I was just thumbing through my moleskine looking for some blog ideas I’d jotted down and got to thinking about the value of carrying a notebook in general.
I’ve carried a notebook of some sort for a few years, and I’ve found it indispensable. I write down blog, story and novel ideas, of course. I also write down funny scenes I witness and record quotes I overhear. If I think it’s interesting, amusing, odd, or noteworthy for any reason, it probably ends up in my notebook.
You probably also guessed that I use only a small fraction of what I write down. The thing is, I never know what I’ll use until it’s had some time to ferment, and if I didn’t write it down, it wouldn’t get that chance.
Beyond having a way of remembering ideas and events, I think there’s another, more important aspect to keeping a writing notebook. When I make a habit of writing down ideas for my fiction, I tend to get more ideas. It’s like I’m “priming the pump,” so to speak. In my case, creativity tends to breed creativity.
Do you keep a notebook? How does it benefit your writing?
