84 Comments
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Bec Evans's avatar

Love a system! And your comment that the app is there ‘to be reminded that once upon a time I did have an idea and I will again very soon.’ Is the best reason ever to be organised.

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Good Thing Going's avatar

Thank you Bec! If only I could muster it for my closet, purse or soul…

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l.e. livingston's avatar

All I’ve ever written (as an adult) has been made possible because of the Notes app. Truly an underrated tool!

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Lael Moore's avatar

Love this!! And very much wish “A Secular Bitch” was a real show that I could watch!

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Good Thing Going's avatar

Now I keep wondering who IS this secular bitch…

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Molly's avatar

You’ve saved lives today (mine) I’ve never had a problem generating ideas - but I’ve always suffered greatly trying to organize/access them. Thank you so much for sharing your system! which I will be implementing today (also have to mention your throw away pretend ideas are actually really compelling wtf)

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Good Thing Going's avatar

Molly your comment was what made me wanna share ! Thank you ! I’m sure there are many finer systems but I will say that the writers I know who have tried it have seen results (it’s my version of when the Kardashians show their pantry)

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Clare's avatar

"The Ice Man Goeth (pitch to Jacob Elordi)" - i feel like i've seen something i shouldn't have, like a sneak peak at something so beautiful it's perverse

love this. i recently had to move from notes app to google docs bc i'm working across too many devices and emails and i hate it. the app isn't as fun to organize or easy to look at when i'm, like, on a plane

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Good Thing Going's avatar

Thank you so much for understanding- it was like a fever dream, that coming from my mind to my hands. Btw calling Elordi to pitch Iceman Goeth would be the most amazing humiliating dare in truth or dare…

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Liz Murphy's avatar

I dare you

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Good Thing Going's avatar

Oh god this is like 7th grade being asked to kiss Mike Gelinas with my braces still on (shout out to Mike Gelinas who said “don’t make her”)

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Sally Nielsen's avatar

How inspiring …… and exhausting 🤣

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Jimena Salas's avatar

I don’t do anything and live as if I’m in constant alert mode… running to WhatsApp to send myself a quick message to save an idea, but when I finally have time to sit in front of a blank page, I find it miserable. I’ll think about this and try to find a system.

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Emily Ash Powell's avatar

is this… the answer to every single fibre of disorganisation in my brain? i think so. THANK YOU LENA

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Ally Rivers's avatar

The Notes app is the best! Sitting at 1,400 notes dating back to 2013. 🫣 I haven’t found a better organizational system for all the “in progress” stuff. It might be nice to have the ability to color code the folders.

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Jessie Pagliari Tiernan's avatar

Omg I love this system… Wait, Lena, can I interview you on my mindset podcast, beyond the stack (on Substack live) about the other mindset tools you use as a writer and creator? I know I am small, but I am loud when it comes to pitching myself (isn’t that the point of Good thing Going?!) We’ve had some pretty amazing writers from all over the platform join. I’d love to have you.

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Good Thing Going's avatar

Jessie! I’m shooting a movie right now so always in a dark room but come Sept? Yes!

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Jessie Pagliari Tiernan's avatar

Omg yessss that’s actually perfect!!!! I’ll DM you the booking link now

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Kate's avatar

brb reorganising my notes app 🫡

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The Rest with Isabelle Spray's avatar

I turned my notes app snippets into a poem. Still deciding if it’s genius or trash lol

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Good Thing Going's avatar

Plz share thank you

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The Rest with Isabelle Spray's avatar

*in my notes app*

i love the sound

of the rain

on the window

i reached

for your hand

but you let go -

the purest, least complicated

and most sustaining kind of love

just different arrangements

of the same stuff

the existence

and the non-existence

both inside me -

all at once

and the only thing scarier than dying

is the fact that I am not.

if you kill yourself now

you will never hear

the next Taylor Swift album !!

the courage to show up

when you can’t control the outcome

you are safe.

you cannot rush wisdom.

trouble don’t last always x

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MK Lanz's avatar

Damn, Lena!!!!!!

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Amy Turn Sharp's avatar

this!! it me! love seeing behind the velvet curtain ❤️✨

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Good Thing Going's avatar

We always love to part the velvet curtain- feels very Moulin Rouge as a metaphor 😍🥹

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Jeanne Leitenberg's avatar

Love the drawing!!

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Emily Parsons's avatar

Oh my goodness this was amazing. I just organized my Notion, this has inspired me to organize my NotesApp aka my digital junk drawer. THANK YOU, LENA! :)

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Good Thing Going's avatar

Thank YOU- should I use Notion at all? Is it cool?

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Emily Parsons's avatar

I like it! You honestly have a fab Notes system so you might not need it, but I use it bc it has nice add-ons for project organization. For example, I can create a list of story ideas and their drafts in the same place. The drafts are like trendy Google docs bc you can add images, change colors, add little check box lists etc easily. I also have a "counter" where I count the paintings or art projects I work on. Or days I exercise... which is not as many, lol.

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Emily Parsons's avatar

I use Notion more simply, but this is a good tutorial if you're curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os0V5ADLVjM&t=3s

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