there is something about a fresh notebook that makes me feel like anything is possible. inspired by my new favorite notebook (seen above), here are a few of my favorite writing tools of the moment.
- rhodia notebook: i am kind of a stationery, office supply freak. i need my tools to be functional and beautiful. i found the perfect system. it had notepads, filing, project management tools, templates, everything. and of course, as soon as i invested in this system, it was promptly discontinued. i was down to my last notepad and really, really tried to convince myself to just get the 3 pack at office depot. i couldn’t do it. a sad notepad just makes a things-to-do list even more depressing. luckily, my favorite local stationer scriptura hipped me to the rhodia. now, i owned a tiny one in the past, but didn’t know that the rhodia was made in the same factory as the fancy french clairefontaine notebooks. that’s why i love to shop with people who love what they do. i like the construction orange of the cover. it makes what i do feel more solid, somehow. i also like that it has a cover. i write in mechanical pencil, so i hate the uncovered notebooks because the front page gets all grimy and smudged. and the paper is as smooth as silk and designed not to smudge.
- outlines. yes, outlines plural. that is one of many. i make maps, spreadsheets, keep character dossiers. it is kinda crazy. you can see a bit of another one here. although my outlines are crazy detailed, i always go off course. this is fine, but there is something about being able to hold these pieces of paper in my hand that calms me. my security blanket, i guess.
- scrivener. i used to make index cards for all my plot points and spread them out on the floor. i would then clip the associated manuscript pages to the index cards. this quickly became unruly. i discovered a computer program a few years ago that is great for organizing creative projects. it even has a virtual corkboard, so it feels like what i used before. this week i have put several years worth of drafts into scrivener. it is a wonderful, wonderful tool.
- freedom. this is a little program that disables your wi-fi connection for up to 8 hours. at first i thought it was silly. i should just have willpower! i don’t use the internet that much! i only use it for research when i’m writing! i started using macfreedom last year and it only took one session for me to see how unfocused i was with the internet on. definitely the best $10 spent.
i could go on and on, but what are your favorite tools?
PENS! I love PENS! Not any kind of pens, but rollerball and gel ink — and it has to be black! Notebooks are big for me. I just bought another pack of EnerGel pens and a couple of legal pads. Also, I have to have a wide array of music available to so that I can invoke the right moods.
i didn’t even start on the pen and pencil thing. i only like liquid ink as well. super-fine (.5) in a variety of colors ( the pens need to come in black, blue & red). i edit in red. i LOVE red ink, but i only use red on my own work because folk get real funny about red ink. mechanical pencils must be .5 as well. i like pens & pencils to have a thin barrel. i have playlists for general hypeness and by character.
birds of a feather…
I use cheap wire-bound notebooks for my early drafts–in the beginning, because they were all I could afford, now because of comfort, familiarity, and sentiment. A comfortable clipboard is important, as are an assortment of binder clips and 5×7 notecards….
But–I just downloaded Scrivener on your reccomendation–wow! I think I’m going to love it–thanks!
I think most writers are like this about writing equipment. I have a note book that is a book about the novel. Where I cut out or draw pictures because I’m a visual person.