12 Comments

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.

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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!

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Wow. I've found a couple of short stories, but a whole novel???? Amazing.

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I know! He said he was surprised as well!

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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.

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Sep 12·edited Sep 12Liked by Tammy Evans

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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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I use mine for free writing, daydreaming, list making, and as Commonplace books.

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Love Commonplace books. I wish my pages looked like the cool pics I see on the internet though! LOL

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