After reading Writers and Their Notebooks, I’ve decided that if I could force myself to change my writing habits from bound journals to another medium-I would. And I would switch to a binder filled with loose-left notebook paper. While my reasoning is logical, I cannot bring myself to abandon the world of beautifully bound notebooks.
The ideal situation for me would be one of those Five-Star® Flexi-Binders (the ones that act like spiral notebooks), wide-ruled notebook paper, and my pen case full of every different color pen imaginable. My reasoning or logic or whatever is that if I’m working on a piece and a new idea pops into my head—flip to a blank page, grab a different color pen, and jot down said idea. The new idea can be moved around until I’m ready to work on it. I also like the idea of being able to add paper to stories and not be limited to how many pages are in a bound notebook.
But a plain cover or never changing patterned Flexi-Binder can lose its appeal to me. By changing or beginning a new notebook with a beautiful interesting cover, my passion for creating stories and building my characters is renewed. Each notebook, once completed becomes an old friend who has been on a journey with me. I can pick up a spent notebook and I remember not only the story within, but what was going on in my life at the time. Somehow the cover designs have been imprinted with subconscious memories.
But that’s just me. Maybe my ideal situation isn’t so ideal since it isn’t a natural inclination. Maybe somewhere this idea will help another writer get his/her act together.
© Cori Endicott February 2011
Cori Large 