Thursday, August 13, 2009

Moving Day - Not!

I’m really glad that our blog topic this week involves how to move the important stuff relating to our hobbies. Since my theme around here concerns pets, and they’re members of the family, the answers are easy. Just pack up the pet food, the bowls and zillions of toys, the grooming stuff, the pharmaceuticals and flea treatments, and go.

But if I had to talk about moving my writing stuff, forget it. I’m in my house to stay. Otherwise, I’d have to get organized. I’d have to figure out what of my infinite research materials, including uncountable books, brochures, magazines, clippings and more, I could keep, and what I had to throw away. Of course I have to keep all the binders of notes I made during each trip, in case I ever set a story in the many places we’ve visited. And the photos, although my most recent ones were done on digital cameras with pictures not printed, so they don’t take up as much room as the albums and boxes of earlier photos.

I’d have to pack up all my promotional materials, including lots of bookmarks. Most of the copies of my 23 published books so far are already in labeled boxes, but there sure are a lot of them. Plus, there are my older manuscripts that aren’t on computer.

Then there are all the accoutrements of writing--notecards I wrote on each night after emerging from the bathtub with the info my subconscious mind told me I’d write about the next day. Pens, pencils, notepads, computer paper, and all the other things I need for writing and editing. Computer equipment--the computer itself, monitor, scanner, printer, fax machine, copier, etc. And, oh, yes, there are also the copies of contracts and books relating to my other career--as a lawyer.

Seriously, I do appreciate the discussion this week. Do I really need all the stuff? No, and I do go on occasional binges to clear out an area... to make room for more research material or books!

What about you--is it easier to move your pets or hobbies than the items you’ve collected to enhance your career?

9 comments:

Terri Thayer said...

Oh, Linda, I'd never considered moving the writing stuff. And with only five books out, the manuscripts and notes and actual books are threatening to take over. I can't imagine what it's like with 23!

I hope to find out though so I'm going to keep on top of it so by the time I'm on book 23, I won't be buried under a pile of stuff.

Linda O. Johnston said...

I wish you a lot more organization than I've achieved, Terri, especially when you get to book 50!

Julie said...

Six of one, half-dozen of the other. I have to take a cold hard look at it all. I will say that I'm more inclined to keep the legal stuff, just because you never know when someone will want a copy of their 10-year-old trademark application! I havec writing stuff, craft stuff, and lawyer stuff. No wonder I have no closet space.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Ah, yes, Julie. I definitely identify!

Camille Minichino said...

You have my attention -- 23 books! I don't have nearly as many, but I have noticed that the first ones have a lot more PAPER associated with them than later ones, where a lot of the research has been online.

Here's to staying put!

Betty Hechtman said...

It is tough to figure out what writing stuff you can discard. A while back I did finally throw away all the rejections I'd collected.

Janie Emaus said...

Linda,
I have manuscripts all over my office, spilling out of boxes, in the closets. And unlike Betty, I've saved every rejection. You've inspired me to do some housecleaning. But like that old song.."Breaking up is hard to do" in my case, "Tossing out is impossible hard to do."

Linda O. Johnston said...

I probably still have all my rejections, Betty and Janie, but they're in a file cabinet that I haven't gone through in a while--purposely.

And Camille, I'm one of those authors with the dozen rejected stories under the bed before I made a sale--or in my case, they're in boxes. Hard copies. My husband just got rid of my old computer after destroying the hard drive--which was broken and inaccessible to me now anyway. My computer backups are all on the old kind of floppy disk. So, I have to keep a lot of paper unless I want to dispose of all those old babies of mine...

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

I found a great way to disperse my old manuscripts. I offer my fans a signed, original manuscript page if they will send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Of course, I also toss in a few bookmarks! Steve Berry talked about this, and I think it's a fun way to share. Of course, I still have the original file on my computer.

If you want a page, send your stamped, self-addressed envelope to me at Joanna Slan, 12033 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. Tell me how you'd like it signed.