Notebooks
I love notebooks.
Several friends are in Italy for a writing retreat and the main teacher/organizer brings notebooks for everyone. They are particularly lovely this session.
I even looked for hot air balloon stickers after I saw that first one!
The notebook I am currently writing in is one from Vera Bradley with a sticker from Victoria Canada I bought on the cruise.
I have written in notebooks as long as I can remember. It used to be sporadic and divided. There was a time I had morning pages notebooks, dream notebooks, note notebooks, daily journal notebooks, specific class notebooks, teaching conference notebooks, story idea notebooks, etc. Then I combined it into the "Everything notebook." This is the system I mostly use right now.
I found 60 page notebooks that have heavy craft paper covers that I have been using for workshops so I can find the notes easier.
Freewriting is my daily routine. I attend classes and most of my exercises and notes are written on paper. Even in my small space, they are everywhere. They are in the bookcases and in bags in the closet.
There are many pieces that were drafted into the computer but they have a different feel than the handwritten stories to me. I craft slower when handwriting for sure. When my mind is in a flurry, then I type.
In a fit of anger years ago I burned many of the college year notebooks. I also had notebooks full of morning pages, but they are gone now. Sadly, I had someone read them without permission and I felt so betrayed I burned my words.
During the COVID lockdown one of my goals was to transcribe my notebooks into the computer. I started with the notebooks that I used during short story challenges. I did get through several notebooks. There are many flash fiction pieces that will never see the light of day unless they get into the computer for revision.
Transcribing is still an ongoing project. There is typing and then organizing.
The last few notebooks I went through I pulled several nuggets out into different categories. Overheard conversations, lines I wanted to keep, Trio readings, quotes. But honestly, there was a lot of white space and vague notes. One was from a crazy time in late 2019. I was surprised I captured none of the urgency and stress I know was prevalent in that time.
I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
Was I protecting myself to NOT remember? Was I too busy to really record much feeling? Or was I numb at the time? I'm not sure I will ever know.
My notebooks are always there. Now that many of them are seeing the light again I will pull them out and reminisce and write down the memories into stories to be saved. I do believe some of the stories and impressions will just live in my handwriting on those pages and that is ok too.
What do you do with your notebooks?
I would love to hear in the comments.
If you need some prompts, I have 100 prompts in an e-book for you! You can buy it here.
I could have written this, including the burning of years of journals when my thoughts were invaded by unwelcomed eyes. It's been 30 years of writing notes for everything, and I still have no coherent system. Yet somehow, I manage to find what I'm looking for - most times. But nothing compares to stumbling over something not searched for, not remembered and asking myself if I wrote it. So unforgettable when written, the profundity of it is crystal clear in hindsight.
Your list of different notebooks made me say, “Wow.” You are a notebook rock star. Ten years and going I consider myself an apprentice in notebook writing world.