Writing Journal

Keeping my thoughts organized is a constant battle. Ideas pop into my head at the most inoportune moments, usually when I’m no where near my computer to write them down. I used to have ideas, quotes, descriptions, character profiles, on my phone, my iPad, my computer, in several notebooks, pieces of paper. They were all over the place and usually could not be found when I wanted to organize or expand on them.

When my current books started to form in my mind, I decided I needed to organize my thoughts to streamline my process. Composition notebooks are my best friend! Inexpensive and effective. I invested in a set of colored pens, fine point as my handwriting is rather small. So now, for each book or large idea, I have a place to plan out characters, aspects, themes, and settings. A place where even the tiniest word or phrase can snowball into bigger and better things.

There was a magic element to my dream turned into a novel. Only a fragment of that was actually in my dream, only the mention of a curse. So that became a section in my journal and with a little research that expanded into the full-fledged theme. Small tidbits written down and color coded by basic information and then the parts that grew and inspired scenes and themes throughout the novel.

Scenes and settings can start as a specific place, an event, a feeling. I will jot those down at the top of the page and then add what characters are involved, descriptions that inspire me. I add columns of what the people might see, taste, feel, smell, or hear in that scene to make it real. The main thing that needs to happen there to move the story along or reveal specific information.

“Kitty didn’t usually stay in town this late, there honestly wasn’t much there to keep anyone late. The sun was beginning its descent into the western horizon sending crimson and orange streaks into the sky, wrapping everything tightly in a deep orange glow. The few trees along the highway seemed to glow from within, leaning to and fro, dancing to their inner tunes in the light breeze. She lightened her usual pace, despite the impending darkness, to enjoy the beautiful evening. The breeze was light and cool, but not enough to keep the small trickle of sweat from travelling down her spine. She moseyed along the highway, sending small dustclouds into the air with her feet as they scuffed. She breathed deep the cool evening air, letting it wash away her worries and cares and sending them on the wind as she exhaled. Small fluffly white seeds floated past on the night breeze, dancing and swirling with the trees drawing her attention again. It was a little late for cottonwoods, now, but there could be a late bloomer, she thought. Orange light danced on the large tree close to the Turner farm. She could smell wood smoke; someone was having a bonfire during dry season and she shook her head at their foolishness. Looking down, a few of those fluffy seeds danced down to land on her arm and her brows furrowed. She reached over, grabbing one in between her thumb and forefinger as it turned to papery like dust. With a quick inhale, she started to run. The Turner farm was blocked from view by a line of trees, dancing in the orange light, even though the sun had fallen further below the horizon.”

This excerpt starts a scene that simply began as a page labelled ‘house fire’ in my journal. The scene needed to happen not to burn down a house or scare a family or destroy something, but to begin something between two of my characters, trust. One simple label on a page turned into three pages of descriptions, feelings, smells, sounds all inspiring events within the scene itself. The journal really helps to fill out the scenes and themes connecting all the parts of my novel together. I’m sure there are many other functions for a writer’s journal that I have yet to discover.

Now it’s how do I keep my daughter from stealing all my pens?! #WritersLife

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