By Edie Melson, @EdieMelson

This is a post that I wrote several years ago. I get requests for it every year, so I’m sharing it again this year. This was a system I used for years while I was attending conferences as an attendee. It’s not the only way to stay organized, but it’s the way I found that worked for me.

For those who’ve known me for any length of time are aware that organization isn’t my strong suit—at least not in the conventional meaning. For years, my desk was covered in stacks of paper and the walls of my office were papered with rainbow hued sticky notes. It’s a system that worked for me at the time—but I quickly discovered it didn’t translate when I went on the road.

So I found another way to keep myself on track when I was away from the office and my conference notebook was born.

It’s really pretty funny. The moment people saw my notebook they immediately assume I was this ultra-organized whiz. Actually, the opposite is true and my notebook was just a last ditch effort at self-preservation. Another thing I’ve noticed is that this notebook works well no matter what your natural bent toward organization.

The primary idea for this notebook was that it contained everything I needed at a conference so I don’t have to dig through bags or be constantly returning to my room for something I’ve forgotten.

So let’s get to it!

First, I chose a one and a half inch, three ring binder. Mine was green because green is my favorite color. I made sure there was a sleeve on the front cover to slide a cover into because it held my contact information. That way, if I left it somewhere I had a better chance of reclaiming it.

Next, in the front I had a small zippered pouch with a couple of pens and some paper clips. I could also slide in a small lipstick, some band-aids and tissues.

After that, I had a neat insert that held several different sizes and colors of sticky notes

Then, I added 4 pages of clear business card holders. I used the kind that are the size of a full page, so I had plenty of room to add cards. I kept the first three empty and used them to store business cards I got from others. The last page was full of my personal business cards, so I always had plenty on hand. (Don’t know what to include on a business card? I posted a blog on that here.)

The next part was divided into sections with tabs. Each project I was pitching had a section. Here’s what would go into a section.

• A clear plastic sleeve containing my one sheet for that project. (Don’t know what a one sheet is? Click here for a post on one sheets).
• An outline for the project—if it’s non-fiction.
• A synopsis for the project—if it’s fiction.
• A sample of my writing for the project. This can either be a couple of sample devotions (for a devotional book) or the first couple of chapters in a book (fiction or non-fiction)

I had several extra copies of my one sheet, outline, synopsis and sample—just in case the person I’m showing it to wants to keep it or mark it up with suggestions.

Finally, after the section for projects I stocked the back of the notebook with notebook paper and extra clear plastic sleeves and tabs.

Extras, you could include in your notebook might be a bio sheet, a list of topics if you’re a speaker or even a list of articles you might want to pitch. The nice thing about this kind of notebook is you can personalize it to fit your needs.

With this notebook, no matter whether I ran into an editor or agent, I was always prepared. I literally had everything at my fingertips. During a conference I NEVER went anywhere without my notebook.

So what have you found to help keep you on track while at a conference? We’d love to learn from your experiences too.

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Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking to writers, entrepreneurs, or readers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives. Connect with her on her website, through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.