by David R. Chase

Created on: April 14, 2010

Your workspace might be in an office, a living room or your bedroom - freelance writers have the freedom to write wherever we want.  .

Some freelance writers find easier to work on an empty desk, and others thrive on heaps of clutter... but there are reasons to keep things on your desk (and to keep them organized) that will help you become a better freelance writer.

What needs to be on (or around, or in) your desk?

A goal chart
Invoices
Hard copies of work you've done
Blank thank-you notes
A pile of business cards
Empty file folders
A day planner

A goal chart will help you track your progress - choose weekly, monthly or quarterly to accurately track your progress.  It can be a simple dry-erase board or it can be an elaborate jar you fill with marbles to match each milestone.

Invoices need to be easily accessible for tax time - and even if a client paid you without an invoice, you should make one up and mark it "paid" anyway.  If you keep them in order, everything will be a breeze in April.

Hard copies of work you've completed come in handy for quick reference, and serve as tangible backups in case your computer decides to display only the blue screen of death.  Some freelance writers find that hard copies are the best way to find errors in their work; they're also easy to hand to someone else for instant proofing.

Blank thank you notes are a necessity.  When a potential client contacts you, the right thing to do is send a personal note (with a couple business cards in it, of course) thanking them for reaching out.  You should also send them whenever you finish a project, no matter how small.  Things like that really make you stand out among your competition - and if a client remembers you later, you're going to get another contract.

A pile of business cards can serve two purposes: first, they can remind you that you need to hand more of them out; second, they're there when you need to put them inside a thank you note.

Freelance writers can never have too many empty file folders.  You'll need them to separate different work for different clients, and you can store hard copies of your invoices inside.

Day planners help you stick to your goals - if you're off track, make sure you get back on - freelance writing is a business, and you've got to treat it that way.  Outlook Express has an electronic day planner that plays alarm tones when you need to move on to the next project; however, a paper day planner can be scribbled on and flipped through.

Organizing your workspace as a freelance writer is necessary, both for your well-being and for financial reasons.  That doesn't mean it can't be sloppy - but you do need to know where to find things quickly.

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