Writers are an odd lot.
Yes, I know, statement of the century. But seriously. We wander around graveyards with the express purpose of stealing dead people’s names, spaCe out of conversations to contemplate wHich innocent character we’re going to murder next, and huRt ourselves on purpose so we can “know what it feels like”.
(At least, that’s what we claim was happening after doing something really stupid.)
(DOn’t ask me what an electric fence feels like.)
And apart from all the other little eccentricities of our kind, we writers carry Notebooks.
Most of us.
Shameful as it is, I only started mine seven months ago. There’s also an 80% chance that I’m doing it wrong, because a couple days ago, when I made the mIstake of sifting through it in search of some random thought I’d jotted down at 1 AM, the result was laughing hysterically at my random and generally incoherent thoughts, most of which were written at some late stage of the night. At this point of my blogging life, you should know what my late night brain is capable of—everything from The 60 Page Theory to The Chronicles of Plerp. Basically, sheer randomness in its purest form.
Observe:
Yoda: “Issues, you have.”
I wrote that. Don’t ask me why, because I don’t know. But the faCt remains: That right there is in my notebook.
Bonus points if you heard his voice in your mind while reading it.
After laughing myself silly, and then reading some out Loud to my sister so she could laugh herself silly, I thought it would be fun to dump some of the best bits here, for your general entertainment.
You’re welcomE.
What does Liriel know about [insert random character here]?
-He’s alive
That’s… a good thing to know about someone, yeah.
Owen’s alternate world of Friss—or Fris… Frys? Frisians? Frysanites? Frisers? FRIES!!! (That’s stupid.)
It goes on like thiS for a while. I feel like I’m reading The Silmarillion.
Apparently, I sometimes write pOetry…? It wasn’t intentional, I can assure you.
Dear Cousin Hugh,
That’s it. That’s all there is.
I don’t have a cousin Hugh.
This is a real conversation I had with my sister. As Far as I can glean, the moral of the story is this:
Belt = No CaPes
(Bonus points if you read that in Edna Mode’s voice.)
When we fall asleep, it feels like only seconds have gone by until we wake up. So what if we HAVEN’T actually slept for hours? What if, when we fall asleep, we’re really just instantly transferred to the moment in the future that we wake up? WHAT IF MY LIFE HAS BEEN A LIE???
#mindblown
Thanks, dad, for putting thoughts in my head that I will never be abLe to Erase.
How does Biddle find the Understudy?
I’ll let you figure out the context of this.
This is a special classification of poetRy known as “sad, disturbing metaphors that don’t rhyme.”
Writers have mental Problems.
CLEAN STICKY NOTES OFF COMPUTER. NOW.
For one thing, why was I shouTing at myself in my notebook? And secondly, why was I sHouting at myself to do it NOW instead of just going and actually… doing it?
For the rEcord, it’s still not done.
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me. ~Micah 7:8
Never discredit seemingly “minor” books of the Bible, guyS. There are some real gems in them.
Ah yes, my debut novel—How Emolas Earned a Place on Yet Another Assassination List, soon to be released in booksTores near you.
One word to describe Indril: Weak
BURN.
Poor Indril.
This, my fRiends, is actually the christening stAtement of the entire notebook. The very first thing I wrote in there.
Naturally, I decided to save it uNtil the middle of the post.
She walked with stars in her wake, and where she went, the world followed.
I have no idea who this is talking about, but I like the sound of her.
What is the Watchpost?
I find it dreadfully ironic that I created something before knowinG either what it—or it’s purposE—was.
I have since discovered boTh, just so we’re cleAr.
I reaLly hatE myself for this. I was sO gung-ho for all anti-poetry movements, especially the un-rhyming kind. Whaddya know, but now I’m writing the stuFf.
I feel like such a disappointment to my past self.
2018 Goals
- Draw a portrait every week
Well that didn’t happen.
- Piano every day
Nope.
- Finish book by April
HAHA DEFINITELY NOPE.
Exhibit A of why I don’t make New Year’s Goals.
“Am I right, Atha?”
“I’m almost positive you’re not, but to be honest, I wasn’t listening.”
I’m… just gonnA leave this one here.
These are the nights when the moon is alive.
Nice.
If I ever decide that writing isn’t the job for me, it’s good to know that My late night Brain is alrEady taking gReat strides to turn me into an inspirational speaker.
Good job, me.
So yeah, there it is. The incredible strAngeness of the thINgs I jot down. As you can See, the only common factor in my notebook is that nothing has a comMon factor. But you know, I rAther like that. Life is a terribly structured affair; we all need a little spontaneity in our lives—even if some of us are perfectionist control-freak INTJs who outline thinGs wIthin an inCh of their life and have to develop a method for everything, even Something as insignificant as washing dishes.
