One of the things which took me a few years to really understand is what goes in a writer’s notebook. It was one of those thinking journeys which twisted and turned through many ideas, brainstorms, trials, and errors and eventually emerged on the other side with a basic understanding that seems simplistic.
Everything I put in my writer’s notebook is for me as a writer. When I’m ready to write for an audience, it goes outside of my writer’s notebook, on draft paper or in a Word document.
I teach this to students as well. When collecting ideas, ephemera, revision attempts to become a stronger writer, it goes in the writer’s notebook. When writing for an audience, it goes outside of the notebook. Now there are sometimes shady lines about what should go in a notebook, so I encourage each writer to make the final decision (by following the above rule of thumb). And poetry is a hazy line . . . I often use my notebook to draft poems. They are short and I like to play with them, so it seems to work in my notebook.
What’s in my notebook:
- Lists and sketches
- Plans for projects
- Quick writes (These are not drafts; they are dumping my thoughts onto the page in a limited amount of time.)
- Ephemera (You know, all the stuff of life that we should throw away, but writers collect!)
- Snippets of conversation
- Intriguing photos
- Maps
- Mentor sentences
- Revision attempts — usually first lines, often times endings, sometimes punctuation choices
- Words I love, words I’ve learned and want to use, words about a specific subject
- Publishing opportunities
What’s NOT in my notebook:
- Drafts — Anytime I begin writing for an audience, I find another place besides my notebook! (Although, as I said, the exception to the “NO Drafts” rule is poetry.)
- Daily diary/journal entries: Today I woke up at 4:43 and blah blah blah. The time I have to write is precious and I’m not going to record a report of the day.
- Perfection — My notebook is a place I can write quickly, scratch out, and change my thinking. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
How about you — what’s in and what’s out of your writer’s notebook?
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The heart of the matter is what doesn’t/shouldn’t go into a writer’s notebook. it’s a much shorter list to remember.
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Ruth, this piece hits a real cord with me. It’s a message I have also been promoting to teachers about being a teacher who writes. Well done!
I love the messages herein!
If you have no objection I would like to feature it on my blog, so my followers may benefit from the important messages your posting contains
Well done!
Alan
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One of the most radical projects we can be involved in to help people is launching basic literacy projects in low/no-income communities to raise the literacy level, to increase a real appreciation to reading/writing and to help raise community consciousness in general.
It is ironic and heroic how the Internet revived the nearly dead art of letter writing with Emails in Groups, then later, Blogs and other websites that evolved. It all got a lot of people interested in actually sitting down on their buts and writing!
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@Alice: Well-said! Too many guidelines zaps the creative power and individuality from students’ writing.
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Following too many rules when writing is what can kill the writing. Writing is art. Does a painter only have a painting notebook for him/her self – then a canvas only to be drawn on for an audience? Or maybe the painter doesn’t think about it too much – and just paints when inspiration strikes – and then decides what it’s for – and what it will become. A wise teacher once told me, “if the story is right, the form will follow”. Most importantly – write! Write from your gut – from your most authentic self – and please don’t worry about writing for an audience. Art can get lost that way. Just put down your words – let them flow freely – and after, take a look at your art and then decide where it will go – and how it will shape. More times than not – if the art flows freely – the shape will occur before your eyes.
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I used ideas from Ralph Fletcher’s writing books for sections of my notebook and my students’ notebooks this year. Mine are: Quotations, Book Bites (fun things – ideas or quotes – from books), Very Cool Vocabulary, Memories, Seed Ideas, and Favorites.
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I love this little article and was turned onto the Link via Twitter. I work as a Counselor-Caseworker in a homeless shelter and encourage my people to at least keep a Spiritual Journal.
Being literate ~able to read and write~ is often taken for granted by those who are literate. One should not assume.
I will pass this article on. If that’s OK.
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Thank you for another glimpse into your writer’s notebook. This is one of the hardest parts of writer’s workshop for teachers to understand. I will be using your words when I work with teachers. Maybe they will understand what I am showing them. Collecting idea lists are part of my notebook, then I never have to think too hard to look for a piece to draft when I have to model a writing strategy.
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