Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Becoming an Organized Freelance Writer

As a full-time freelance writer and business owner, every minute of my day is accounted for. That means I need to be organized in order to reach my daily goals and long-term objectives.
The organization method I use is very simple. I keep major appointments and my contact database in Microsoft Outlook. I write a daily to-do list for the next day in a journal that I keep on my desk. Not only is this a good way to remember those little things that need to be done (simple reminders like go to post office to mail book, find article on so-and-so, call this person, Google such-and-such) it serves as a record keeper.

I use the journal when I am on a phone call with a client and I jot down notes about their project as well as their email address, phone number, URLs, etc. I don't take the journal out of my house. It contains too much personal info on my clients and is too valuable to me to risk leaving it in a public place. Instead, I carry a small pad and pen in my purse that I can use when I meet a client. I take notes (including the tax-deductible mileage to the meeting) and then transfer the info to my journal when I return home.

See Yvonne's business website at www.yvonneperry.net.

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