*totallynottalkingaboutmyselfhere*
To the peoPle who think I’m tOo much of a control freak, I have but one thing to say tO you:
Issues, you have.
Anyway, happy Thursday, my duckliNgs, and I’ll see you next week. What are some of the warped and slightly terrifying things you have written in your notebooks?
~Sarah
The Sarcastic Elf 
Those were amazing. Loved it!! ‘Issues, you have.” <<true very
And the poetry…! It was just so deep! Well done. *slow clapping*
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Aw, thanks! I’m rather proud of my poetry… it’s such a rare occurrence.
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Zikers. This stuff is so beautifully random. 😂 I WANNA SEE YOU AS AN INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER.
I love the christening statement of the entire notebook. It’s so terribly true. Oh, and the one about hope. *hugs self* You’re…you’re making quotes that sound in the style of people from the 19th century. I love you.
(Also, ‘enigmas’ is not possessive here, and ‘its’ that are possessive don’t have apostrophes. Only ‘it’s’ that are ‘it is’. The English language is a horrible thing.)
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Zikers. Hehe.
Well, if I ever decide to inspire people as my official guise of profession, you will be the first to know. Also, look, all that Charles Dickens has to have *some* purpose, amiright? 😂
*blinks**peers closely**pokes you* Uh, Emma, I don’t have the word ‘enigmas’ being possessive….
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I haven’t seen Gracie anywhere recently. I hope life didn’t utterly and completely swallow her up.
Yeap, mmhm. sweet. See, I’m ‘specially looking forward to the “public speaking” bit. *sadistic chuckle*
But of course! 😂
*gives you inscrutable Lord Gair stare* Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah yeah. XD
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Zis is what we all hope. I think this last stretch before school is over has swallowed up many of us.
*wrinkles nose at Lord Gair* Aw, phooey. I was waiting to see if you’d fall for that. If you had, I would have had a monstrously fun time crowing over you. *mourns what could have been*
My friends need to be more gullible.
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Well now, it wouldn’t be a true victory if you tricked someone because they were gullible, now would it?
I thought not. *raises eyebrows scornfully* *calmly strides off*
You can continue in blissful thoughts of how much fun it would’ve been. 😂
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“Electric fence?!” *refrains from asking — with difficulty*
These are awesome. A lot of those really stirred my creative juices. Hmm… Do you think I should keep a notebook like that? Is it more troublesome bringing it EVERYWHERE you go, or more troublesome leaving it at home when you might have a flash of inspiration? Does the speed of your handwriting impede your train of thought? Do you still take notes?? 😀
I wish I could remember what Yoda’s voice sounds like… But I got Edna! XD
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*mutters sourly under breath* Okay, fine. The fence didn’t have electricity on for a really long time, so when someone finally turned it back on again, I… kinda forgot. Surprisingly, it really didn’t hurt. There was just this terrible jolt in my arm, and a few weird tingles in my fingers, and it felt all numb and heavy for the rest of the day. It was… an experience. 😂
I highly recommend keeping a notebook. I don’t take mine with me EVERYWHERE, but it IS terribly handy for all the random thoughts that need to be remembered but don’t necessarily have a place to go. Just this morning, I was driving somewhere with my mom when a lovely name popped into my head, and whaddya know but by the time we got home, I couldn’t remember it. 😣
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I’ve touched an electric fence several times. NEVER EVER EVER crawl under one without making 300% sure your lower back can in no way touch those wires of death. I couldn’t walk for almost three minutes.
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Oh, my word, you guys. XD *takes notes to never touch or crawl under an electric fence…*
Sarah — Ohhhh, that’s so annoying!! I’ve had things like that happen to me all the time. I shall consider it! I think I may need it…
Aislinn — ACE!! I think this is the first time I’ve seen you here! *hugs* 😉
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Hey, Pip! I’ve been following Ethryndal around for a while, but comments…comments are tricky.
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One notebook? Oh, gosh…I have six or seven that I carry around with me regularly. Some are completed. 🙂
I think I’ve mentioned before that I am an avid journal writer, and I’ve turned what was once a diary habit into this writer’s notebook habit. I write daily stuff, but also notes, and sketches, and lists. I scrapbook in there too sometimes, and I once recorded a self-therapy creative writing depression session in there.
I was actually in the beginning stages of one of my writer’s notebooks when the Free Train Incident happened. I have a whole chapter in there devoted to that. (if you can call a page a chapter)
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Good glory… one day, I aspire to have seven notebooks… But then, I don’t journal, so I suppose that has something to do with it. Your notebooks sound fascinating.
