10 Uses for Spare Notebooks

Brittany, who describes herself as “a thirteen-year-old writer of middle-grade fiction,” offers some good ideas for everyone who has a hoard of notebooks and can’t think of what to do with them. Here’s idea #1:

1. Keep a dream journal.- I’ve gotten some good story ideas from dreams, or at least little bits of story. On New Year’s Eve I watched the movie Inception, and somewhere in the beginning the main character says that we only use a fraction of our brain when we’re awake (or something like that).

So take advantage of that. When you roll out of bed, write down what happened in your dream, no matter how stupid or silly or weird it sounds. Obviously, not all of these will be good story ideas, but after a couple weeks of dreaming there’s always a gem or two.

Read more at http://www.hillsandcorkscrews.com/2011/01/10-ideas-for-notebook-hoarders.html

Blog Widget by LinkWithin
Be Sociable, Share!

4 Responses to “10 Uses for Spare Notebooks”

  1. Katyjeanmachine, on January 06, 2011 at 9:22 am, said:

    I have started a gratitude journal. I don’t write in it every night, but I need to get in that habit. The goal is to write a little about 5 things from my day that I am thankful for, no matter how small. It’s kinda fun….but some days it is really REALLY hard to think of 5 things.

  2. JonelB, on January 06, 2011 at 9:53 am, said:

    I use my notebooks in three categories:
    1.) Journal. Personal things go here. These are often 8×10 or similar size, for large-size use and ease of taping in things, from receipts to notes about other stories that I’m working on. Somedays I may enter nine pages, some days none. I currently have a covered, painted-upon mead 3-subject composition notebook for this use. I have had multiple compliments on it.
    2.)Story: For the single-minded use of story entrance. It doesn’t really matter what size this one is, as long as it’s above pocket size—I will also use a notebook like this as a journal in nice places, as it tends to look less used and worn. I have a moleskine reporter, lined, for such things. It also helps to not have to break up stories as much should I want to write something different in my regular journal. Currently I’m using a moleskine reporter for this.
    3.)Notes: this one is the pocket size, that I pull out in supermarkets and class and outings with friends, that i use for real life or fiction notes. This one holds my lists, my research, my ideas for stories and recipes or meals, or my lists of movies to watch during a movie binge. I’m currently using a greenroom eco notebook for this, previously it was a small butterfly and flower printed notebook in pink. Basically anything that can hold a pen will work. On the front I have a small stack of 15 or so index cards clipped with a silver binder clip, then clipped to the front with a smaller red binder clip, that also holds it open to the page I’m on. the index cards are gridded, and I use it for grocery lists or disposable knowledge, such as to-do lists, that I don’t want cluttering up my notebooks.

    Most of my notebooks can fit into one of these sections, if not: Project notebooks. I will usually section off these notebooks, and then put notes on each page regarding the separate sections of a story or project.
    I also use some notebooks simply for research I have collected on certain cultures, or things such as magic in certain sections of stories–if it is highly regulated I like to be consistent between stories.
    I need to start a notebook and/or online wikia for my made-up world that I’ve managed to fill up so quickly with cultures of my choosing.
    I could also see a notebook functioning as a sort of food weekly planner–working out the meals each week with what you have in the pantry on one page, and laying out the menu on the next page.

  3. Tweets that mention Notebook Stories: A Blog About Notebooks, Journals, Moleskines, Blank Books, Sketchbooks, Diaries and More -- Topsy.com, on January 06, 2011 at 9:54 am, said:

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Quinn McDonald. Quinn McDonald said: RT @NotebookStories: New post: 10 Uses for Spare Notebooks http://dlvr.it/CnVrH [...]

  4. Johnny, on April 14, 2012 at 7:31 pm, said:

    I use my notebook as a research journal. I take Hip-Hop Dance class at LAHS for the Arts so I write down info on different types of dancers and what forms they use. I also use it as a songwriting book.

Leave a Reply

«
»