You’ve decided to buy a notebook; or, perhaps you’ve been gifted one. It could be sitting on your desk or by the side of your bed. Hidden in plain sight. Waiting to capture all of your thoughts and ideas—but, you’re not sure where to start. Think of the notebook as ‘your place’. What kind of place it is? It is a place you can go to discover new words and synonyms? It is a place you can go to reconnect with those ideas you had last week, month or year? Is it a place where you can find the biographies of the characters you have created? Perhaps, your notebook contains lots of different places.
Crafting a story is a process that takes time, practice and discipline. The more you write, the more you will improve. A notebook is an invaluable tool to aid you in this process. Much of what is written is formed by what has already been read. What is observed. What is felt. The writer draws on these experiences to bring an authenticity to their own creations. A notebook is a great way to keep track of it all—just remember to keep it with you.
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Prompt words. Prompt words are a great way to get you experimenting with language and unfamiliar vocabulary. Find them online and draft out short paragraphs/poems using them.
- Characterisation. How many times during the writing process have you forgotten the colour of your character’s eyes; or, what their backstory is? Sketch out your characters. Imagine they are wanted by the police—what information would be needed to catch them. What if they changed their appearance?
- Snapshots. Eavesdrop on life and take a snapshot of what you see, hear and feel. The couple arguing outside the supermarket. The girl waiting for someone at airport arrivals. The old lady you saw shouting at a small child. Who are they? What did they look like? What were they saying? What were they feeling at that time?
- Cherry picking. You’ve read or heard something that you just love. Jot down those glistening cherries in your notebook. It could be the future name of a character or a literary device that another writer has used to good effect. It might be a song you’ve sung along to; or a piece of art that has moved you.
- Rotten apple picking. The antonym of 4.
- Scribbles. Imagine a place without grammatical constraints. A place without judgement. A place to be. Scribble down your ideas. Redraft them. Go wild with them. Bust out those creative moves—because nobody will ever judge you for them—except yourself.
- It’s a habit. Make the notebook your addiction. A habit you can’t break. Just as writing requires regular discipline—so does the notebook.
- It’s a fun thing. Have fun!
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