For some writers of today, the digital age is so overbearing that it's hard to know how we lived BEFORE Blackberry's and laptops. I'm only thirty, but I can remember very clearly not having a cell phone until I was in my late teens. I had a beeper...back when they were cool for "regular" people, not just doctors. I didn't grow up having four computers in my house. In fact, I had zero computers for many years. As kids, we went outside to play. We didn't sit in front of the TV for hours. I built snowmen and volcanos in the sand to occupy my time. Without even knowing it, I had tons of inspiration around me. Just from being outside, my mind was absorbing all the creative forces around me. And that must be why I always carried around a notebook and a pencil. Not a pen. A pencil. Even today, I tend to write more in pencil. I like the fact you can erase what you don't enjoy. You have to cross out if you pen it.
My love of writing grew as I did. Even today I have notebooks, diaries, and journals galore in my house, in my purse, near my bed, and in my car. I fancy ornate covers and big spiral bounds. When I find myself in Borders, I make sure to stock up on the Moleskine journals in every color, shape, and size. I also sometimes prefer tiny blank pocket pads to stick in my jacket. I write everything down. Sometimes it will be a single word that I enjoy the sound of, other times it's full paragraphs of say...someone that I just saw planting flowers. Oh...and quotes. I'm BIG into quotes. That would explain my love of classical literature. The author's of today don't know how to write as eloquently as the author's of say...the sixteenth century (in my opinion).
Nevertheless, the notebook has been a writers' best friend for centurys. Research proves that writing is a healthy outlet for some. Sort of like petting a cat, or throwing brush strokes on an empty canvas. It allows for one to record dreams, goals, and heart strings. And there's nothing wrong with writing down your fears either. Look at your notebook as a legacy for future generations to find and get lost in.
Tell us about your favorite notebook.
2 comments:
One of my favorite gifts ever was a blue cloth binder, loose leaf paper and some pens. It was a gift from my husband, for a birthday or Mother's Day or something like that, just after I told him I wanted to write.
Such a simple gift -- but that "notebook" represented his belief in me, and the fact that he took me seriously.
Beyond that, I'm partial to college-lined 5-subject notebooks. For years, yellow was my color of choice, but now that that's gotten hard to find, I tend toward purple.
I've got lots of different notebooks. Most are gifts I've received over the years. However, the ones I write in most frequently tend to be the spiral, college ruled notebooks I get from Wal-Mart. The pretty ones people buy me collect dust more than ink.
I do keep the journals and notebooks given to me as gifts and have tried to get into the habit of using them for certain things. Unfortunately, I'm just not as comfortable with writing in those as I am writing in an ordinary notebook. Of course, I'm also the type of gal who prefers a small diamond to a large one. I like the simpler things in life I guess, even with my writer's notebook.
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