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Notebooks are wondrous things.
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#SORELATABLE
Let me see… *picks up her nearest notebook and starts thumbing through it*
‘To be born in the light is to have no fear of darkness. But to be born in the darkness is to doubly cherish light. ~Malin’
‘Must remember to have Eldred torch library in sack of Ondrial’
‘Konstantin’
‘Character Bank: lonely, hard-faced little girl with freckles, green eyes, and silky tawny hair. Can’t stop talking and asking questions; never smiles. ‘I lied. Did you ever lie? Yes but did you? Where’d you get your skirt? You made it? You’re crazy. Do you like little kids?’
MBTI: unknown. If I had to guess, a hardened ISFJ.’
‘Alnilan’
‘Morna blind female assassin sent by Eavan’s older brother (king) to quietly take him out of the picture’
‘”Oh, go shake hands with a jellyfish!” she hissed’
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‘Go shake hands with a jellyfish’? OKAY, THAT IS PRICELESS.
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Deep-sea cultures need deep-sea insults… 😛
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That’s an excellent insult! Along with calling people eggs and acorns, things I think I picked up from Shakespeare. . . pretty sure the egg one is, at least.
(Funny how I collect insults that strike me as being particularly brilliant even when I try not to actually have much use for them. . .)
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The art of unused insults is an art indeed.
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XD I know right??
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*blinks several times* *shakes head slowly*
Yeah… yeah, I’m thinking I need a writer’s notebook, too… ❤
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‘Must remember to have Eldred torch library in sack of Ondrial’
THAT IS THE BEST. Though I feel sorry for the library. And like Eldred a little less for torching it, the fiend.
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*raises eyebrows* You shall have much more to think less of him for, my dear. Much more.
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*sinks into resignation* As if I already didn’t despise him enough…
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You had me at “Dear Cousin Hugh”….
😂😂😂
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I had MYSELF at “Dear Cousin Hugh,” thank you very much. I find myself quite amusing sometimes. 😂
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This is amazing. My notebooks are not this cool. I don’t write down cool stuff I think up, so every one of the 10+ notebooks I possess are filled with useless stuff like lists of names I like and people in my youth group.
On the subject of names, however, I have a suggestion. Instead of looking through graveyards and such for character/place/beastie names, why don’t you look at the credits at the end of movies? I have found some great ones in the credits of the Empire Strikes Back.
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MOVIE CREDITS. Just… YES. Sometimes my family watches the credits just to see who can find the weirdest name. It’s quite entertaining. And sometimes I steal names as well.
I genuinely want to know what goes through non-writers’ heads when they hear us talking about “stealing names”. XD
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I know what goes through their minds because one has told me. My friend Elizabeth was telling me about this historical fiction romance (BLECH) she was reading, and she mentioned this one guy, and his name was so perfect for this one character that I randomly yelled, “I’M STEALING THAT.”
She looked at me for a second and said, “You mean for your book?” I nodded, and she sighed and said, “You writers…”
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1. I agreed with literally everything in this post, which was both comforting and scary in equal amounts. 2. One word to describe Sarah Baran: Genius. 3. Something in my notebook is an entire blank page with a few words in the corner saying “Look! I drew Annabeth in her cap!” *facepalm* Another is a 3-page story with my talking to my characters and getting a fictional crush on one of them. I saw this and just stared at it for a few minutes. Like… okaaaay… Also, I had an entire page dedicated to the word blue. *nods wisely* It deserves it. 4. This is all awesome and you are an amazing writer. Thank you for portraying so snarkily the feelings of us INTJs. 5. Having five things is important. I have said this before, and I will continue to do so.
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1. You’re not an INTJ for nothing. We understand one another.
2. One word to describe Hope: Too nice for spice. (That was a play on “too cool for school” that didn’t quite work the way I envisioned. Ah well.)(Disregard the fact that it’s more than one word.)
3. Your notebook… Your notebook sounds like a hoot. XD (And for the record, the color blue totally deserves 3 pages about it. It’s a lovely color.)
