I am an English teacher. I think I have beaten this point into the ground, yes? Well, as such I have the privilege of teaching literature all day long. And I love that, truly. However, every couple of years I get the opportunity to teach creative writing, and that…that is like candy. I love that class because I love having the ability to encourage and spark the interest of the next generation of writers. We write and we read out loud and we critique each other. It is great. But, I am also a brutal taskmaster. I believe there are certain practices that, when made habitual, can transform ‘people who like to write’ into Writers, and these things are often simpler than you might think. One of the simplest yet most critical habits to develop as a burgeoning writer is keeping a notebook. Now, I know what you are going to say: I don’t need a notebook because I have a great memory, or I don’t want to carry something around, or won’t I look funny always taking notes. Stop. Just stop. Trust me when I say a notebook is key. You will never remember every idea or phrase or word or plan. I shudder to think about the number of great ideas I lost in the years before I just bit the bullet and kept a notebook.
Having established the need for said notebook, the wonderful thing is that recent technology has provided us with a nearly unending supply of non-paper options (so this refutes the argument that you don’t want to carry a “notebook” around…if you have your phone you will have your notes). So, let’s consider some tried and true, and some newer but great options for a writer’s notebook: 1. The Paper Booklet: Coming in an array of sizes, shapes, and patterns, this option may be the only one some of you will entertain. Whether you are “old school” or just a more tactile person, this is the gold standard and you can never go wrong with pen and paper. And, an added bonus…paper never runs out of battery life or crashes! 2. The ‘Notepad’ on Your Phone/Tablet: Nearly all phones or tablets come with a basic notepad installed. It is easily accessible and notes usually can be easily emailed or texted to yourself or another person should you need to share information or get the ideas out of the notepad and into another form. This is also perhaps the simplest version of the technology options—just open the app and start typing. However, this choice has little in the way of organization usually, so if you have multiple notes for one project, this may not fulfill all your needs. 3. Apps, Apps, and More Apps: Ok, if you need more functionality, or more organization, then perhaps one of the plethora of apps is the best choice for you. There are many. I mean many many options. Three that I like and have used are Evernote, Notability and OneNote. Each of these apps is intended for the creation of multiple notebooks, with multiple pages in each, according to your needs. Notes can be handwritten or typed, and different highlighters, etc. are available. Photos can be loaded into the pages of the notebooks as well. In addition, if you want to record voice notes or the sounds around you, that is also an option. Beyond these functions, each app has slight variations in how they are laid out that may appeal more or less to you, such as the ability to link to a web page or the ability to have the notebooks password protected. Now for the most important thing: Whatever kind of notebook you decide to invest in, it is worthless until you use it. Make it a conscious choice at first. When you see something that would be an idea for your writing you should take a picture, but don’t just stop there…take the extra five seconds to load it into your notebook. Or, when you hear a funny conversation that could inspire dialogue in your next story, don’t just say to yourself “oh I need to remember that,” instead write in down in your notebook. Get the idea? Eventually you wont have to remind yourself. It will just become second nature to reach for it and jot a few things down. Once that happens you may be surprised at how your writing improves.
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Wendy Picard GorhamWendy lives and works in the midst of words everyday--English teacher by profession, and writer by passion! Archives
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