Keeping Your Thoughts Organized
Thoughts are fleeting.
If you have a good idea for a writing project, you need a place to write it down. The logical place, the place thousands of writers choose, is a simple notebook.
I use ordinary spiral-bound notebooks, and have been using the same notebook for my writing inspirations for a few years now.
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What you'll find here:
Create a Table of Contents
Inspiration
"...celebrate man's proven capacity for greatness of heart and spirit..."
- John Steinbeck, from his Nobel Prize acceptance speech
Also from the same source:
"The ancient commission of the writer has not changed. He is charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams, for the purpose of improvement."
- Steinbeck
"Anyone who believes you can't change history has never tried to write his memoirs."
-- David Ben Gurion
"I may be a 'serious writer' but I wish I was a humor writer ~ they're more fun to read."
- me
Read About It
Notebook Know-How: Strategies for the Writer's Notebook
Amazon Price: $11.08 (as of 07/04/2009) 
What to Write in Your Notebook
For example, if you hear something and think, "That would be a great title for a novel," that's something that should be written into your writer's notebook. Do not trust your memory to keep these kinds of thoughts. Thoughts are here one minute and soon gone, like clouds floating by that cannot be captured.
Write everything down, regardless of how nonsensical it seems to you at the time. Ten years from now it may inspire you with an idea for a writing project you can't now foresee.
Get Organized, Get Published!: 225 Ways to Make Time for Success
Amazon Price: $18.99 (as of 07/04/2009)
Pages You Might Want In Your Writer's Notebook
Article ideas
Publishers to query
Character names, sometimes with character traits
Novel titles
Descriptive passages or phrases
YA novel ideas
Fragments of real conversations
Lines (that I'd like to include in a novel)
Sub plot ideas
Humor clips
Writers to read
How to fix my novel
Short story ideas
Comparisons and descriptions
Children's novel ideas
Research
"Mom" article ideas (your passion may vary)
A plan for 2008
E-book ideas
Website development
Themes to use in story development
Horror plots
Autobiography notes
Quotes about writing
The topics for your pages will be inspired by your imagination.
Breathing In, Breathing Out: Keeping a Writer's Notebook
Amazon Price: $21.94 (as of 07/04/2009)
Take It With You
You never know when a cool writing inspiration will come to you. Don't be caught without a place to write it down, because thoughts are not something you can re-capture easily.
Moleskine Notebooks
Moleskine Large Notebook Ruled
Amazon Price: $16.93 (as of 07/04/2009)
Moleskine Large Plain Notebook
Amazon Price: $10.51 (as of 07/04/2009)
Moleskine Small Ruled Notebook
Amazon Price: $12.00 (as of 07/04/2009)
Do you have a writer's notebook?
Speaking of Journals: Children's Book Writers Talk About Their Diaries, Notebooks and Sketchbooks
Amazon Price: (as of 07/04/2009)
More About Writing Notebooks
...more ideas on organizing a writer's notebook.
- Introducing the Writer's Notebook
- A writer's notebook can be used to gather and develop ideas for future writing projects.
- How to Organize a Writer's Notebook
- There's a lot involved in the world of freelance writing. Not only do freelance writers require excellent writing skills, it's also important to be organized.
- Lessons for the Writer's Notebook
- Curriculum to encourage young writers.
- The Writer's Notebook, or Let's not really write
- Another idea on how writer's notebooks can be used.
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Thanks for coming by my Writing Notebook lens...
I feel I've gotten a lot of help by keeping a notebook, and wanted to share my love of this with you.Click here to add this lens to your favorites.
If you're not a member of Squidoo yet, please join.
Write to me!
I would love to get your comments about writing, the use of writers' notebooks, and whatever else you might need to say.
BigGirlBlue wrote...
I love the page title ideas you suggested. I might add a section for contacts for related areas.
Posted June 29, 2009
JaguarJulie wrote...
Do you know Linda that I had annual journals that I kept for the longest time. After moving so much, one year I did a sort of spring cleaning and destroyed every last one of them. Gosh, I sure wish I had them today! Because of that, I've been reluctant to begin another writer's journal, but know that I should. ;)
Posted May 31, 2009
CrypticFragments wrote...
it's cool that I found you tonight...or rather, that you found me!
I started keeping a writers' notebook about a month ago when I was offline for an extended period...I use it for title ideas, fragments of brilliant sentences not attached to stories ( "cryptic fragments' per se), descriptive paragraphs & what I call demi~poems (a self-invented term for poetic thoughts not intended to be published as poems...)
perhaps I'll make a lens about it!
my writers' blog is Aurelia...Chrysalis Emerging
Posted May 12, 2009
Treasures-By-Brenda wrote...
I have a notebook and I have hundreds of scraps of paper...I have just never trained myself to use the book consistently.
Brenda
Posted April 09, 2009
Silent_Note wrote...
This is a really nice lens. You have some great tips here for getting organized and using a writer's notebook. When you get the chance, please stop by my lens and say hello.
Posted February 13, 2009
Jason_Wright wrote...
Very nice lens. You have put together a great collection of information and resources to help writers. I'd love it if you'd visit my lens and say hello when you have a chance.
Posted November 23, 2008
WritingforYourWealth wrote...
I like writing fiction by longhand, for some reason, and I use spiral steno books. If only I could actually read my own writing when the time comes to transfer it to computer.. ;)
Posted November 23, 2008
totosmom wrote...
