Tag: writer’s notebook

My experience with Livways notebooks

This is not a sponsored post. These are simply my opinions regarding a writing-related product I purchased that I thought you might be interested in. I will always tell you if I have a sponsored post.

Instagram has my number, let me tell you. Especially this time of year. I was getting constant ads for this Livway index notebook. It was bloody expensive for a notebook, retailing at $40 before we even consider shipping costs. Even as someone who used to buy Moleskine notebooks in her bullet journaling days, this was a pricey notebook.

But eventually, I was worn down. The book just looked so classy. It looked like it was just screaming for detailed novel and world-building notes. I had lovely fantasies of using these fold-out pages to keep bird’s-eye views of my WIP, and all sorts of other lovely things.

So, I caved. And I’m sorry to say, I actually love the damned thing.

Before we continue, you do not need this notebook to write! You don’t need any specific notebook for your writer’s notebook. You can write in a cheap college-ruled notebook just as well. You can keep notes on your tablet, on your phone, on takeout napkins. Get you a good long CVS receipt, you can write a whole story on one of those. But if you’ve been considering this notebook, and you want to invest in it, let’s talk about it to see if it’s worth your hard-earned money.

It’s sturdy

I am rough on my supplies. If I’m carrying a notebook, I tend to get hard covers. I have been known to accidentally break book spines, rip off covers, spill coffee or candle wax, or rip out pages. I’m forever shoving my notebook in my bags, carrying it around to the kitchen or backyard. So I really need something that’s going to survive me.

The Livways notebook is doing just that. The pages are thick, and the cover is sturdy. The rings are good quality. I’ve had mine for several months now, and it’s holding up to all of my abuse.

I also like the rings. They aren’t the aggressive snapping sort you usually find on a three-ring binder. (Anyone else real gunshy around those things?) They open and close fairly easily. Not once have they opened by accident. Love that.

It’s adaptable

What I need from a writer’s notebook changes. Sometimes I’m writing a review of a TV series. Sometimes I’m working on a very complex novel with a lot of moving parts.

I like the fact that I can move things around, remove pages I don’t need anymore, and add more room in sections I need.

The different size inserts are nice, too. Especially the accordion pages. I haven’t done this yet, but I plan to write out common writing formulas there, like the MICE quotient.

You don’t have to just use their supplies

Because it’s really just sturdy cover and pages, there’s no reason why you can’t add in whatever you want. Collage pages, scrapbooks, pictures. I put a decorative clip on the front of mine to hold some decor and a pen. I always appreciate products that work well with others.

It’s super classy-looking

Finally, and this matters least of all. But it just looks classy. It looks like a notebook that should be bursting with creativity. I love having it with me; I love having it open. Most of all, I love writing in it. It makes me feel like an artist. I love when things are functional and beautiful.

Overall, I’m glad I got the index notebook. I’ll probably get another one for my book of shadows. It’s durable, useful, and beautiful. If you’ve been looking at it and wondering if it’s worth the money, I think it is. And if you’re looking for holiday gifts for a writer or artist friend, this might be just the thing.

My book, Station 86 Volume One, is available now on Amazon! It’s got two dark sci-fi stories about murder and mayhem on the station of First Contact.

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An updated look at my writer’s notebook

A writer’s notebook is the most important tool you can have. I will not be humoring arguments regarding this. Nothing is more essential. Nothing will make you a better writer than keeping a writer’s notebook. Not that special pen. Not the latest writing software. Not the craft book that everyone is talking about. The best way to become a better writer is by writing. And to that end, nothing is more important than a writer’s notebook.

I always consider this notebook to be like a visual artist’s sketchbook. It’s full of practices, studies, and first attempts. My friends who draw and paint usually have pages full of hands, feet, buildings, and plants. It becomes almost like a journal in both senses of the word. A memory-keeping journal and a practice journal. If you don’t have a writer’s notebook already, start one today. Don’t worry, I’m here to help you.

How to pick one

First, let’s talk about the physical thing. This is going to be a very personal decision, but here are some things to consider.

Price, unfortunately, must be considered. A simple spiral notebook can be had for less than a dollar at Walmart. A more sturdy composition notebook can be had for a few dollars. I used to write in a lot of those. And if you’re going to run through the pages quickly, an affordable option is essential.

For me, the quality of the book matters. I need my notebook to go everywhere with me. So it’s got to have a hard cover. I am personally offended by wide ruled pages, so my notebook has to have college rule. I usually end up with Moleskine knockoffs. And since I love stickers, there are usually quite a few on the cover.

This one cost me about seven dollars at Rite Aid.

Can you keep a writer’s notebook on your phone or pc? Sure, if that works for you. But I find that my notebook is best when I have it opened next to me. If that’s the note app on your phone for you, awesome. The best writer’s notebook is the one you use.

What to keep in it

Each writer’s notebook is going to be a little different. We are all our own brand of strange, of course. And what I consider essential might well be a waste of your time. But here’s a short collection of ideas to get you started.

Freewriting pages are a must for me. I need a place to just dump out my brain daily. And this is often when I get my best blog post ideas.

I’m forever struggling with character names. So when I hear a unique name, I write it down in my name bank. This saves me from rummaging through baby name websites for inspiration. (I end up getting diaper ads after that.)

Story ideas come at some of the most inopportune times. I wish I could stop whatever I’m doing and write, but that’s just not realistic. So when I get story and poetry ideas, I write them on a dedicated page of my writer’s notebook. Then, when I have the time, I have a list of story or poem ideas right at my fingertips.

Speaking of poetry, which I do a lot for someone who doesn’t publish poetry, I write poetry in my writer’s notebook. Haiku, rhyming poems, lyrical prose. I enjoy doing this, even though I don’t usually share it. Most of it lives in my notebook, as all it needed was to exist.

I also keep short story and chapter outlines. As well as little snippets of things I observe or think of during the day. Maybe someone said something funny or profound, or just really dumb, and I want to remember it.

Another thing I keep that I highly recommend is reading notes for whatever book I’m reading. Lines that stick out to me. Things I liked about the book. Things I hated about the book. Anything like that.

Finally, I do a lot of brainstorming in my writer’s notebook. Just figuring out what might happen in a story or blog post. Getting a feel for what the piece should look like.

How often should you use it

Here’s the real magic of a writer’s notebook. It’s not going to do shit for you if you’re not writing in it.

I would recommend writing in your writer’s notebook daily. Multiple times a day, if I’m being honest. I usually do freewriting in the morning, try to squeeze in a writing exercise in the afternoon, and capture whatever random thoughts come about during the day. The point is that every day, multiple times a day, I am putting pen to paper and building this writer’s notebook into something that can inspire me. Something that can make me a better writer.

So now it’s your turn. Do you keep a writer’s notebook? What do you keep in it? Let us know in the comments.

Paper Beats World is a labor of love. If you love what I do here, please consider liking and sharing this post and leaving a comment. You can also support me financially on Ko-fi.

Spooky season is coming, and it’s time for some creepy reads. Check out my horror novel Quiet Apocalypse, about a witch trapped in her apartment during a dark winter storm with a demon devoted to ending the world.

Or check out my horror short, The Man In The Woods. A man tries desperately to protect his granddaughter from the mysterious man in the woods. But his fear only grows when a new housing complex is built too close to the woods.

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