My new notebook!
I love notebooks.
Every writer I know does; when Borders went bust a couple of years back there was a clamour of almost every Merseyside based writer I know to the branch in Speke just up the road from Liverpool to snap up the final deliciously designed stock.
I treated myself to a lovely one this week (pictured, I just had to share it with you) and have been carrying it around in my bag since then, fishing it out whenever anything strikes me as interesting.
I write things down in my notebooks when:
- I overhear* conversations on the bus. Older passengers in particular come up with some gems.
(* please feel free to interpret this as gegging in/having a nosey/earwigging)
- I go to restaurants. Family rows are brilliant (not mine, that of others), as you get turns of phrase you wouldn’t usually consider. They try to keep their voices light and jolly so as not to draw attention to the fact they’re having a barney. Wonderful!
- I notice something in a novel I like. Not for plagiarist purposes, but other writers see things in different ways and express it accordingly. I read for enjoyment but to raise my writing game as well, I’m not scared to admit I learn from great writers.
- I notice something in a novel I DON’T like. We can learn from not so brilliant writing too.
- I go into areas featured in my novel. As The Missing Link is based in Liverpool, I know people will notice any inaccuracies. It’s worth noting down descriptions and keywords because just memory on its own isn’t quite enough.
Of course when I bought my new notebook this week I could have just gone down to the local B&M and bought a handful of plain covered ones for the same money, but mine’s just soooo pretty…
I’d be interested to hear where other writers take their notebooks, and what inspires you to scribble down things in them.
http://www.cathbore.com/About.html
#1 by Stroppy Author on September 24, 2011 - 7:46 am
Absolutely! Notebooks have to be lovely and go everywhere. I blogged about my notebooks (and Bram Stoker’s notebooks) on Awfully Big Blog Adventure.
Yes, Borders is sadly missed. Paperchase is the next best for day-to-day notebooks. And the ubiquitous Moleskin, of course.
#2 by cathbore on September 24, 2011 - 8:23 am
Yes, I take mine everywhere with me, in case I miss anything. I got my new one from The Works of all places – for £2.99. Bargain! I’ll checkout your blog post
#3 by Kate Jack on September 24, 2011 - 10:15 am
Every writer needs a notebook, so it may as well be a pretty one.
#4 by cathbore on September 24, 2011 - 11:42 am
Indeed! I’m going to have to find out what male writers use, I’m not sure if my silk covered pink floral one would suit many of the ones I know
#5 by Sean Patrick Reardon on September 24, 2011 - 1:40 pm
I don’t carry a notebook, but I always seem to have a pen around, and write down ideas on anything that’s handy A lot of inspiration comes when I’m in the car, the only place where there is solitude, it seems. Sad to say, but I really don’t write by hand much at all, including at work. If I write down an idea, I transfer it to a word doc as soon as I can. My nook has come in handy as well for making notes sometimes
#6 by cathbore on September 24, 2011 - 3:38 pm
I hardly do any handwriting myself, Sean – my old Mum would turn in her grave if she knew that!
I can type much faster than I write. My notebooks are the only time I put pen to paper which is quite sad now I think about it