Notebooks are a writer’s best friend. They capture ideas, characterizations and plot arcs. We may have a compulsion to gather them and set them aside for a future project. Notebooks are available in a multitude of designs and styles, so there is something for everyone.
We treasure our notebooks as they record that moment a new story or character is revealed. From those humble beginnings a narrative is born.
Do you file your notebooks in a particular order? Genre, first to last or by other themes?
Where do you keep them?
However, do you use one just for observations of human behaviour? Yes, an interesting concept and one I had never thought of before. I always think I will remember that old man’s comments to the waitress or the young mother’s dialogue with her baby. I hope you find this article as interesting as I did.
http://thewritersalleys.blogspot.ca/2014/01/the-writers-notebook.html
My problem is whenever I buy notebooks, I’ll only use it for a few pages and then buy another one and do the same thing.
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Do you then find a great story idea when browsing through old ones?
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Sometimes I do, I just wish I used the entire notebook so I can have more ideas.
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I have a desk full of sticky notes. I sometimes come home with napkins with notes on them. Then I have full sheets of paper with so many more notes and ideas.
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Loose sheets – nightmare. Don’t you lose some? I need notebooks & then transcribe onto laptop files.
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File? Genre? What??? I am a hoarder. Most of mine are empty – I keep a tiny one in my purse and the rest are too lovely to mar with my crappy handwriting. I opt for computer notes… 🙂
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All pretty in a row? Upon a shelf for display and dreaming? Julie you are funny.
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They are tucked in drawers, in filing cabinets, in the box of ‘i can’t remember why i keep this stuff’ under my bed. Finding them randomly throughout the year is a treat. I vow to use them, then put them right back to come across by accident a few months later. 😀
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So recurring Christmas or birthday surprises for you – nice!
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Good lord, I have so many notebooks for different things. I like to pretend I’m organised, but I’m just not. -_-
And I have too many.
I might try to streamline them. Maybe. Perhaps. Probably not.
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Notebooks seem to take on a reverence of their own – they are not for throwing away!
Thanks for dropping by.
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