The Humble Notebook

Fighting an Internet addiction that is keeping you from being productive? Trying to figure out how to get in touch with your more playful creative side?

Consider using a notebook.

As a pure experiment, I wrote yesterday’s chapter of Substance using a notebook. Yes, it was the usual crappy first draft, but I found it easier to access the plot points and the characterizations I wanted.

After doing this, I transcribed the chapter, and now I will embellish it on computer.

It doesn’t take me a whole lot less time to do this than it would for me to pour over it. Plus I focused on the story, rather than getting distracted, and that helped me access creativity.

Your mileage may vary, but I think I’ll be playing this way for a bit.

Catherine

Author: Catherine Schaff-Stump

Catherine Schaff-Stump writes fiction for children and young adults. Her most recent book, The Vessel of Ra, is the first book in the Klaereon Scroll series. She is currently working on its sequel, as well as penning the middle grade adventures of Abigail Rath, monster hunter.

4 thoughts on “The Humble Notebook”

  1. An electronic notebook, or a paper one?

    Notebook (disambiguation)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Notebook may refer to:

    Notebook, style of writing pad
    Notebook (style), writing style
    Notebook computer, a type of laptop
    The Notebook, a 1996 romance novel
    The Notebook (film), a 2004 movie based on the book
    Notebook (film), 2006 Indian (Malayalam) film
    “Notebook”, a poem by Patti Smith from her 1994 book Early Work

  2. I too am working offline today (mostly) with the humble pen and paper. It’s a nice change and, so far, very productive.

  3. Unfortunately, years of using a typewriter, terminal, desktop, and laptop has allowed my initially poor handwriting to degenerate to where I can’t always read it.

    And block lettering is so slow.

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