Everyone who writes or wants to write needs to carry a notebook and pen. It doesn’t matter whether you write notes to yourself, grocery lists or ideas–you need a notebook with you at all times. Ideas can be flighty, if you don’t capture them when they land, they’ll be gone, too often for good.
You don’t need an 8.5 x 11 inch notebook, unless you carry a big bag or backpack and feel you’d prefer one that size. What you need is something small. I like the small Moleskine notebooks because they fit into a purse or pocket. There’s enough space for notes or a few minutes of writing time in a cafe. I always have it with me and get a bit antsy when I’m near to filling up the pages and haven’t connected with a new one yet.
What goes into a notebook? If I’m in a cafe and overhear something interesting, that goes into the notebook. Sometimes I’ll do a character sketch based on an overheard conversation or interaction. If I see a book I want to read in a bookstore but don’t have the cash to purchase it, the title and author go into the notebook. Suggestions from friends for movies to see, books to read, places to visit, people to talk to–all of that lands in the notebook. When I’m working on something, I often move to a cafe for a couple of hours to get a different perspective (and treats), so will write notes and thoughts in my notebook. Recipes go into the notebook–often a bit too cryptic to be useful, but I usually write the source of the recipe so I can track it down if I want to.
Anything I want to remember, think about, my observations and questions, anything at all can land in the notebook.
When working on a memoir project, you won’t be working only during your designated writing time. All sorts of pieces of memory, impressions, thoughts, feelings and a million questions will drift by, no matter where you are or what you are going. Get them on the page of your notebook as soon as you can (please, not while driving!).
Your notebook is the primary resource and tool for your project, so don’t, ever, leave home without it.
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Since a friend gifted me with a tiny moleskine, I’ve also become a fan. Much neater than the small spirals I used to use, and more organized than the stash of index cards that came before the spirals. What next?