I have a small notebook but I end up writing everything in it like budgets, lists, etc; but I do write ideas down because I forget them. I think I have too many ideas sometimes. I won't live long enough to do everything I want to do. Hm...that would make a good lens; I'm off to start it.
Posted November 19, 2008
poddys wrote...
Really nice lens with some useful information. I have lots of ideas, but end up forgetting half of them. It does pay to be organised. 5*****
Posted November 18, 2008
Li-Li-ThePinkBookworm wrote...
Hi, love this lens! I actually wrote about and linked to it on my blogs ThePinkBookworm.com if you want to check it out and tell me how I did.
I have about three different writing notebooks: a fancy journal for ALL my book ideas, a regular notebook for all blogs ideas and a notebook on fan fiction story outlines. Keep up the good work! Li Li
Posted November 16, 2008
Miragi wrote...
My writing notebook is just my source of venting and a place to keep track of ideas that pop into my head, but not organized at all. I just refer to it daily :) Wonderful ideas here, thank you!
Posted November 14, 2008
Ener-G wrote...
I love notebooks and love this lens...I so often draw a blank when it's time to write something on my blogs but think of dozens of ideas in other situations (like washing dishes, etc.) Will have to strap a notebook to my belt or something!
Posted October 25, 2008
LarryBass wrote...
Terrific Lens here Linda! I too, like EelKat, have tons and tons of notebooks etc. I can SO relate to this fine piece of workmanship you've built here.
Thank You for sharing such great Writing info with us all...
LarryB
Posted October 13, 2008
A_RovingReporter wrote...
Great five-star tips for existing and aspiring writers.
Posted October 07, 2008
DrMaria wrote...
I tend to use my journals as writing notebooks - which makes it difficult to find the relevant info when i need it. You've inspired me to buy a separate notebook for my writing ideas.
Posted October 04, 2008
Portable_eBay wrote...
I used to carry an mp3 player with recording capabilities. But when its batter runs out... So now I carry a small note book and a small pen. I've filled up 6 notebooks already. 5*
Posted October 03, 2008
EelKat wrote...
Oh my... do I have one? Nope, I have uhm... a hundred or so! LOL! I started my first one back in the 1970's, and I go though a couple a month. Mines vary from spiral bound notebooks, to clothbound books, to tiny 3x5 pocket sized notebooks, to huge 3" ring binders packed full of loseleaf. I' a rabid keeper of writing journals, because everything under the sun gives me ideas to write about so I keep track of my ideas as soon as I think of them
Posted October 01, 2008
vbright105 wrote...
What wonderful ideas! I tend to think of things in the middle of the night, then get up and write them. I have a notebook, but never with me when I need it! lol
Posted September 30, 2008
rms wrote...
Excellent tips here. I'm rolling this on to my Creative Writing Tips lens.
Posted September 24, 2008
kidztales wrote
I never thought of a writer's notebook. I have notes to myself all over the place. Thank you for this organizational tip. I'll start mine today!
Posted September 22, 2008
CarlaClayton wrote...
I like the table of contents idea. I use the black/white composition books. I buy them when they go on sale for 5 for a dollar. I love them because they are small and the same size for my bookcase.
Posted September 01, 2008
Gretchen_Lee_Bourquin wrote...
These are great ideas. I sporadically use notebooks, but haven't been consistent with them. There are so many ideas that zip by you at times when there is no time to develop them. A notebook like this could be the siv that catches them
Posted August 22, 2008
Gretchen_Lee_Bourquin wrote...
These are great ideas. I sporadically use notebooks, but haven't been consistent with them. There are so many ideas that zip by you at times when there is no time to develop them. A notebook like this could be the siv that catches them
Posted August 22, 2008
qlcoach wrote...
I feel the same way about journaling that you feel about having a notebook. Thank you for sharing this information. Feel free to let more writers know about it at our club:
http://www.squidoo.com/groups/publishingclub
Sincerely: Gary Eby, author and therapist
Posted July 13, 2008
Megal wrote...
Wow, never thought of this before. Might start one thx. (A great lense)
Posted July 04, 2008
spiritartist wrote...
So glad I found this lens Linda. Love it!
Five starts, lenseolled on all four, you're a favorite and I'm a fan!
Posted June 23, 2008
LindaJM wrote...
I'm so excited to read that people are getting some benefit from this lens! Thank you for letting me know.
Posted June 11, 2008
CLB wrote...
Great idea. I used to carry around a small notebook thingie when I was a teen (yeah, caught the writing bug early, lol) but I had never thought of a writer's notebook. Not as such.
Thank you!!! Merci beaucoup !!!
Posted June 11, 2008
Joan4 wrote...
I will start my writer's notebook within an hour! I have little notes everywhere! No wonder I feel I am drowning in paper! Everything else is in files and notebooks; why not my writing ideas? Thank you!
Posted June 10, 2008
More Writing Ideas From Linda Jo Martin
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About the author
Lensmaster LindaJM, aka Linda Martin, has been a member since June 11 2007, has rated 1,270 lenses, favorited 584, and has created 102 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Image and Video Mentor". See all my lenses
My Bio
I live in the Klamath River Valley of Northern California. I share my life with my boyfriend, Bob. We like to watch movies at home on DVD, swim, hike, and prospect for gold in the Siskiyou Mountains.
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