An Inside Look—Writer’s Notebook
First, a little update—
Right now, the project I have called “Bash” is currently with my editor. I have the cover done and finalized. I still need to do the paperback wrap part of the cover but the main part is DONE! I cannot wait to share.
I am a full-time* writer and actively pursuing self-publishing. I have been learning a lot but I’ve also had to make some pivots and change up my viewpoint on a lot of things. (All the changing of viewpoints has been good, it’s actually been freeing) This blog, that once held all the different topics and things I wanted to talk about will now be focused on my author career.
All that to say, last year, I was under some weird belief that I had to write book on the side while trying to earn income through another avenue. I was doing too many things at once when in reality, I should just be writing books. I was trying to start like three different businesses and trying to force them all under the same umbrella and it was just as confusing to me as it was to anybody who was following me. In 2025, I am focused on my author business, my publishing business—I am focused on writing books and telling stories that make you smile.
Now, for the topic of the actual blog post.
Today, I’m showing you an inside look at my notebook.
If you’re a writer, you know the love of notebooks goes deep. There are memes and jokes scattered throughout the internet about a writer’s journal collection and how we acquire them but never use them. I’m probably the odd one out— I used them. I tend to get notebooks and journals as gifts and I’ve tried to use every single one that has come my way. I have also bought planner after planner and notebook after notebook trying to force a system to work where I could plan, brainstorm, and accomplish all the creative ideas that fill up my brain.
Nothing worked. I might have been a writer who did use the notebooks she owned but I was also the writer who used a notebook for a few pages and then would scrap the notebook because the plan and the system wasn’t working.
Then, I would browse the beautiful notebooks in any bookstore I walked into because maybe that notebook would be the one that would help me figure out a system where I could be creative and still accomplish things. Spoiler alert: nothing ever worked out.
I never really knew what I wanted but I knew what wasn’t working. I had shifted a lot of my tasks and calendar to my phone, using digital apps and I found a system that was working for that. However, I still wanted to brainstorm things on paper. I wanted to plot out my book on paper. Plus, I’m the editor of a magazine. It took exactly one interview to realize I don’t like doing things with technology when I’m interviewing someone.
I found myself in a Barnes & Noble. I was (once again) in their notebook section, admiring all the notebooks—the pretty covers, the lovely paper inside those beautiful covers, all the different types of notebooks and planners. There is something funny about a writer that thinks the next notebook is going to be the one that will allow them to be the most efficient, most organized version of themselves.
Laugh with me though because on this day, I did discover the most imperfect system of notebooks that ended up working for me perfectly. There was a new wall in the notebook section. It was a DIY Notebook bar, for the lack of anything else to call this. (Although, this would be a great party idea for writers) There was a display or two of notebook covers and beneath that there were some notebook displays (that fit inside the notebook covers) and beneath the notebooks were a plethora of stickies, stickers, and stamps that one would use with bullet journaling and other notebook type activities.
I tried so hard to walk away. I really did. There was one notebook cover that was really catching my eye and I couldn’t let it go. So I grabbed a lined notebook that fit inside the cover and decided I could figure out how to section it off later.
At first, the notebook was just for my magazine articles and ideas. I had a place to write out my ideas, plans, editorials, and then write my notes during interviews. After carrying it around for a little bit, I discovered it’s helpfulness in holding paperwork, and miscellaneous odds and ends. Did I mention it could hold my pens? This notebook was quickly becoming a place for me to brain dump, journal out thoughts, and do everything else I wanted to do with the notebook. In short, the thrown together system because I couldn’t walk away from the notebook cover was working.
I did want to start including other aspects of my writing—like goal planning and plotting of my books. In December of 2024, I knew I was getting back into publishing in 2025 and I was going all in on being an author/writer. However, with how I had the notebook sectioned off, I really didn’t have room to add more sections. Plus, the system was working so I wasn’t eager to mess with that particular notebook.
In mid-December my youngest was hospitalized. It wasn’t our first rodeo in a hospital with him. In fact, we have a whole system of how to handle his hospitalizations. One key aspect is always a trip to the gift shop. So there I was, in the gift shop, where I found this perfect stuffie for my son and I was getting ready to buy it. As I was standing in line, next to the cash register to the point where it was so hard to see and possibly behind the register, I saw a set of notebooks. The covers were beautiful, floral and I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. Seriously, they were just stunning. Yes, I’m aware that I am talking about notebooks like they are works of art, but to me, beautiful covers of notebooks is art. Once I saw that the set was $5, they were coming back with me. Notebooks are never that cheap, especially beautiful ones, and I knew I would find a use for them.
It wasn’t hard to figure out their purpose either. I quickly figured out that the new notebooks I bought would fit inside my notebook cover. This allowed for two new sections if I dedicated one notebook to one particular topic. At first, I stuck one of the new notebooks in the back and used it for plotting my novels, goals, tracking my reading, and Bible reading schedule.
Eventually, I started using second notebook in that set for Bible studies and book studies and decided I would start using it for church notes as well. So I threw that notebook in the front of the cover and now all three live in there comfortably.
Now, I just keep my eyes peeled for cute notebooks and as I reach the end of any of these notebooks, I’ll get a replacement and stick the used up one in storage. I have a whole bin of past notebooks and journals. I’m terrible at scrapbooks but dang, do I have good journals.
These notebooks hold a lot of notes, ideas, reminders, and brain dumps. This probably looks nothing like other writers writing process. I have a beat sheet for the plot of my current WIP in the notebook but a lot of my book stuff is in my writing program, Dabble. The notebook is my place to be messy, less organized than I usually am, and allows me to fill the pages with whatever I want. It’s a great way to let my ideas flow and wonder. It works for me.
I hope you enjoyed this inside look at my writer’s notebook.
*I say full-time loosely. I’m a stay at home mama now and while I get to focus on writing and it is now my job and business to be writing, I’m still taking care of my boys and playing taxicab to all the things they do.