Like Chick says....where to put this....

To all my Boomer Sisters. I had to break down and get a new computer today. The one I have has some serious issues. I really wasn't ready financially to do it, but it needed to be done. But I need ya'lls help. My committment to myself was one (legit) contest and one query a month. Now I REALLY need to justify this unplanned purchase. Wise men say, the best way to get things done is to tell someone your goals so they can hold you accountable. So here I am telling you. Hold my feet to the fire, please ladies....I'm gonna need it. I will write, edit, proofread, apply, submit, query, wash windows, walk dogs, eat red beans and rice daily; in short, whatever it takes to get the job done. Here's another pin...please poke me with it. Often. And remember me in your prayers, please. Love to you all.
Unique

unique, are you a list maker? Do you make lists to keep you on track with your tasks?

Most of the time I do. I have two new 3 ring binders. One has month dividers in it and print outs of dead lines for contests and submission guidelines. The other is to keep track of what I sent where and when, responses (if any), follow ups, and in the back is a place for expenses and the $GREEN$ tab is for income. I missed the Erma Bombeck Essay deadline and I am still mad at myself. But I won't miss it next year!!

Wow I think you need to prod me instead of me prodding you. Having everything in binders that are marked by the month to keep track of things I have notebooks all over the place and post it notes all over the place. Some of the stuff actually gets into the calendar that sits on the desk in my writing space. Unfortunately I usually end up working in the family room because I can't trust my three year old to stay out of things. So if you tell me when the contests are I will prod you to enter them after I put them in my notebook that I will buy tomorrow with the months marked so I can enter the contest.

Angel

I started using Outlook's calendar feature last year and I love it. I put in all the deadlines and set a reminder date, and up pops a reminder window with everything - column dates, contest entries, word counts, etc.

I also subscribe to the online Writers Market and keep track of submissions there.

Have you read Julie Hood's "the Organized Writer." It's fantastic, and it's downloadable to put into a notebook. She also sends out monthly reminders. Parts in the book have file tabs already made! Great resource.

Now that sounds good, Dian. When my new system gets here I will look for that feature. It's supposed to have Windows XP in it; this old thing is 98SE and some cobbled pieces of 2000. Plus it's acting rakey/shakey - I don't want to hurt it's feelings any more than I have already! And Chris, I'll post you some links to contests if I can get this machine to do it. There's a batch from the Navy that pay really well (if only my military experience weren't so ancient!) But if you know any military folks, you can always do interviews and research on line and approach from that direction. Hey, you know me - - follow the $$$!!!http://www.usni.org/contests/contests.html#list
I got this link from one of the newsletters. I have real trouble opening links right now - but this one I bookmarked before the crash.

Dian, do you have a link for Julie? I need to get more organized with my submissions.

I was keeping track of all my submissions with a nice easy to use little freeware program called "Winsamm" - you could easily plug in your articles, markets, submissions, acceptances (rejections...) and print out a little report...I loved it, oh how I loved it....

...then....some little gremlin has somehow managed to "crash" this program so it won't load up, and won't reinstall........and all the submission info that was thus contained within it has gone into the vast black holes of computer chip badlands....

Now I'm sure this is a situation I have since the crash because I am too dumb to know how to transfer the info BUT my computer guy awhile back put all my manuscripts on two floppy disks at least thats what he called these two little square things. My computer crashed and he moved away and I don't know how to transfer my work from the disks back into my computer. Anyone know how? I have Windows XP....

Chatty not sure I understand your dilemma, but so forgive if I ask a dumb question - but, what exactly is the problem with retrieving the info from the floppies? Is it because you don't have the same software that you originally wrote them with? What program did you use to write them - Word, Notepad, WordPerfect??? And do you have that program on your computer still? Or is your problem related to you don't know how to open a file from a floppy? If so, insert your floppy disk into the computer, double click on My Computer, double click on the "A" drive (that will probably be the floppy drive) and you should see all your files there, and then click on them to open, or click on them and you will see a list of options on the left hand side - copy this file, move this file, etc. - to transfer to your hard drive, select "move this file" and then from the drop down list choose where you want to move it - probably "My Documents" (sorry if you already know that, just not sure from your post what difficulty you are having - need more info!)

I hate trying to explain in writing - so much easier if I could just pop over to your house and show you