I personally really value having a clean, organized writing space I can always access and edit. My primary working space is on Google drive (mostly out of fear of losing the files), but you can create it anywhere you like. The point is: it should be easily accessible, so you can always note down your ideas or edit your newest chapter.
There isn't one global way of organizing your writing space - I'm simply proposing one of them which I personally find most efficient.
Once you created a new folder for writing only, it's time to make a few subfolders:
1. FINISHED STORIES
2. STORIES IN PROGRESS
3. FUTURE STORIES
4. SKETCHBOOK
5. WRITING TOOLS
First three don't need additional explanation. By "sketchbook" I mean place for ideas you're yet to make sense of, yet to organize. For example, you can note down a dream you had you found particularly inspiring. Sketchbook should be a comfortable space you don't have to organize right away, you can simply leave your ideas here for the future.
"Writing tools" can be stuff like "World building charts" from Pinterest, or notes on Enneagram personality types for building characters. It can also include notes taken from this blog, if you find them useful. In short, it's space for the tools you'll use in writing your story.
Personally I also have one additional folder for stories I'm writing with friends. You can include it if you're also writing with others or skip it if you don't.
Let's now move to organizing the "Stories in progress" folder. Inside, you'll - again - create subfolders for each story you're currently writing. If you're always only writing one story at the time, skip this step.
Let's take my story Neon Collapse for an example, since I believe it's always easier to understand and visualize things on examples. Once you open my folder "Neon collapse", you'll see...
→ a word document for the story itself - I used to keep each chapter in a separate document, but I found it to be messy with time, so now, I simply keep the entire story in one document
→ a word document for WORLD BUILDING. There, I keep all the notes on setting and specific parts of world building I need to know, but wouldn't remember (my memory can be quite...).
→ a word document for CHARACTERS. Here I write down everything I should remember about my MC, antagonists and side characters
→ a word document for PLOT. Here I write in steps how the story will be progressing, which events are coming and what their order is
I also tend to keep visual boards and character boards in the folders, but you don't have to do it. It simply helps me with staying inspired and in the mood for writing the story.
Once I finish the story, I simply move the specific folder into the "Finished stories". This way, everything stays organized and clean.
Personally, I also have a folder which holds stories meant to be rewritten or stories which I dropped, but still hold some value for me. I named it "Dropped", but feel free to name it however you want. If you don't need this folder, simply skip this step.
That was how I keep my working space highly organized and I always know where to find the things I need. I've been complimented on it before, that's why I decided to share it with you. Of course, everything can be modified, you don't have to copy my ways - feel free to inspire yourself and make your writing space the way you want it to be.
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