When I learned how to write my name as part of my vocational rehabilitation training through the years as a blind person, I couldn’t stand handwriting, because my name was all I was told to practice writing. This task was grueling at best, so I signed my name to documents the best I could and hoped people could read them. But God changed my outlook on handwriting, and I fine joy in it. Here’s how it happened:

I used the pen I kept for signing cheques and other documents and a notebook that my daughter gave me, and I started drawing images I saw in my head, of the world I’m building for my middle grade fantasy series. I moved from an ink pen, that sometimes quit writing as Idrew, to color pencils for drawing and coloring, to number 2 pencils for writing.

As I drew the images of my fictional world, God led me to write small brainstorming ideas, notes for 540 Writers Community workshops, online conferences, and put my thoughts on paper. I filled up my larger notebooks with drawings, and I did some of that in either the small notebook I bought from Walmart, or the one I received as a Mother’s Day gift from my church, along with the notes I wrote. Now however, I love to write and draw in composition books, spiral bound notebooks, or any size and any kind of blank notebook I can get my hands on. My writing is big and a bit sloppy, but I don’t necessarily have to read what I write, because most of it is burned into my memory, or I rewrite the brainstorming ideas on my computer, or I send an email from my iCloud to my gmail account, then put the written note in either my brainstorming journal for one of the two books I’m working on, or in a place holder file for later use, or in a character’s profile. I say all this to share an important message. Here are the five reasons my notebooks and pencils are my favorite writing tools when I’m away from my computer. Pay special attention to the questions I ask throughout this post. Write them down, so you can share your answers in the comments below.

 

They are good for creating art.

When I say notebooks are good for creating art, I’m not talking about the detailed art with all the drawings, that take up all the space on the page. I’m talking about the simple drawings you might make to visualize your fictional world for your novel, no matter in what genre you write. If you want to make your art more detailed, I don’t recommend using lined paper. I sat in on one of my daughter’s live lessons for her art class. The teacher recommended using unlined paper such as spiral bound or hard cover sketchbooks. The thicker the paper, the better it is to paint on, should you wish to do so later.

I use notebooks to draw my simple worldbuilding images, which inspire me to write more in my books. Here’s another cool thing you can do with your notebooks and color pencils: After I make a note, I sometimes color in the letters with different colors to make them a bit fancier. If I feel the impressions of my writing on the back of the page, I color those impressions as well. That’s how I have fun with art. Do you use your favorite notebooks to draw the worlds you create? If so, how does this art form help to enhance your writing?

 

Notebooks are good for doodling.

Before God led me to begin the process of handwriting in my various notebooks, I doodled while in an online workshop. Some people doodle to put their thoughts together before working on  project, while others use doodling to help them concentrate. I have a friend who told me her daughter retains more information when she doodles. Doodling can also reduce stress as can other forms of art. While getting my daughter ready for virtual school, I learned that doodling can be used as a form of notetaking. There are all sorts of reasons to doodle in a notebook. How has doodling helped you in your writing projects?

 

Notebooks make good journals.

When I’m feeling frustrated, down, or I simply have a lot on my mind, including an idea that I can’t get out of my head, I grab my composition book and my pencil case out of my computer bag, sit on the couch and write and/or draw to my heart’s content, until I get another idea, or my hands get tired, whichever happens first. I didn’t know this until my daughter told me, but I wrote in the back of a composition book, with the book turned upside down at about eleven PM one night. I thought about erasing what I’d written and start over, but I think I might keep it that way for a bit of variety. I have a friend who says she does this on purpose sometimes. This is why I put a sticker on the front of the book so I know which is the front and which is the back. This will help me make sure   this happy accident won’t happen again—at least I hope it won’t. Have you ever written in your journal upside down? Did you do it purely by accident or on purpose?

 

Notebooks are good for brainstorming.

As part of the process of journaling which I mentioned above, Notebooks are great places for jotting down random ideas. These my be phrases I’ve red in a book, something I’ve herd on the radio or a random word or phrase I overhear in conversation. After drawing an image in my head onto the page, I often write questions that go along with this image by hand, then turn around and email the questions from my phone to my computer, or write them in a brainstorming journal, with a bit of editing in the mix. I brainstormed the ideas for this blogpost in my small notebook. Have you used your favorite notebooks for brainstorming ideas? How has handwriting helped you flesh out a story idea for your next book project?

 

Taking notes at online workshops or virtual conferences.

I am a member of the 540 Writers Community, and most Thursday nights, we have conference quality workshops about different aspects of writing. Once I found the joy of handwriting, I started using notebooks to write down little nuggets of information during the workshop. I don’t remember these notes word for word, but when I go back and edit a manuscript for one of my publishers, or work on my own books, I remember what I learned by instinct, which is what happens when you handwrite the notes, instead of typing them. When I type notes at a workshop or conference, I do one of three things: I either forget what was said, because the speaker is talking so fast that I can’t keep up, get distracted and forget to take notes, or I save them in a file and forget to look them up later, unless I need them. As the old saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.

However, when I handwrite the little nuggets of  information down, I remember them much better, because they are burned into my mind. There’s something about hand mind coordination that makes handwriting different from typing. As a blind person, this holds true for me as well. I haven’t taken notes at a conference yet, because I just started handwriting this year, but I plan to do this and see how it goes. How has handwriting notes at a conference or workshop helped you retain the information? To see all the different notebooks I have for drawing, doodling, or handwriting, check out my latest YouTube video.

 

Call to Action

Now it’s your turn. Leave your answers to the questions I’ve posted above in the comments below and let’s have a notebook worthy conversation.