I read this and then blacked out a little 😂. I wish I could do this. I will try, but it’s very hard for me somehow? I just save everything to Dropbox and hope for the best 😬
This is so needed. I thought moving from paper to digital would be the answer. Little did I know it didn’t matter the format. What mattered were my organizing skills. Thanks Esme. Brilliant 👏🏾🥰🌻
hi Esme, could you share how your index cards fit into this system? Or do you refer to both simultaneously? Sometimes I can’t remember if I have something filed away as an index card or a digital note
Oh, the index cards are not relevant to this system at all. This system is only for naming and organizing your writing files so that you know what’s where and where to look for things. My index card system is described thusly:
**Indexing as creative discovery: using index cards to develop ideas, organize your thoughts, and keep track of research.** We will dive into the practicalities of writing a book and the system I personally use to create the bones of any story (including The Collected Schizophrenias).
We’ll take a practical look at how to use index cards to brainstorm, write, and revise creative nonfiction. When used as writing tools, index cards can not only retain facts and ideas, but can also keep track of important bibliographic and structural information for an essay or book.
Once collected, cards can then be spread out to visualize the shape of a written project, see what is missing, and envision what needs to be added.
I've previously taught this technique at the Northwestern MFA nonfiction program, as well as in the Lighthouse Writers Workshop and the Tin House Writers Workshop.
That class is currently only available in the Academy.
The organization system this post is about is about organizing your drafts, works-in-progress, and final drafts, not your notes. I hope that makes sense!
This is great, I definitely need more organization in my writing life. I find it very syncronicitous (not a real word, I know) that I found this post (on Instagram) just at the same moment I'd just finished looking in my Docs files to update a story note. 😀 Was thinking, Gee, couldn't this all be better organized? Apparently so. 😉
I had a calendar reminder about this essay. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Question: how do you manage your various notes on your various writing projects when those projects overlap thematically AND how do manage handwritten notes? A little while ago I got really deep into setting up "A Second Brain" a la Tiago Forte - and I am fully on board with the idea of taking notes somewhere/wherever and then taking the time to file those away in their respective folders, write them up, etc. But I haven't been able to sustain that method. I am wondering if there is a simpler version or if I just need to give it time to become a habit.
I have a very complicated system now for notes that I had to read a 600 paged book to learn, so… yeah. Not simple. It’s called Antinet: Zettelkasten and it’s thus far way more complex than the system I was using and incorporates every topic in the Wikipedia Outline of academic disciplines. So in short: no. I have only made my system more complicated!!!
OMG i just got that book the other day. We are so on the same nerd-length. I will keep going. I guess deep down I don't think my brain and my thoughts require/deserve such a system.
I think having the system—at least for me—has encouraged me to grow my learning and note-making. Before I set up my Antinet, I was reading a book a month. Maybe two. In the last four days, I’ve read a book a day.
You've convinced me— I've finally purchased an external hard drive that looks easy to use. And ya, I see the wisdom in naming drafts Final Version and dating/numbering these.
My numbering system is not nearly so adroit. But at least I use one!
I read this and then blacked out a little 😂. I wish I could do this. I will try, but it’s very hard for me somehow? I just save everything to Dropbox and hope for the best 😬
If it’s too much for you, no worries! I’d never want to insist someone do something unhelpful to them ❤️
oh no i am extremely motivated to try it!! i am gonna see what i can do :D thank you so much for this.
Love this! Your system is really similar to mine.
This is so needed. I thought moving from paper to digital would be the answer. Little did I know it didn’t matter the format. What mattered were my organizing skills. Thanks Esme. Brilliant 👏🏾🥰🌻
hi Esme, could you share how your index cards fit into this system? Or do you refer to both simultaneously? Sometimes I can’t remember if I have something filed away as an index card or a digital note
Oh, the index cards are not relevant to this system at all. This system is only for naming and organizing your writing files so that you know what’s where and where to look for things. My index card system is described thusly:
**Indexing as creative discovery: using index cards to develop ideas, organize your thoughts, and keep track of research.** We will dive into the practicalities of writing a book and the system I personally use to create the bones of any story (including The Collected Schizophrenias).
We’ll take a practical look at how to use index cards to brainstorm, write, and revise creative nonfiction. When used as writing tools, index cards can not only retain facts and ideas, but can also keep track of important bibliographic and structural information for an essay or book.
Once collected, cards can then be spread out to visualize the shape of a written project, see what is missing, and envision what needs to be added.
I've previously taught this technique at the Northwestern MFA nonfiction program, as well as in the Lighthouse Writers Workshop and the Tin House Writers Workshop.
That class is currently only available in the Academy.
The organization system this post is about is about organizing your drafts, works-in-progress, and final drafts, not your notes. I hope that makes sense!
This is great, I definitely need more organization in my writing life. I find it very syncronicitous (not a real word, I know) that I found this post (on Instagram) just at the same moment I'd just finished looking in my Docs files to update a story note. 😀 Was thinking, Gee, couldn't this all be better organized? Apparently so. 😉
Haha I love that story! I hope you find this helpful,
I had a calendar reminder about this essay. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Question: how do you manage your various notes on your various writing projects when those projects overlap thematically AND how do manage handwritten notes? A little while ago I got really deep into setting up "A Second Brain" a la Tiago Forte - and I am fully on board with the idea of taking notes somewhere/wherever and then taking the time to file those away in their respective folders, write them up, etc. But I haven't been able to sustain that method. I am wondering if there is a simpler version or if I just need to give it time to become a habit.
I have a very complicated system now for notes that I had to read a 600 paged book to learn, so… yeah. Not simple. It’s called Antinet: Zettelkasten and it’s thus far way more complex than the system I was using and incorporates every topic in the Wikipedia Outline of academic disciplines. So in short: no. I have only made my system more complicated!!!
OMG i just got that book the other day. We are so on the same nerd-length. I will keep going. I guess deep down I don't think my brain and my thoughts require/deserve such a system.
And you ABSOLUTELY deserve whatever system you think you’re interested in!
I think having the system—at least for me—has encouraged me to grow my learning and note-making. Before I set up my Antinet, I was reading a book a month. Maybe two. In the last four days, I’ve read a book a day.
You've convinced me— I've finally purchased an external hard drive that looks easy to use. And ya, I see the wisdom in naming drafts Final Version and dating/numbering these.
My numbering system is not nearly so adroit. But at least I use one!
A system is way better than no system, imho ❤️❤️❤️❤️
my computer has crashed multiple times this past month- i needed this. hearts to you, Esme!