Writers need notebooks. But this post is about what I’ll call your general, all-purpose, always-have-it-with-me writer’s notebook. This isn’t just about stationery, paper or electronic. ‘I work. I have the habit of art’ says Alan Bennet’s fictional W H Auden in The Habit of Art.
Great post. I used to have a hard time spending money on a notebook, but once I tried Clairefontaine (spelling?) notebooks, I realized their value. It's a soothing pleasure to write on such nice paper, and they practice responsible forestry use.
Priscilla, thank you for being the first-ever reader to comment here on Substack! I'm so glad you like this post - when I was working on it, I came across Clairefontaine for the first time, and I really must now investigate, because they sound great, and my green conscience does twinge now and again.
I'm still a notebook scribbler sort of person. The only problem is I have loads of half, quarter or one-page- only used. How on earth do I find that long description of clouds I scribbled from a train rushing north five years ago? I need help!
Ha! Yes, we've all got some of that kind! I sometimes wrap an elastic band round the old pages, and use the second half of the notebook for something else.
But I do truly believe that a lot of the power of notebooking is in the process of writing, not the existence of the record years later. So I've (mostly) learnt to be quite Zen about what I will or won't turn out to find useful later.
And thank you, dear Sally, for being the Itch's first-ever paid supporter! It means a lot.
I practically live in a notebook - have done for years now. Recently I shifted to a two-notebooks system: one general, one for the current project, where I keep together brainstorming, story calendars, name lists, word-count tracking, lists of questions, plans, moon-phases (yes, well...), epiphanies, bibliographies, character sketches, to-dos, the occasional map, and... things. The general one is for everything else. And since I'm a little scatterbrained and I have trouble working on only one thing at a time, the separate notebooks help me to keep my various sheep in their different meadows, at least. All my WIP notebooks are Moleskines, all my general notebooks are Paperblanks - all of them unlined, because lines or grid make me feel... oh, I don't know: cramped, I guess.
Your notebook eco-system sounds much like mine, Clara: a general/habit notebook (well, two, actually, one in my bag, a rather bigger one on my desk/in my suitcase), and project-specific notebooks. I always know when a tasty idea is becoming serious, because I start needing a notebook for it. I know what you mean about cramped - partly because I have big, sprawly writing and the lines are always too close together. That is why I like dots: easier to ignore, but there if I need something to keep things a bit tidy.
Ha! Yes, I do much prefer Leuchturms too. I'm trying to remember which writer told me about them, but can't. Moleskines a bit too tall and thin for my taste, too. Glad you like the post.
A really great read Emma! After reading Bird by Bird this year I stocked up on some blank recipe cards/note cards. You’ll no find a stash and pen in my purse and each of my coat pockets. I don’t leave the house without them. They are small enough to carry easily. In my office I have a little container so any scribbled cards make it there for safe keeping. I so wish I could be a notebook user, but I’ve realized I’m much better with single sheets. I do so love a fresh notebook though!
Ooh, I like that idea! I love Bird by Bird but had forgotten that bit. I think I'd probably just lose the cards and fail to process them, but I have been known to photocopy pages from my habit-hotebook - or even tear them out - and staple them into the relevant project notebook. Which probably comes to the same or a similar thing!
I have a notebook! It's where I plan stories and learn craft techniques. But it sits on my desk - a precious resource. When I'm out and about and an idea comes to me or I overhear something I email it to myself ready for when I'm back at my desk. Then I write it in the notebook, or put it into my flat-plan spreadsheet of plot, in the to-dos column. I have a brain that, once I've written it down, my memory moves on; you've captured the idea, I don't need to use that neuron for it anymore. That's why email, notebook and spreadsheet are good for me :)
I am a messy notebooker but I’ve learned to date each entry. It really helps me. If I can vaguely remember where I was when I made some specific note( especially if it was overheard conversation) I’ll trace it in the notebook if I’ve a vague idea of the time of the year or even the actual year it was written. There’s an even better chance I’ll track it down if there’s a dated photo on my phone of something going on round about that time.
Great post. I used to have a hard time spending money on a notebook, but once I tried Clairefontaine (spelling?) notebooks, I realized their value. It's a soothing pleasure to write on such nice paper, and they practice responsible forestry use.
