What is a writer’s notebook?
It’s many different things to each writer. It can be a spiral bound notebook of story ideas, or a binder of clippings from things that inspire them. Or, it can be a crazy combination of both.
A writer’s a notebook is defined by that individual writer.
For me, my writer’s notebook is a big 2in hot pink binder (a hand me down from my daughter).
Inside it contains writing prompts that I’ve tried and description of every-day scenes and setting from my life that I’ve recorded from my phone or the little note pad in my purse. I also have a collection of sexy words or phrases to help inspire me when I’m stuck. However, the most important section of my notebook (in my mind) is the place where I write down everything that comes to mind for future stories.
TIP: My favorite type of writing prompt is intriguing pictures that I write a short story or scene based on what I think is happening in the picture or why the picture was taken. I scower the internet for cool thought provoking pictures, print them out in small sizes and then keep them in an envelope I have taped inside of my writers notebook. Then, when it comes time to write, I just pull one out, glue the picture to the page, and write what comes to mind.
I see a writer’s notebook as a tool to help writers write. To make the practice of writing a fun and interesting experience. Kind of like a diary but instead of a diary of important events and feelings in your life, it’s more like a diary of ideas, scenes that play in your head and words that inspire you.
I love my writers notebook but I have to be honest, I neglect it way more then I should. I’m told that to be a successful “story weaver” I need to practice the art of writing any and everything and that the writers notebook is the key to obtaining that skill. So, to find time to write in it, I actually entered in a “time slot” in my daily schedule to devote to it. I know, I know. LAME. But hey, like I’ve mentioned in previous blogs… I’m a planner. Planning is my thing. 🙂
So far, setting up a specific time and creating a reminder “alarm” has really helped. When it’s notebook time I’ll do a little prompt and then include anything I’ve recently come across that was inspiring or any ideas that have floated into my head. (I leave little notepads throughout my home for just those unexpected moments of inspiration.)
Below are links to articles, websites or Apps that can help make your writers notebook full of helpful and inspiring things.
Articles
- Amanda Patterson “Gathering Seeds in Your Writer’s Notebook”
- Christy Luis “Your Writers Notebook”
- Sarah Brennan “Start a Writers Notebook”
Websites
- A Tumblr Blog “Writing Prompts”
- Language is a Virus – A website that helps you cure writers block with prompts, exercises and other tools.
- Annette Brownlee’s website where she posts writing prompts geared toward Romance Writers. She also has helpful worksheets and downloads.
Apps
- A Novel Idea – an app that is “a fun and interactive game where players take turns building a story, one sentence at a time. Scheming plots, bizzar who-dun-it’s, murder mysteries or forbidden love are just a few “Ideas” to get you started.”
- Werdsmith – an app that ” turns your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch into a portable writing studio, so you can write any time, any place. “
- Flash Fiction Prompter – an app that “is an easy-to-use and simple writing prompter that provides a instant starting point for your Flash Fiction (or other short literary forms) by giving you a random character, setting, and plot, which are the basic ingredients for any story.
Remember: Your writers notebook should be a work of love. Enjoy it, add to it, be proud of it.
Do you have a writer’s notebook? If so, what is yours like? Do you enjoy writing in it or find it more of a chore?
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