Top Ten Tips for Freelancers to Get Organized and Stay That Way

I am not typically a hoarder. My standard rule is that if I haven't had to access or use it in over year, it gets thrown out. The only exceptions include keeping all financial and tax records and my research and writings.

I have boxes of research and old articles stacked all over our basement. So many of my tips for getting your writing life organized (so that it sticks) center around keeping your files under control. Here's the list.

1. Get several metal or wood filing cabinets. If you have space, start with at least 4 of the larger cabinets.

2. Determine a filing system that will allow you to find research or past writings quickly and efficiently which has to include an effective numbering system. Many of the tips below will depend on your numbering system.

3. Pick a file folder system that you like and can use easily. I use the 4 or 5 section classification folders. There is a section to keep the article or project specs on a flap - you can keep research on a separate flap - your interview notes can go on a flap - and finally your article with all rewrites can be put on a flap.

4. You need to develop a system to file all of the editor guidelines, samples magazines, and other market related information.

5. You will also need a system to file and monitor all of the queries that you have out, including those for e-writing. Follow-up is very important for your article queries. Many magazines do not like for you to have the same article out on query as the one you are trying to pitch to them. An effective filing system for queries will prevent such a mistake. You also do not want to pitch the same article multiple times to the same magazine. You can get black balled very easily with such no-nos.

6. Your filing system must accommodate project work - be it technical writing, promotional materials writing, training materials or Web project writings.

7. Your paper filing system must integrate well with your computer filing system. Here is a tip within at tip - numbering your projects by project name and date (or whatever numbering system you can develop) will help you correspond your computers files with paper files and research. You can number your paper files the same as your computer folder and file names then you file the paper files in order by this numbering system. Whatever system you develop, it has to accommodate fast retrieval.

8. I also record many of my

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