Priscilla, thank you for being the first-ever reader to comment here on Substack! I'm so glad you like this post - when I was working on it, I came across Clairefontaine for the first time, and I really must now investigate, because they sound great, and my green conscience does twinge now and again.
I'm still a notebook scribbler sort of person. The only problem is I have loads of half, quarter or one-page- only used. How on earth do I find that long description of clouds I scribbled from a train rushing north five years ago? I need help!
Ha! Yes, we've all got some of that kind! I sometimes wrap an elastic band round the old pages, and use the second half of the notebook for something else.
But I do truly believe that a lot of the power of notebooking is in the process of writing, not the existence of the record years later. So I've (mostly) learnt to be quite Zen about what I will or won't turn out to find useful later.
And thank you, dear Sally, for being the Itch's first-ever paid supporter! It means a lot.
I practically live in a notebook - have done for years now. Recently I shifted to a two-notebooks system: one general, one for the current project, where I keep together brainstorming, story calendars, name lists, word-count tracking, lists of questions, plans, moon-phases (yes, well...), epiphanies, bibliographies, character sketches, to-dos, the occasional map, and... things. The general one is for everything else. And since I'm a little scatterbrained and I have trouble working on only one thing at a time, the separate notebooks help me to keep my various sheep in their different meadows, at least. All my WIP notebooks are Moleskines, all my general notebooks are Paperblanks - all of them unlined, because lines or grid make me feel... oh, I don't know: cramped, I guess.
Your notebook eco-system sounds much like mine, Clara: a general/habit notebook (well, two, actually, one in my bag, a rather bigger one on my desk/in my suitcase), and project-specific notebooks. I always know when a tasty idea is becoming serious, because I start needing a notebook for it. I know what you mean about cramped - partly because I have big, sprawly writing and the lines are always too close together. That is why I like dots: easier to ignore, but there if I need something to keep things a bit tidy.
I've just discovered Leuchturms as well, after years of loyalty to Moleskines! We are on the same notebook trajectory!
Great post. Am sharing (if I can work the controls...)
Ha! Yes, I do much prefer Leuchturms too. I'm trying to remember which writer told me about them, but can't. Moleskines a bit too tall and thin for my taste, too. Glad you like the post.
A really great read Emma! After reading Bird by Bird this year I stocked up on some blank recipe cards/note cards. You’ll no find a stash and pen in my purse and each of my coat pockets. I don’t leave the house without them. They are small enough to carry easily. In my office I have a little container so any scribbled cards make it there for safe keeping. I so wish I could be a notebook user, but I’ve realized I’m much better with single sheets. I do so love a fresh notebook though!
Ooh, I like that idea! I love Bird by Bird but had forgotten that bit. I think I'd probably just lose the cards and fail to process them, but I have been known to photocopy pages from my habit-hotebook - or even tear them out - and staple them into the relevant project notebook. Which probably comes to the same or a similar thing!
I have a notebook! It's where I plan stories and learn craft techniques. But it sits on my desk - a precious resource. When I'm out and about and an idea comes to me or I overhear something I email it to myself ready for when I'm back at my desk. Then I write it in the notebook, or put it into my flat-plan spreadsheet of plot, in the to-dos column. I have a brain that, once I've written it down, my memory moves on; you've captured the idea, I don't need to use that neuron for it anymore. That's why email, notebook and spreadsheet are good for me :)
Yes, I think that's a common combination. I'm just better at scribbling than phone-wrangling while out and about ...
There should be a special word for writers' addictions to notebooks!
I've just googled "German for notebook addiction" - because I love their compound nouns - and that nice Ms Google came up with "Notizbuchsucht"
Emma, this a fantastic post that I will save for future reference. Thank you for your sharing your idea. Ben
You're so welcome! I'm so glad it's useful.
I am a messy notebooker but I’ve learned to date each entry. It really helps me. If I can vaguely remember where I was when I made some specific note( especially if it was overheard conversation) I’ll trace it in the notebook if I’ve a vague idea of the time of the year or even the actual year it was written. There’s an even better chance I’ll track it down if there’s a dated photo on my phone of something going on round about that time.