Organizing notebooks

[Coyotebd]

I write, and I prefer to write first drafts by hand. I also want the flexibility of writing both at work and home, so need something light and thin; i.e. not a 3-ring binder.

 

My problem is that I'll be in the middle of a short story and I'll have thoughts and ideas I want to write down, or I'll want to make notes for other story ideas that pop into my head so I don't forget them, or sometimes I need to take a break from the story to let things develop a little more in my brain.

 

In the past I've just written everything down willy-nilly, but I found that I could never return and comprehend what I was writing. I've tried keeping different books for different subjects, but ended up with a bunch of half-finished notebooks.

 

Really, I'm not looking for a tech solution, I'm looking for advice on best practices. Currently I am writing a short story on one side of the page, and then adding notes about the story on the other. This works well to call out name choices and such, or leaving a little note to remind me where I'm leaving off, but I'm not sure if it'll work for other things.

 

Ideas?

[welfvet]

If no one replies, search the forums a bit. Not sure quite what terms to use, but a few months ago a couple of ingenious systems were discussed. Have to say I could do with using their techniques myself. Unless I go over every page in old notes I can't find what I want in a hurry!

[Strang]

I write short stories out in longhand first as well. I usually use lined paper and write on every other line. What I (try to) do is just crash through from beginning to end - write the story; get it down! Then I go back and edit - using the empty lines when I can but, if a big insertion needs to happen, I switch to the computer. Too many notebooks containing bits and pieces of the same story will just drive you kooks!

[Coyotebd]

Yeah, the closest I get to editing is making a note on the opposite page, along with notes for things to research, verify, character names as I make them up on the fly.

 

However, I still get ideas, want to make notes, keep a journal, etc at the same time without using different notebooks. I need compact and portable.

[dimeotane]

I write, and I prefer to write first drafts by hand. I also want the flexibility of writing both at work and home, so need something light and thin; i.e. not a 3-ring binder.

 

I've lately gotten into using the notebooks that are under a half inch thick, wire comb bound, three ring punch, 8x10.5 inch 'school' notebooks.

I slip the notebook as an insert into the 'folio' cover which is leather like with a ribbon place holder. Much nicer to look at and more durable that way.

The pages are perforated and I can remove pages later to organize and store into a 3 ring binder if I need, but they're bound in the book in the mean time which is thin and light. I have it in my work bag every day for daily work related tasks.

 

I date every page with topic title in the top corner so I can flip through quickly to find any page I'm looking for later on.

 

I frequently start new pages for new topics, many pages are only a few lines full of writing on that topic, but I know I'll be coming back later to write as that topic continues over time and I need to write more.

Edited November 14, 2008 by dimeotane

[limesally]

I don't write short stories, but I do write papers and reports, and so far the Apica notebooks have been great for what you desribe. I have outlines and drafts on the right side, and then annotation/notes to self/tangential ideas on the left hand side. They're light, flexible, easy to stuff in a handbag or binder pocket, and have some of the most FP friendly paper available.

 

Second to Apicas, I like plain, cheap, composition books. There's many threads on those. They're not quite as versatile for me and I don't use them for writing drafts so much as for course note summaries. But maybe they'll work for you.

 

 

[someonesdad]

I sometimes stick a number of Post-It sticky notes on the inside cover of a notebook. When I need to make a note on a page already written on, it provides a way. It's not permanent; if I need permanent, I'll tape it in place or write on a new piece of paper and tape that in place.

 

I also keep a number of page markers like this stuck to the inside cover, as they're useful to mark your place on various pages when needed.

[tar heel]

I use the sticky notes too, but I use the sticky flags. You can find these in packs with multiple colors, so I can color code them. Blue might be the text1, with green notes for text1. Red could be text2, with yellow as the notes for text2. This way everything can go into the same notebook, in no order, but be found easily later when I want to do a completed draft. I also like the Apica notebooks in the B3 size if I'm writing in response to a book, since they are pretty thin (more likely to finish one) and about the size of a trade paperback. This way I can have one notebook per text.

[NateB]

This is similar to what you are doing

"I write in longhand in notebooks using disposable fountain pens, covering only the right-hand side of the notebook for the first draft, then rewriting some of the sentences and paragraphs on the left-hand side, and then, after a while, putting the stuff on a word processor which is in the other room."

-- Colm Tóibín (From

Writers' Rooms

)

Also, when writing down a thought/idea, thinking about the context in which the thought occurred and jotting it down may help with comprehension when you return to your notes.

[skipwilliams]

Buy the Rollabind/Circa system and you can make your own notebooks and move the pages around as necessary. You can also punch your own paper too. I love mine.

 

Skip

[BillTheEditor]

+1 for Rollabind/Circa. I've been using these for years for exactly this purpose, and have been very happy with how well they serve me.

[OboeJuan]

I had the same problem. I posted a review of the solution that best worked for me here: http://londonpenclub.wordpress.com/2008/11...r-holder-by-kr/

 

K

[edbollix]

This is small, cheap and gives you a ton of options if you get into "hacking." I love the hipster PDA!