Thursday, April 20, 2023

That Writing Notebook you are Keeping!

So do you folks remember when I said to begin keeping your writing notebook for this current story. It was a place you could put together your ideas and notes about your story. I encouraged you to keep up with chapters or scene to remember key points in each. It's good to add one or two sentences about what each chapter holds. This book could also remind you of hair and eye color and names of those mentioned in your story for easy reference for starters.

I have used my notebook for all my stories in one way or another but it's also what I like to refer to as my writer's bible...it holds all the truths about my stories. Even if I mapped one of my stories on my story board it later ends up in my notebook. 

But over time I added things about writing and cowboys and horses to my book. It makes it fun. You can add writer's quotes and all kinds of things. It might even be a bit of a journal for you. 

A few years back both my girls wanted a WRECK THIS JOURNAL...in case you have never seen those it tells you what to write about or do on each page and encourages it to be messy. So mine might be a true messy journal but I love it. So here are more ideas and I encourage you to make your book planner fun!!

My husband and girls don't understand me and notebooks and papers. I am funny about my notebooks and if I make a purchase I get aggravated if the sales clerk scans it roughly and bends the pages. I have refused to buy it when they do that. And I never buy spiral bound notebooks if I can help it. They get beent and the pages do not turn well. And Eventually I want a new one. I hate the frayed pages when they are torn out. 

So I am spoiled to the soft cover Moleskin brand notebooks. They come in various sizes. My writers Bible is in one of these and it's lasted. They lay flat when you write. The pages are nice. There are plenty of pages and they just hold up well to being carried all over. Worth the price in my opinion. So find the kind of notebook you csn use for more than this story. Especially if you will have more than one book in the series. I Kepp adding each new book idea to mine snd so my book Bible has grown little by little over time. 

Add a list of your favorite books
Keep a to be read lost
Write quotes
Add stickers if you love that sort of thing
Keep a travel list 
Add restaurants you love
Add your goals for 2, 5, 20 years...
Add thoughts each day
Keep up with your book ideas and plans
Add some of the research you have done
Add all kinds of lists
Use crayons color pencils highlighters
Add recipes
Add ribbons
Draw your hand somewhere inside it
List your pets
Add favorite TV shows or Movies
Make a page your bucket list

THIS LIST COULD GO ON AND ONE BUT MAKE IT FUN!
But don't let it distract you from the story!!