I LOVE notebooks. I use different ones for different things. I have one for freewrites, one for workshop notes, etc. For my novel (first timer) I decided it would be easier to use the same one. I have notes from workshops and various scenes, I'm on the 3rd one now, all with a forest themed cover which feels appropriate since I'm often lost in the woods with bringing this project to fruition. How horrible that someone read your notebooks. I don't blame you for wanting to burn them, but what a shame to lose them because of someone's betrayal.
I did try to have a writing process notebook but I never seemed to have it at the right time! I did use one for my novel when I was taking Nina Lacour’s Slow Novel writing class. I have decided that all projects must need their own system! LOL
Hi Tammy, I’m curious about your everything-notebook approach. That’s sort of what’s happened to me, but I fear I’ll never find anything, and that it’s too disorganized. Do you use post-its galore?
I have had to block time out to reread journals. Sometimes I remember something I wrote and can seem to find it fairly quickly.
I go back through and read and transcribe. I started this practice in 2020 but go through spurts. I have so many ideas and threads I follow that post it notes do sometimes work. Other times I label documents to gather ideas. If it is a story idea I have tried to write it just then (or close to finding it again) because saving it for Later was not a good system. I can search ideas once I put them into the Google Drive but honestly, that is not always easy either.
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.
yes! I love when I stumbled across what I need but wasn't directly searching for! I heard recently that Alexander Chee found a whole novel he had forgotten that he had written in his files!
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.
I write everything in notebooks first. Some things from them I type up to put onto a hard drive, others I just hope will always remain in tact and legible where they are. I too have burned a few in my lifetime. I have boxes full of ones I've kept since I was around 11 years old.
I have a ton of different notebooks right now - a morning pages one, a dream journal, a gratitude journal, one for class notes, one for free writing. I have thought about starting the arduous task of transcribing and organizing my notes onto my computer and contemplated burning my morning pages journals.
You had me at "notebooks". I know how you feel about being betrayed. It happened to me. My ex husband burned mine as if it could undo my experiences. I ended up burning my high school journals just so I wouldn't suffer any further hurt and humiliation. It's hard. I know. But I'm here thriving and he's a pathetic a-hole out there somewhere still miserable.
My use of notebooks is ever evolving. I have one for my writing projects. I have one for webinars, podcasts, books I read and classes I take to remember interesting quotes or points.
I have one for self-improvement and goals. Especially if I'm reading books like "Finding Your North Star" by Martha Beck and other similar books. I like to do the exercises or write my thoughts on something they've said.
I also started a "year long writing project" back in 2020 that I didn't stop. I bought a pack of thin colorful notebooks that have 30 pages in them (60 if you count the backside). I write a page a day each month -- for the months with 31 days I use the back of the last page. The writing can be anything. I then transcribe whatever I want to remember or keep, in a digital journal where I flesh out more info away from potential prying eyes -- also a flame-free option ;)
I LOVE notebooks. I use different ones for different things. I have one for freewrites, one for workshop notes, etc. For my novel (first timer) I decided it would be easier to use the same one. I have notes from workshops and various scenes, I'm on the 3rd one now, all with a forest themed cover which feels appropriate since I'm often lost in the woods with bringing this project to fruition. How horrible that someone read your notebooks. I don't blame you for wanting to burn them, but what a shame to lose them because of someone's betrayal.
I did try to have a writing process notebook but I never seemed to have it at the right time! I did use one for my novel when I was taking Nina Lacour’s Slow Novel writing class. I have decided that all projects must need their own system! LOL
Hi Tammy, I’m curious about your everything-notebook approach. That’s sort of what’s happened to me, but I fear I’ll never find anything, and that it’s too disorganized. Do you use post-its galore?
I have had to block time out to reread journals. Sometimes I remember something I wrote and can seem to find it fairly quickly.
I go back through and read and transcribe. I started this practice in 2020 but go through spurts. I have so many ideas and threads I follow that post it notes do sometimes work. Other times I label documents to gather ideas. If it is a story idea I have tried to write it just then (or close to finding it again) because saving it for Later was not a good system. I can search ideas once I put them into the Google Drive but honestly, that is not always easy either.
I do rely on intuition often.
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.
yes! I love when I stumbled across what I need but wasn't directly searching for! I heard recently that Alexander Chee found a whole novel he had forgotten that he had written in his files!
Wow. I've found a couple of short stories, but a whole novel???? Amazing.
I know! He said he was surprised as well!
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.
I write everything in notebooks first. Some things from them I type up to put onto a hard drive, others I just hope will always remain in tact and legible where they are. I too have burned a few in my lifetime. I have boxes full of ones I've kept since I was around 11 years old.
I have a ton of different notebooks right now - a morning pages one, a dream journal, a gratitude journal, one for class notes, one for free writing. I have thought about starting the arduous task of transcribing and organizing my notes onto my computer and contemplated burning my morning pages journals.
Burning is always tricky. The morning pages on my end have a lot of complaining so those I don't have so much angst about letting go!
I don't transcribe every word either. If there is no heat at all I just move on. It is one pass of revision though which I find helpful.
I use mine for free writing, daydreaming, list making, and as Commonplace books.
Love Commonplace books. I wish my pages looked like the cool pics I see on the internet though! LOL
You had me at "notebooks". I know how you feel about being betrayed. It happened to me. My ex husband burned mine as if it could undo my experiences. I ended up burning my high school journals just so I wouldn't suffer any further hurt and humiliation. It's hard. I know. But I'm here thriving and he's a pathetic a-hole out there somewhere still miserable.
My use of notebooks is ever evolving. I have one for my writing projects. I have one for webinars, podcasts, books I read and classes I take to remember interesting quotes or points.
I have one for self-improvement and goals. Especially if I'm reading books like "Finding Your North Star" by Martha Beck and other similar books. I like to do the exercises or write my thoughts on something they've said.
I also started a "year long writing project" back in 2020 that I didn't stop. I bought a pack of thin colorful notebooks that have 30 pages in them (60 if you count the backside). I write a page a day each month -- for the months with 31 days I use the back of the last page. The writing can be anything. I then transcribe whatever I want to remember or keep, in a digital journal where I flesh out more info away from potential prying eyes -- also a flame-free option ;)