At a time when most writers (and most everybody) depend on electronic, digital devices to help coordinate their work and, indeed, their lives, the decidedly low-tech, old reliable notebook (the paper kind) can help bring inspiration to a writer's work.
Purposes of a Writer's Notebook
A writer's notebook serves several purposes. It gets the writer away from the glow of the laptop's screen, which can only be a welcome diversion. Not only are the long hours of staring bad for the eyes, the change of pace is always good for a fresh mindset.
Second, a writer's notebook reacquaints one with the necessary pen-to-paper connection. Everyone learned to write on paper with a writing utensil, and there is a crucial thread running from the mind/imagination, down through the arm and hand, onto the paper. It's becoming too easy in a digital age to lose that connection, or at least become rusty.
A writer's notebook can go where no laptop has gone before. Locations where a computer is not desirable or not feasible --the beach, a dinner party, a job(!), a vacation,-- are places where inspiration still strikes. Getting into the habit of keeping the notebook on hand (but not necessarily on the table at the restaurant) will save some of those "now-what-was-it-I-was-thinking ?" moments.
Writer's Notebooks are Valuable Tool for Prompts
The most important aspect of a writer's notebook, however, is its value as a creative tool. As an ongoing, self-styled, compendium of a variety of thoughts, snippets, writing prompts and more, the writer's notebook can become a "bible" of sorts, the writer's be all, end all.
Ernest Hemingway (who composed standing up at a podium, on paper) was known for his use of the small moleskin notebooks. Moleskins have become popular again, coming in all sizes, and they are an option but a pricey one. Because it can be added to, the old-fashioned 3-ring binder, is a good choice, if a bit bulky. Whatever suits the writer's needs is best.
Writer's Notebook Category Suggestions
- Ideas- those fleeting story ideas that disappear so quickly
- Titles - for stories, novels, articles, plays,
- Quotes - overheard or thought-up
- Snippets - fragmentary thoughts or moments or lines
- Overheard Conversations - at work, on the bus, in line at the grocery store make great prompts
- Quotes about writing - inspiring lines to keep you going
- Prompts - from writing books, conferences, classes
- Dialogue - between your characters or overheard
- Thoughts - any old thoughts, you never know...
- Character Sketches - often inspired by that guy on the street corner
- Place Sketches - on a walk in the neighborhood or another country
- Observations - of anything...prompt material
- Names - heard or conjured up
- Dreams - the ones remembered
- Emotions - in reaction to events
- Outlines - of stories, articles (often clearer when not trying)
- Headlines - newspaper, radio news...good prompts
- Drawings - sketches of places, scenes, to help recall
- Odds 'n Ends - all the rest!
- or anything
What a Writer's Notebook Is Not
As a self-made tool, created for one's own personal use, the writer's notebook can and should obviously be tailored to each writer's needs. A novelist will use one differently than a journalist, and Reggie will have a different approach than Justine. However, as suggested here, primarily as a "go to" inspirational tool, there are a few things this type of writer's notebook is not.
A writer's notebook is not a journal. Once extended daily entries begin, a notebook is filled quickly. It's best to have a seperate daily journal of thoughts, perhaps used in conjunction with the writer's notebook, culling one's "best of" thoughts. Journals, of course, can serve many of the same purposes.
A writer's notebook is not an exercise book, used to write out morning pages or prompt exercises. For the same reason as above, it's best to use another notebook, or even a legal pad. Most exercises wind up in the garbage anyway, eventually.
A writer's notebook is not a replacement for the laptop. It is not being suggested here that writers start composing on paper (although the aforementioned pencil-to-paper connection can serve to break writer's block). Computers are obviously invaluable to most aspects of composition, from research to the final product. But as a creative tool, a writer's notebook can be just as necessary to the writer's craft.
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