4. Thanks. We INTJs must properly represent ourselves, eh?
5. Organized as ever, my friend. This is why I like you. XD
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My little black notebook (yes, I have a black book I can put things in. . . beware of offending me, I guess) has lots of notes for sundry stories, to-do lists I never quite keep up with (difference between INTJ and INTP), and business meeting notes from church the last couple of years. Also occasionally random notes from class, which are more likely to be doodles or something unrelated to the class, on the days I forgot my class notebook. Also, in the back, a few conversations between me and my sister from when we were passing notes on airplane flights. The first thing in it is “Their Majesties summon Taion Orbanus” from when I was writing about an SCA event; the most recent is a to-do list from Monday of finals week, very little of which actually got done. A lot of the to-do lists I can no longer interpret: like what does “check E. E.” mean? Some of the things are interesting, like “Courtesy — that virtue which is none the less manly for being soft” (with a very bad attempt at putting the line in iambic pentameter, so that must have been last fall). I have very small cursive handwriting, and I’m mostly writing in a hurry, so what’s /really/ fun is having people try to read bits. Only the safe ones, of course, and sometimes I have to flip around a lot to find such a page.
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“What if, when we fall asleep, we’re really just instantly transferred to the moment in the future that we wake up?” *gasp* Time Travel! Ooooh… then dreams are us traveling to/fairing through another dimension in between the jump to the moment we wake up. *book ideas* 💡😸 Wow.
Yoda was hmmm-ing and Edna was waving a rolled up newspaper. It get points! *throws feathers*
I don’t really keep a journal… but I have snippets!
“In order to answer those questions for you let’s jump in your time machine and go back in… Oh you don’t have a time mac… Okay then”
“Game reboot command: death”
“I don’t know how long I stood there just staring at the girl with purple hair. But then”
It stops there…
“To give a thank you card are not.”
“Stitch in Time”
As a book title. Well we already know it saves nine.
A list of fairy tale characters and their crimes. I guess I was planning on them having a prison break rewrite… hmmm…
And I found my Kingdom Pen brain storming paper. Oh, my… *cough*I’mgladIdidn’tnamemyselfWingedTail*cough*
Lovely post as always, elf.
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*scowls at closing question* I plead the fifth amendment.
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Issues we do have. And we’re ducklings now? Hmm. I think I prefer the term “Glorious Dragon Queen, INTJ, and Ruler of the World.”
Yes, I’m aware I have an ego. Your notebook is lovely. My favorite notebook entry from my own is:
“Why is Anya healing Jax?
–Because he’s sick.”
Or “Who is the huntress?
–A mysterious person in a cloak.”
Farewell, my epic-ly sparkly unicorn friend.
~The Other Other Sarah
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This is hilarious! My notebooks have a lot of weird stuff, but they’re more painfully childish scribbles than funny ones. Case in point, ‘Ode to a Hamster’:
Oh hamster, oh hamster, your death we do lament,
The loss of a small animal on this planet.
We fondly remember your solemn visage,
the grace of your scurrying pace while pacing this cage.
With tears we recall
our hamster so small,
Oh hamster, oh hamster,
we miss you one and all.
I DON’T EVEN OWN A HAMSTER. WHERE DID THIS COME FROM.
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Late as usual, but I would just like to say…
THIS. THIS IS GOLD.
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I don’t usually write my ideas down on paper; I’ve been attempting to get inspiration while typing on the computer. As a result, perhaps, my brain’s been fried so as to not write stuff that’s as anything as cool as your stuff is. Lesson learned: Get out the notebook paper.
HowEVER, since you asked, I’ll share a few acceptable things from my “digital notebook”, then:
She stood up to her full height and looked down at Morgan with her eyes. “Don’t you dare think that you’re much of anything!” she snapped. “Why, *my stage name is cooler than yours!”*
Morgan stared at her spikes, then up into her eyes, and nodded. “It probably is.”
(That was a bit of a book that I’m making plans to write)
And then at some point in a document I’ve found this very disconcerting unfinished sentence.
And when she wasn’t
And I don’t remember how I had planned that poor sentence to end.
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Ooh, I really like the “She walked with stars in her wake” line of poetry. Sounds very Middle-earth-y 🙂
These two things were on the same slip of paper in a folder I carry around with me. (They also had an arrow between them and the word “unrelated”):
“He’s selfish!” “Of course. We all are. Put one person, put many in power. It’s all the same. In spite of their good intentions, nothing will stop the temptation to become a tyrant. To use your power for ill.”
THEME: Who deserves the credit? hard-working nobodies or prodigies?
Honestly, this post has helped me realize how much more I need to spill my inspiration out on paper. (You also made my fantasy-writer-friend freak out over the name “Indril” as she was looking over my shoulder). Thanks, Sarah xD
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Issues we have indeed! Probably the most share-worthy thing I wrote in my notebook was:
On suitcases – yes that little rock on the pavement is enough to make me flip over, as well as that ridge, and that corner… and at this point you might as well carry me.
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THAT IS GOLD. Oh my, yes. Notebooks are epic.
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Be a writer, I’d describe myself as…. “I tend take some getting used to… I can be quite different..”
Good post!
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