A Cluttered Desk & an Organized Mind

I wonder who first said a cluttered desk is a sign of an organized mind. If that old saying is true, my mind must be organized indeed! Case in point? Here's a photo of my desk. It's a mess, isn't it? Each and every item, though, connects to a writing project I've got going on in my mind--and on paper. Let's a take a tour and you'll see what I mean.

First, front and center is my laptop. That's Misha's recent blog post on the screen. My desk would look pretty empty without my laptop and I bet yours would, too. That laptop is Grand Central Station for my entire day. My day job and my personal life are both connected to it. And of course, so is my writing life. My new series featuring Jamie Sinclair, a private investigator with nerves of steel and a shattered heart, is a December Random House release and this laptop played a vital role helping me reach that milestone.

To the left of my laptop, you'll see my huge coffee mug. Of course, the mug changes daily if not sooner. Hey, I'm cluttered, but I'm not icky! More often than not, though, there's a glass of water in that spot. Water is important to the health and well-being of your entire body, but especially to your brain. I try to stay hydrated because I need my brain to write. I may need it for other things too, but I'm a girl with priorities!

Moving on, you'll see a blue notebook behind the coffee mug. That notebook holds all kinds of tidbits related to the any story I'm working on currently. If you took a peek inside, you'd find a list of turning points for The Kill List: A Jamie Sinclair Novel as well as an entire string of juicy conflicts for the next books in the series. You just might find notes for other series, too. Hmmm...

And that green pen? The rest of the Eight know it well! That's my critiquing pen. I also use it when I move through line edits from my editor. The green ink is a signal to myself that I've seen a requested change and addressed it in the new, digital file I'm creating for her.

The background of the photo is stacked high with books. Admittedly, not all of them are mine. I share space with Mr. Christoff and he's got some bookish pursuits of his own. Sharing space can be a challenge, but I'd rather share space with him than have a room full of desks to myself.

So, now that you've seen my cluttered desk, tell me about yours. Is it cluttered? And is it the sign of your organized mind? The Eight and I would love to know!