Forget your palmtop. It's back to simplicity. What could be more simple than a clutch of index cards and a bulldog clip?
I've been resisting writing about 43 Folder's Hipster PDA trick because I thought everyone carried around index cards anyway, and so what.
Well, it appears that everyone doesn’t carry them around, or have them stashed in books and on every flat surface. The index cards trick got coverage in The Bulletin. Go figure.
If you're an index-card-newbie:
* index cards are ideal organisers for writing projects. When you start a new project, start a card collection. Put ONE thought/ scene/ quote/ idea on a card: this makes the cards easy to organise so you can structure paragraphs, scenes, chapters, books, etc.
* zip-lock baggies are handy for card collections. For longterm projects, I zip the baggies closed and toss the baggies into a box with the project's name on it.
* keep the cards. Years later, you can go through your card collections to get fresh ideas.
* slip cards into the books you're reading so you don’t have to hunt for a card to make notes. (Remove cards from library books before you return the books.)
* write must-do reminders on cards. Scrunch up a card and slip it into your pocket, or into your purse. It's bulky, you'll notice the bulk and remember.
* to keep important cards, scan cards into Microsoft OneNote. Use OneNote's Insert/ Picture/ From Scanner or Camera menu item. I cluster (mind map) and doodle on cards, and often scan them. You can just scan a card, of course, and save the image file on your computer.
