The Bottomless Notebook
BY SHERY MA BELLE ARRIETA-RUSS
Reading through a writer's notebook or journal is like discovering
pearls, rubies and diamonds amidst a pile of rubble.
That little notebook is a powerhouse of ideas for every writer: The more
you write down bits and pieces of your thoughts and observations, the more
you are adding into the well of ideas for future works.
Here are a few things you can record in your notebook or journal, so that
in case you run out of ideas to write about, you can refer to it:
Your Shoeboxed Life: Write what you know, feel and experience. Jot down
snippets of events in your life. Write a sentence or a paragraph about a
funny, embarrassing, happy or infuriating experience.
The Interesting People. Scribble descriptions of people you meet every
day. How do they react in certain situations? How do their names fit their
image?
A Word a Day. Whenever an interesting word catches your attention, write
it down. It may have a different meaning for you a month or a year from now.
If you keep a list of words in your notebook, these words can serve as story
starters for you.
Those Quotable Quotes. A meaningful quote can start you off to writing.
Collect quotes you come across that interest you.
Ordinary People with their One-Liners. Overheard lines in a conversation
can sometimes spark your creative mind. Write down these one-liners in your
notebook. They can be great story starters.
Something You Read. Read good books. Keep a file of memorable lines or
quotes. Write down quirky billboard ads. Scan the papers for one-liners.
These are good idea stimulators.
Emotions. Describe what you feel at any given moment. If you feel angry
right now, write what your anger feels like. Describe it. Use vivid words.
Writers are similar to store owners. Store owners stock their supplies in
their shelves, while you stock ideas between the pages of your little
writer's notebook.
You can make your stock endless, bottomless. You can reach down again and
again for inspiration without exhausting your notebook of reserve.
So start stocking your writer's notebook today. A week from now, take a
peek in it and you just might find something there that could connect your
pen to paper.
Copyright © 2003-2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ is the
creator of
WriteSparks! - software that generates over 10 million story sparkers for
writers.
Download WriteSparks! Lite for free.
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