The 
Bottomless Notebook 

by Shery Ma Belle Arrieta 

Reading through a writer's notebook or journal can be as rewarding and exciting as discovering pearls, rubies and diamonds amidst a pile of rubble.

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You should have at least two notebooks.  The first notebook should go everywhere you go, for recording thoughts just as soon as they come to you.  Otherwise you may find some of your best thoughts floating away moments after you discover them.  Just a tad of the thought can be scribbled down so that you will remember the whole thing later.  The second notebook should be kept at home.  This is for lengthier and more intensive writing.  As you get time, record the thoughts from your first notebook into your second one, and flesh it out as you have time. Think of your little notebooks as powerhouse sources of ideas for sparking even more story ideas: The more you write down the bits and pieces of your thoughts and observations, the more you are adding into the well of ideas for your future works, and the more ideas your mind will produce for you.

Here are a just a few of the things you can record in your notebook or journal, so that in case you ever 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.  For example:  Joey said I was 97% of the problem.  Well, if I am that makes me 97% of the solution and he'd better be working to help me feel better towards him, not worse.

The Interesting People. 

Scribble brief descriptions of people you meet every day. How do they react in certain situations?  For example:  Joey can make his tempests in a teapot sound so exciting that you pay more attention to them than you do to your own hurricanes.
 How do their names fit their image?  Is Bill a Bill, or is he more of a Bob that got stuck with Bill for a handle?
How do their email nicknames fit them?  Does AirShowKid look like he could even fly a kite?

A Word a Day. 

Whenever an interesting word catches your attention, write it down. Rash-ee-os-ee-nation. Why you can't even find that word in most dictionaries any more.   On top of that, any word you find may have a different meaning for you a month or a year from now.  A decade from now there's no telling what it might mean.  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 writing. Collect quotes you come across that interest you.  "Many of us would be in the penitentiary serving life sentences if we really did unto others the things we do unto ourselves."  Quotations that make you stop and think today can be a launch pad again a little ways down the trail.  Keep your notebook right there with you when you begin to read.  Otherwise it will be another case of, I'll write it down later, and you lose it.

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.  "My conscience is clear; Even if I had known all this time that he only had one leg, I still wouldn't have liked him."

Something You Read. 

Make it a point to read good books. 
Keep a file of memorable lines or quotes. 
Write down quirky billboard ads. "Joey's Radiator Shop; the best place in town to take a leak."  
Scan the papers for one-liners, especially in the want ads. Remember that it is not necessary to read the lines verbatim.  Make up your own twisters, make up stories from words that the ads ALMOST said.  Don't forget the spam pouring into your mailbox either.  These are good idea stimulators as well.

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.

Who done you dirty?  How do you know?  How does it make you feel?

Did you pop off and say something horrible?  How did the other person react?  How long were you hurt by what you said?

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 make your hand go scurrying to connect your pen to paper.

the end

Copyright 2003 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta

Shery is the creator of WriteSparks! - a software that generates over 100,000 Story Sparkers for Writers.  http://writesparks.com

WriteSparks!™ can generate over 100,000 story sparks to keep you writing for years... and all at a click of a button. Getting ideas for your stories has never been this easy!

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