Hello My Name is Linda, and I Have a Problem

Last year we had the basement in our house redone so I could have a space for myself, a basement “she-shed” if you will. I wanted a place to write. More importantly, I needed a place where I could organize and house all of my office and crafting supplies. You see, my name is Linda, and I have a problem.

I love to collect the paraphernalia that goes with a well-stocked home office and craft center, particularly Post-Its. The colors—neon, pastel, brights, shimmery, floral; the different sizes and types—large and lined, large and unlined, small, really small, tabs, arrows, alphabet. The beautiful aisles of an office supply store brimming with papers, pens, notebooks, markers, and more bring joy to my soul. The wonders to be found in the craft supply store fill my imagination with ideas for projects I could embark on. Oh, the delicious, colorful, themed papers I could use! Ribbons, stickers, Post-Its, lovely 3-ring binders to be filled and organized into submission with tab dividers. I am giddy with excitement at the possibilities. My heart be still. 😍😍

When I met with the designer to plan out how the basement space would be used, I told her I wanted two pegboard walls so I could house my pencils, markers, scissors, ribbons, etc. She was a bit skeptical, but once it was finished, she came to see how I used the space. She marveled at all the little pails hanging neatly in rows full of pens, markers, and colored pencils, hooks lined with spools of brightly colored ribbons, shelves full of stencils all beautifully organized. “Do you like to scrapbook and do crafts?” she asked innocently. To which I replied, “I like to collect the supplies. You know, in case I would ever want to craft.”

The other side of the room with my writing desk is much the same, only laden with office supplies. (I am, at least, predictable.) The other day while Karen and I were writing, I proudly announced that I needed more Post-Its, which caused a raucous laugh from her. “Need?” she impugned. Indignantly, I insisted that I did actually need this time. (Ok, I may have pouted just a bit that she would question my judgment on such matters.) This is a long running joke between us. She knows and has witnessed my obsession with office supplies, specifically those lovely colored stacks of paper with sticky strips along one edge. She and Tana have been the recipient of my obsession because I always have plenty to share.

But when I made this proclamation to her the other day, I was in earnest. I did need more of a particular size and particular colors. I was beginning the edits of my work-still-in-progress.

You may have read my tale of woe regarding finding an editor and the trauma that ensued. I am happy to say I have found an amazing person to work with who sees the writer I am and the story I want to tell. Just a few weeks ago I received my edit report and manuscript comments. I am pleased and proud to say that she loved the changes I’d made to my beginning chapters after she did a sample edit. Apparently, I got it right, taking what she said to heart, and it came through in my revised writing.

This is not to say that I don’t still have more to work on. I assure you, I do. Thus, the need for the Post-Its. Early on in my process I created an edit map where I wrote down chapter by chapter, scene by scene each event that happens in the story. I chronicled every goal, motivation, and action of my characters using, you guessed it, Post-Its. I spent time updating that to reflect the most recent version of the story. A relatively easy task thanks to my Post-Its tacked on pieces of paper from an 8.5 x 11” legal pad. What I needed to do now was create a timeline so I would know when the events of my story took place and how I could move them around for maximum effect and proper pacing.

You see where this is going, right? Post-Its. I made a four week calendar on pieces of plain paper using the ruler hanging on its pegboard hook in the craft center and pens from the pails sitting on my desk. Because the story takes place over several weeks, I made copies as needed by hand. (This counts as crafting, doesn’t it?) I used regular 8.5 x 11” paper (and my trusty 3-hole punch. Did I mention I had everything organized in a lovely lavender binder complete with well-marked tabs?). Smaller Post-Its to fit the boxes were required. I had a few, but not enough to complete the task. Hence, the need for more. Fortunately, I rummaged through the desk drawer, easy as it is ruthlessly organized (and small), and found a pack that would get me through the end of this phase of my revision process. (Thank you to whomever put those in the Goody Room at some past RWA conference.😊)

Tiny Post-Its in hand, I meticulously organized and color-coded my timeline (neon green for the hero and bright orange for the heroine). I now have a plan for what scenes to eliminate (bright blue), which ones to move and where (bright pink), and found two mistakes I hadn’t caught previously. (Neither had my beta reader nor my editor.) Yay me! All because my process (Yep, I’m sticking with that story) demands coordinated and plentifully stocked office and crafting supplies.

Now, I can move on to copying, cutting, pasting, writing, deleting, etc. because I have a clearly delineated plan that is neatly organized and well-thought out thanks to my obsession (I am nothing if not accountable) with office and crafting supplies. It’s comforting to know that the next time I walk into an office supply or a craft store that I will find whatever my heart desires and so much more. You never know when those items you bring home might be of use.

Could I use the computer for all of these tasks? Absolutely. There are many writing software programs out there to help writers plot, plan, and organize. I happen to prefer old-fashioned hard copy and using my hands. It’s the way I learned to learn, and why mess up a perfectly good system now because that would mean no more trips to the office supply store (two less than three miles from my house) or the craft store (only a slightly longer distance). You say wants; I say needs. What would I do without all those fantastic choices staring at me from the aisles? How would my imagination soar without all those lovely items helping me to ponder the possibilities? I’m really not that fixated on being organized in my daily life. The mood strikes on occasion. But when it does strike, I want to be ready. I want binders, bins, folders, perfect pens, new Crayons, sharpened pencils, and yes, Post-Its in a plethora of sizes, shapes, and colors to push me along and spark my creativity. It gives me peace and a feeling of accomplishment.

There will be other stories to plot and plan, to revise and edit. I will be ready because I will have everything I need to see me through all neatly hanging on the pegboard or lined up on my desk or filling the little bins in the drawer. Which reminds me—I better get to the office supply store this weekend.