Do you carry an idea book?

Ziljon · Jul 9, 2007

I carry around a little pocket notebook for interesting words or ideas. In my studio I have a large unlined book for daily journal entries, (in the W.C. I'm afraid) but my little pocket books are the most interesting. I've finally found my perfect one, the Moleskin "Cahirs". I buy them at Barnes & Nobles.

What kind of notebook or pad do you have. What about a micro-cassette recorder? I have one of them in my car.

Anyone else?

-Ziljon

auntybug · Jul 9, 2007

My laptop is glued to my hip at all times. Techo geek here between that and my treo cell phone.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 9, 2007

Idea book

I don't write down ideas. I'm afraid that if I write them down, I might be tempted to actually use them, and in my experience, this is seldom a good idea.

Ziljon · Jul 9, 2007

But auntybug, is your laptop always on? Or do you leave notes in your Treo using the voice recorder?

reenkam · Jul 9, 2007

I bought a thick leather bound journal from B&N that I wrote ideas in for a while back in high school, but it's too heavy to be in my bag with college books so I have a notebook I bought from Urban Outfitters...strange place to buy a notebook, I know, but it's a little smaller than normal ones and the lines are just the right size for me. So far I've only used it for random notes, though, no ideas...

Ziljon · Jul 9, 2007

But James, I just read your post on the UFO thread about the future Us coming back, and that made me think about the last book in the Rendevous with Rama series, and then I started thinking about the Collective Consciousness and I thought, yeah, that 's cool. So I wrote, "Collective Consciousness" in my book, just under "butterflies don't have lungs."

That's what I meant, not someone else's ideas. All ideas are everyone's anyway. No?

But that's cool, if you don't use a notebook.

Bubastes · Jul 9, 2007

I carry around index cards to record my ideas, and then I throw them in a box so they don't distract me when I'm working on my WIP. Every few months, I weed through the box. I usually end up tossing out half the cards.

auntybug · Jul 9, 2007

Ziljon said:
But auntybug, is your laptop always on? Or do you leave notes in your Treo using the voice recorder?

It's on all day (things are slow at my work - I do a lot of writing here). If we go somehwere for a weekend I usually "jot" on the drive while hubby drives. I usually just add notes to the top of my WIP if something else comes to mind. I usually have no idea until I sit and start to type - then it flows. On a rare occasion, I have typed notes in my treo - shopping etc and something hit me. The damn thing has a voice recorder? I knew there were things I'd still discover about it! :Hail:

ChunkyC · Jul 9, 2007

My laptop is with me almost all the time, but for quickly jotting down ideas I use a little coil notebook which I keep in my shirt pocket. Then when I'm working on the computer I'll type the notes up and cross them off in the notebook.

I also have a voice recorder, but I don't really use it much.

Ziljon · Jul 9, 2007

auntybug said:
The damn thing has a voice recorder? I knew there were things I'd still discover about it!

Sorry, Aunty. I don't own a Treo, I just assumed it would have a voice recorder built in. Hell, my little phone has a memo-record function.

I usually write on the laptop too. Funny story: the other day I was having an iced coffee at a coffee shop, no laptop but wanted to write so I was using my little book. Well, I wrote something I really liked and actually paused in order to hit save! Ha-ha!

MidnightMuse · Jul 9, 2007

I tried a voice recorder once, thinking it'd save a bunch of time if I could dictate my WIP while driving home from work.

Blech! Didn't work for me 'cause I couldn't stand hearing my own voice over that thing - and I got self conscious in the car, talking out loud.

I'd love to carry my laptop everywhere, but it's one of the heavier, larger, not-so-portable-as-others type, so I don't do that much. I tried using a PDA, but that screen drove me bananas, and trying to type using a stylus? Forget it - it took my 95wpm down to 2.

I do keep a notebook with me in my backpack at work, and jot down things - usually just notes on the upcoming WIP, or details that I have to keep in mind while writing the WIP - typically I use it when I'm still in the planning stages of the next novel and too busy editing the last to take too much time to get into details. I also use it to flesh out a detailed plotline, to make sure I don't forget some important issue that the reader won't know if I don't tell.

That kinda thing.

Ziljon · Jul 9, 2007

MidnightMuse said:
it took my 95wpm down to 2.

Wow, 95 wpm. I can't even think that fast!

You go, girl!

auntybug · Jul 9, 2007

My son just told me it does. Damnit Janet!!!

