Many writers are used to drafting manuscripts on their computers nowadays, but there’s something to be said for the feeling of writing with good ‘ol pen and paper (or a pencil, whatever you want. We don’t judge at RC1). Writing in a notebook can make things feel less professional than they do on the word processing screen, and gives you the ability to discard ideas you may not like at the moment, but revisit them later on. Writing notebooks provide windows to our individual creative processes, an invaluable thing to understand if you really want to finish that novel of yours.
Writing Notebook Prompts + Ideas
If you don’t currently have a writing notebook, this is your sign to go out and get one! And here are some ideas for what to include when the crisp new pages are giving you the stink eye:
- Write down bits of dialogue you hear throughout the day. We mentioned this in our latest writing prompts post as well. The conversations around you can hold a wealth of story ideas, or might even fit in with a scene you’ve been struggling to write! Not to mention, studying conversations between actual people can train you to write more natural dialogue!
- Write down any lines that resonate with you from media you’re consuming, whether it be a novel, movie, TV show, music, or anything else! Taking note of writing you enjoy can help you develop your own creative style!
- Scene exercises. If you’re trying to work out some kinks in a scene you can’t seem to get quite right, try writing them in your notebook! Writing down several versions of a scene to see what works and what doesn’t can do wonders for figuring out those pesky sections.
- Character exercises. Write about your characters in situations that don’t happen in your book. Take the time to really figure out what they would do in each time/place. You’ll get to know your characters better, and writing them will become easier over time!
- Character profiles. Dive deep into your characters’ minds by making each one a reference sheet. Include things like their goal, motivation, and what about them has to change over the course of your story. You can even draw them, if you’re artistically inclined. Unfortunately, I am not, so I will continue to include their personality types, niche interests, and the like.
- Take notes! When you come across a piece of writing advice you think would be helpful, such as on social media, take the time to write it down. Did we mention Ready Chapter 1 is about to launch an entire course on writing a novel? Notes from there would be pretty helpful too 😉 we’ll add the link when it goes live!
If you use any of these ideas, be sure to post your scenes or stories on Ready Chapter 1’s Peer Critique Forum to get fast, actionable feedback that will make them even better!
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