A Little Organization

 

One of the things that comes in handy when working on a big project is space enough to get organized.

Lacking the space, I have to make do with what is available.  In this case, the floor of my office.

With edits beginning to come in, I was needing to get more stream-lined in how I was handling those edits.  

I've mentally been working with 5 'rough' categories (subject to change).  Today I decided to sort the essays into the most appropriate of those rough categories, in part to see where the holes in content are, in part to make them easier to find.

At this point they are not sequenced (because I keep adding to the pile) so they have no page numbers.  It was becoming cumbersome to sort through and update the unedited file with the corrections that were being sent.

Obviously I also update the file on the desktop, but I find for sorting content (chapters?  Sections?) hard copies work better because I can quite literally physically shuffle the essays around.  For the time being they have been filed in their own 3 ring binder alphabetically.

Eventually some of the titles will be changed to better reflect the content, but for now they are still in rough draft stage, so that can be done later as a final sweep through and polishing.

I have put a 'tab' on the first page of each essay so I can go through the tabs, not every single page, to find the essay I'm looking for.  I bought the tabs for a different project and had lots left - which has come in very handy while I'm doing *this* project.  

The first alpha reader has been quite encouraging in both her observations and in the low number of actual 'mistakes' that need to be fixed.  

This project is beginning to take shape and to feel like an actual 'book'.  

She also sent a suggestion for another essay, but last night was a 'bad' night and I think I might need a nap before another friend comes over at 4 pm.  

Once the alpha readers send me their feedback, I have a couple of people who will beta read.  I am thinking that if (and that is a gigantic IF) things go smoothly, I could be in a position to publish on July 9.  Why?  Because it's my birthday.  It might as well be a book birthday, too.

In the meantime, if anyone has suggestions for topics, let me know.  You can reach me laura at laurafry dot com  I can take suggestions up until March 30, 2023.