Marg McAlister

We all have to find out 'how to do stuff' now and then. This 'stuff' can range from how to write effective dialogue to how to query an agent.

How do you find out what you wan to know? Generally, you will ask someone or you'll look it up. Most commonly, you'll use your computer - you'll either send an email, or you'll fre up your web browser to see if you can find the answer online.

Sometimes the answer is straightforward, and you're not likely to forget it. However, most often, you'll want to file the information so you can refer to it again...and that's where many writers fall down. They will print out the information and put it somewhere out of the way - then forget where they put it. Or they'll copy and paste it into a word processing document - and forget where they filed it.

Notice that the key word here is 'forget'. Most of us don't throw away or delete the information; we just can't remember where we put it!

That's why it's a good idea to spend an afternoon organising your writer's files. Start by taking a good look at what you're doing already. Is it efficient, or a mish-mash of files (or even just stacks of paper!)

An amazing number of people are either chronically under-organised (for example, they file everything in the general 'documents' folder on their computer and have to search through hundreds of files every time they want anything) or they're over-organised (they create a new folder for their file every time they want to file something, and end up having six different folders that essentially store the same thing, so they STILL never know where anything is!)

Sit down with a notepad and pen and create a folder list for your computer, and another one for your hard copy files. Feel free to cross out, move things around, rename folders etc until you are happy with the filing system you've  created. Then STICK TO IT. Add a few more folders if necessary, but not too many. It should be simple and logical.

Then buy yourself a notebook and use it to jot down the LOCATION of all those files. Keep it on a nearby shelf or in a handy drawer.

• Write down the email folders that you use to store information
• Write down the location of writing technique files (in your filing cabinet? In ring binders? On the computer?)
• Write down the location of your 'CONTACTS' file (other writers, editors, agents, people who are good contacts for technical background in your novels, etc)

Use this to remind yourself of where you have stored existing files, and where you can store new information.

Every so often go through it and get rid of anything you no longer want or need.