Writer’s Notebook

You have ideas worth writing down!

Writing Circle

…and so, the creative circle goes round and round!

Your Idea

Write it down

Sparks a new idea

Write more

Unlocking the

writer within ….

You may not see

yourself as a writer…

BUT everyone

has something

to say!

Keeping a Writer’s Notebook

When I find something that inspires me, I write about it in my writer's notebook. I think of my writer's notebook as a true friend, a great listener, someone who will accept whatever I write (the good, the bad, the weird, and the tedious). My writer's notebook never judges me. It understands that becoming a writer takes a long time, and we might as well have a little fun along the way.

Ralph Fletcher (2005)

What is a What is a Writer’sWriter’s Notebook?Notebook?

Not a diary!

Writers react. Writers need a place to record these reactions.

Writing SmallWriting Small

Seed IdeasSeed IdeasMind PicturesMind Pictures

DreamsDreamsSnippits of TalkSnippits of Talk

ListsListsMemoriesMemories

Writing that InspiresWriting that Inspires

Unforgettable StoriesUnforgettable Stories

…………

The Outside…Reflects the writer’s personality

Small notepad, a journal, a sketch book, or a composition book

Place to keep your thoughts, dreams, words, lists, ramblings, stories, reflections, quotes, pictures…

The Inside…

Rereading: Rereading: Digging Out the Digging Out the

CrystalsCrystals

How do you separate crystal from dull rock?

“Observation of the Room” Strategy

“Meaningful Place” Strategy

“Look at a Photograph” Strategy

“Think of a Person” Strategy

“Look at an Object” Strategy

Notebook ChecklistNotebook Checklist

Keep your notebook with you at all times. Date every entry. Do not skip pages. All drawings should have writing with them. Number the pages. Write daily. Vary your topics. Care for your notebook. Make sure there is evidence of what you’re learning in your notebook.

“Tell the truth about your life and what’s really going on.”

-Georgia Heard

Final thought about what a Final thought about what a notebook is from fifth grader, notebook is from fifth grader,

Briana Carlin.Briana Carlin.A notebook is where you keep dew

drops from a dew drop morning. It’s where the sun sets. It’s the wind in your face at the beach looking out

over the water. A notebook is where you’re playing with your dog. It’s

where you have dreams about walking on rainbows. It’s where the good feelings and the bad feelings

spend the night.