I'm with Muse though. I probably won't use it. I hate to hear my voice too.

Thanks for the treo lesson. Sometimes I can be so blonde (or blond - whatever)

Claudia Gray · Jul 9, 2007

I carry a Moleskine as well. I find that subway rides make for great brainstorming with one of those in hand. I can't write like that, but when it comes to characterization ideas, plotting, etc., a little notebook is my best friend. There's almost always one in my purse.

Ziljon · Jul 9, 2007

ClaudiaGray said:
I carry a Moleskine as well. . . There's almost always one in my purse.

Hurray, Claudia! It's good to hear from a fellow moleskinner. And did you say subway? Ah yes, I see now. I used to live in Manhattan, many years ago, 72nd and Riverside. How is it now, must be hot, huh?

Lot's of smells on the subway, especially in summer. Smelly smells mostly I bet, huh?

Foinah · Jul 9, 2007

Ziljon said:
But James, I just read your post on the UFO thread about the future Us coming back, and that made me think about the last book in the Rendevous with Rama series, and then I started thinking about the Collective Consciousness and I thought, yeah, that 's cool. So I wrote, "Collective Consciousness" in my book, just under "butterflies don't have lungs."

That's what I meant, not someone else's ideas. All ideas are everyone's anyway. No?

But that's cool, if you don't use a notebook.

Kind of like if you are thinking about a plate of shrimp and someone says "Plate" or "Shrimp."

(Rep points to the first person who can name that movie

)

I use little index card notepads. I carry them in my purse and pockets for when an idea ZINGS through my noggin. What's daunting is when I don't have a pen with me............

MMcC · Jul 9, 2007

I keep a plot/brainstorming book on me at all times, usually in my laptop bag. Something about writing it down by hand keeps it niggling in the back of my brain for a while.

I am hopelessly devoted to those pretty, cheap mark-down notebooks at Barnes and Noble and The Dollar Store.

Justin91 · Jul 9, 2007

I keep a sketch pad and a notepad with me at all times...You never know when a great idea or a great setting will jump out at you!

misslissy · Jul 9, 2007

I always have some sort of paper with me though it varies with what. During the school year, I get more ideas and hear more things so I'll go through paper incredibly fast. When I finish one notebook up, I try to get another one that looks different, so I don't end up paging through one, looking for an idea or whatever that I've written down and then realize it was in the old one. That way, I can sort of remember where things are better.

The_Grand_Duchess · Jul 9, 2007

I carry two notebooks around with me. One is this cool notebook that my grandmother gave me that someone gave her years ago and she never used. I write scenes in it. The notebook itself has qoutes by women and what I think may be handdrawn flowers on every page.

The other notebook is just a small book that I jot outlines in.

Oddsocks · Jul 9, 2007

I use something called a 'mapping book'. Which is ironic, because maps are the the one thing I don't usually put in there (unless it's the roughest kind of map, when I'm working out distances and times). Otherwise, maps go elsewhere - in a sketchbook I reserve for maps.

I use a mapping book because there are no lines on the pages, and for some reason that helps - my handwriting is tiny and I don't like having big gaps between my lines.

I don't usually carry it around with me, though, because I use it for little ideas, but also for all of my worldbuilding and plot development before I start writing, so I don't want anything to happen to it (i.e. it getting lost). So I write ideas down on whatever if I'm out (usually my hand), and then transfer them when I get home.

Claudia Gray · Jul 9, 2007

It is indeed very toasty here in NYC, Ziljon! Today was brutal, as the next few days promise to be. Nothing to do but wear flimsy little dresses and get a Jamba Juice daily, I suppose --

Ziljon · Jul 9, 2007

ClaudiaGray said:
Nothing to do but wear flimsy little dresses and get a Jamba Juice daily, I suppose --

Dang!

elisabeth · Jul 9, 2007

Ziljon said:
I've finally found my perfect one, the Moleskin "Cahirs". I buy them at Barnes & Nobles.

I love those! I have one in my purse, a red notebook in my car, and a journal at my desk.

DragonHeart · Jul 9, 2007

I don't carry anything with me for jotting down ideas. Mainly because...I don't really go anywhere...hrm. If I'm at work I usually just rip off a piece of register tape and write on that. I do carry a regular size notebook to work with me most days, though I rarely ever put anything in it.

I figure if an idea's good enough to put onto paper it'll stick with me until I'm ready to work on it.

~DragonHeart~

Do you carry an idea book?

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