Re: Writer's notebook, valuable tool or waste of time?

Helen Hall <usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Tina Hall <Tina_Hall@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes
Helen Hall <usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Now I feel slightly guilty about this. When I was tutoring the OU's
first level short fiction writing course, I dutifully told all the
students to start notebooks. But I never actually kept one myself.
So are they really helpful?

What are you supposed to put in it?

You're supposed to spend some time each day just writing in your
writer's notebook (some people refer to it as a journal). Anything
can go in there: snippets of overheard conversation, a memory, a
description of how you're feeling at that moment, a 10 minute
free-write -- whatever flits through your mind as you're sitting
there with the notebook open.

Oh, like:

"This is a stupid idea. How can anyone think it's useful. <rant on>"

:)

That's what would go through my mind.

but I actually prefer to use a piece of paper, which can then be
stuffed into the appropriate story folder.

Cardboard/plastic story folders? Very strange idea to me.

I used to use cardboard folder, but now I use see-through plastic
ones. Each novel gets a folder and everything belonging to the novel
gets shoved in there: notes, maps, timelines, etc.

Strange. :)

I've just got a plastic folder for the map for the S&E, which,
unfortunately, I drew on paper. There's also an attempt at the
genealogy of one group of relatives, but paper quickly turned out
useless. (The screen wasn't wide enough either, though, so I gave up
on that.)

What the course team want you to do is things like overhear a
snippet of conversation on the bus and then use it in a story.

Why?

Because they're designing the courses for people who are coming new
to writing and who haven't yet got into the habit of generating
ideas.

'Generating' ideas is a pretty strange idea. :)

It's intended to give them stuff to (potentially) use and also
give them practice at writing description etc.

Hm. For me, that seems at least a galaxy off the rail. Having to do
that would have put me off, rather than have me get into it. I'd
find it daft, not wanting to do any of it, and lose interest in the
whole idea.

I hope whoever teaches that considers the idea that people like me
(with my reaction) exist. Because I don't think the plan is to
smother all enthusiasm for writing.

To give something else to ponder (instead, incase you want to
mention it and suggest an alternative): What worked (without plan)
for me was taking things I dislike in existing stories, and do them
right.

For example; do a proper evil overlord[*], or pick any one Star Trek
episode with meeting new alien cultures, and show how what the
captain and crew does is just about the worst they could do, not the
good thing the script tries to make it.

[*] The Evil Overlord List, to be found on the internet, is a good
start, and an entertaining read, for anyone who doesn't have their
own ideas. (Then there's also the Hero List, a list with Starfleet
Vows, and a Things We Learned At The Movies list. Probably more, but
that's those I know about.)

Every activity? (Don't understand what you're saying there.)

Each week on the course there will be assignments in which you're
expected to write a story or scene based on some prompt that they
give you. For example: "Here is a list of ten random items (the book
then gives a list of items including 'bottle of herbal medicine',
'fortune telling cards', 'brand new laptop'). Invent a character who
owns these things. Write up to 250 words about the character,
incorporating some of the objects into your description."

In a group (rather than for myself), that would be more to my
liking. (Shame there's nothing like that that can be done with just
Usenet.)

Though I think 250 words wouldn't be enough. And I'd skip the
description; I don't think describing such things is a good idea.

--
Tina
WIP: Magic Earth (7/6): 101649 words
WISuspension: Seasons & Elements trilogy
Posted to Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.sf.composition.

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