of things in my manuscript. At the end of the current chapter, I’ll have notes like:
Gets in argument with stranger at store
Don’t forget that she has a black eye
Lose the cell phone somewhere
Check when Sally in that other book lived there
Those notes are actually lists of things to do. In a sense, it works as kind of an outline for the book. As I do things, I delete them. I love deleting. It feels great. It’s the electronic form of striking stuff off a list. I remember thinking that it wasn’t quite as satisfying because you don’t have that list of completed items, but then I laughed at myself. I mean, really. I have AN ENTIRE BOOK as proof that I completed a LOT of things!
Several times I have made a list of all the books I have in progress. I thought about doing that again for this post, but I really don’t think I can handle it right now. You see, it’s a LOT of books. The last time I did it (and I’ve added at least thirty books to it since then) it was over a hundred. I scare me. However, I now have a plan for getting things done. I’m actually pretty excited about it.
So, do you have lists of all your intended projects? Do you ever finish them? 😉
To see what other bloggers are doing this month, check out the HUGE list of bloggers HERE!
Jocelyn Rish says
When I have an idea for a new project, I start a new Word doc and type out what I know. It might be an opening sentence, a general plot, a character, sometimes it’s just a title. And then I keep all those in my “idea” folder, and I go back and add thoughts about it as they come to me. It seems to work for me.
Wishing you continued success with the A to Z challenge,
Jocelyn
Rebekah says
I make lists just like that in the margins when I’m writing – only I usually strike out, since you can’t delete on paper and I can’t convince myself to write with pencil. :p
Every time that I think I have a lot of books in progress, I can think of you and realize I don’t. I mean, 10-20 books isn’t even a quarter of a hundred! ;p
To the KING be all the glory!
Rebekah
Annalisa Crawford says
The only lists I make are shopping lists, and inevitably I forget to take them out of my pocket, so I always forget something. Lists when I’m writing would be great, if I remembered to make them.
Just dropping by from the A-Z list! Nice to meet you.
Dawn Malone says
‘Hi’ from a fellow list-maker! I, too, blogged about lists today. I can’t live without them, and make notations at the end of my chapters (and before, and within…) as reminders. Nice to meet you!
Chautona says
Glad that I’m not alone. It feels strange, sometimes, but it works. Nice to meet you too!