Writers’ Tools: Journal vs. Notebook and How to Use Both

May, 2024Blogging, Stress Management, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing tips, Writing Toolsblogging, Gratitude, tips, writing, writing craft, writing toolscarolyn

Have you ever wondered about the difference between a writer’s journal and a writer’s notebook? Or how best to use one versus the other?

Because the writer’s journal and the writer’s notebook are two different implements. With two different purposes that can improve your writing, which I’ll explain.

I first started thinking about the notebook/journal question while working on my recent newsletter. I’d written of two writerly “celebrations” in June: Ballpoint Pen Day (6/10) and National Typewriter Day (6/23). That reminded me how much I love the old-school tools of the trade. And what tools go shockingly well with ballpoint pens? (Preferably ones with blue ink because blue makes me happy. 😉) Why notebooks and journals, of course.

Even though I’m definitely old school, I didn’t use a typewriter often. I grew up in the transition years between typewriter, word processor, and computer, none of which I had quick access to back in the day. My writing instruments of choice, then and now, are pen and paper. And you’ll find them in close proximity to me pretty much everywhere I go.

So, what’s the difference between the writer’s notebook and the journal? And how can you best use them to great effect? Both are invaluable for writing and thought processing.

In the simplest meaning, a writer’s notebook is the place for ideas, writing snippets, scene information, plot suggestions, and all sorts of other helpful details that can be used in any and all types of your writing for the public.

The notebook is an idea book where anything you encounter can be jotted down for future reference and use.

It also can be a place for business ideas, marketing info, blog suggestions, and other craft-related work.

The journal, on the other hand, is a more personalized place to unleash your creativity.

A private space, safe from the need to share with the world, where you can let your thoughts run free. Your stream-of-consciousness home where things don’t have to make sense. And there’s no one to censor you. Journaling is a great way to express yourself with art, too, not just words. And with color, when you feel so inclined.

If you’re like a lot of people, your journal might be a very extraordinary snapshot into your personal creative process and thoughts. But you certainly don’t have to be a “creative” to enjoy and benefit from journaling. The calming effect of keeping a journal or diary has been shown repeatedly. Here’s a link to an old post of mine where I go more in-depth on journaling and how it can help destress and focus you.

And you don’t have to be a list-making fool like me to benefit from notetaking. As I mentioned, I usually have at least one notebook with me at all times. (At the moment, I have six on my desk within easy reach! Different purposes, of course!) And another notebook lives in my purse, along with my pen and a Sharpie, so I’m good to go at all times.

I keep a separate journal, as well, for all those private thoughts and feelings. I’m a big fan. My current one includes a mostly-daily gratitude practice, too, which I’ve found very helpful. For the most part, I keep only one journal at a time. Occasionally, though, I’ll tote along a strictly-travel journal to keep track of the amazing trips, vacations, and sights that I’d like to recall in detail.

If you’re interested in reading a bit more, while poking around the internet, I came across two articles on writers’ journals and notebooks. The first I skimmed gave the author’s take on the differences between the two formats. This second post offered suggestions specifically for the notebook. (I have to admit, when I glanced over #6, I thought it said to add duct tape and scissors! I immediately thought it was a tip on planning a murder for your novel!! Doh! It wasn’t. 😉 Curse of the mystery-writer’s mind.)

Before I wrap up this post, here’s a link to a great and thorough article from an old fave, Writers Digest, by Ran Walker, about the benefits of writing longhand. Love this.

By the way, though I don’t have easy access to it, I love knowing there’s still a typewriter in the family: Grandma’s Smith-Corona is back in NYC, being well cared for. <3

So, as I head back to my notebooks (spiral bound, to lay flat!), I’ll leave you with a question: how do you prefer to write? With a blue Pilot G2, perhaps? 😉 I’d love to hear from you with your thoughts, so please leave a comment below or send a quick email to: carolyn@carolyngreeley.com. Until then, Happy Writing and Reading!

Writing Craft: What Happens Next?

March, 2024Blogging, Indie Publishing, Self-publishing, Series writing, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing locations, Writing tipsblogging, draft, editing, Manuscripts, tips, writing, writing craftcarolyn

Do you ever ask yourself, what happens next? My brother Phil shared a video with me the other day. He often does when he comes across something he thinks I may enjoy or find useful (thanks, Phil!). I only had time to watch a few minutes then, an interview with writer/producer Andy Guerdat. But right off the bat, his subject reminded me of a key element of storytelling: getting your audience to care about your story.

Guerdat talks about maintaining an audience/reader mindset when storytelling. He uses the three-word question: “What happens next?” as the storyteller’s tactic to engage your readers, keep them entertained, and keep your story from becoming formulaic and predictable. Those three little words should be at the crux of writing engrossing tales.

The video continued in a film-related vein, and I’ll be honest, at first, I didn’t watch the entire clip. Primarily because as soon as Guerdat mentioned that three-word question, I stopped and thought about the novel I’m currently drafting, Book 3 of the Treasure Quest Series.

I considered it great timing to have heard that question this week.

I’d been planning to post an update on where I’m at with writing Book 3. I planned to share how the work is going, what my hopes and expectations for this draft are. And, truthfully, I’m struggling a bit with how the work is progressing.

So those words, that question, “what happens next?” gave me pause and helped me spend some time mulling a key point of why I write: to entertain and engage, inform and divert and escape.

Hearing the question stated so succinctly reminded me where and how to focus my efforts as I continue writing my WIP.

At the moment, I’ve hit a few snags. But I also have written more consistently than previously. One of the reasons—though I’ve told myself time and again to “just spit out the first draft, damn it, things will be fixed in edits!”—is because I’m writing key scenes that are set in Ireland. While some description and details can be added later, other info is relevant to the story and its progression. Additional research needs to happen up front in order for the tale to progress logically.

And, truthfully, doing that research also helps spark unique ideas. That’s one part of writing (of many!) that I truly love. I can have an idea on which I’ve built parts of a story, but then new research helps inform a cooler, better solution/outcome. Love, love, love that!! Though, of course, that can and does change other elements of the tale, so it’s another reason editing is so crucial. The story still has to work with however the new information has changed it.

So, writing is a struggle to balance research, completion (of draft #1), and plot/pacing. But, with all of that said, I am making progress. Check out this photo of my basic plotline.

Writing Corkboard and What Happens Next? — Writing Corkboard with Green and Pink Notes

I finally had to put this together to see what I had left to write and where I had holes. Especially because Book 3 is just that, the third of the series, and it has many loose ends to tie together. This isn’t everything, but these are the main moving parts. The green post-its are what I’d finished writing last year, and the pink notes are what I need to write to have a mostly finished first draft.

The good news is, I’m all the way through the pinks except for the final four!! Yay!!! Which is not to say I’m done when I finish those, but that will leave me very close with the first draft. I will be soooo freakin’ excited when I get there.

But, as I mentioned at the start, the essential question (or one of them) is still key to remember and view from the readers’ perspective: what happens next? I’ll need to make sure I keep you, dear reader, engaged with my story and characters. And hopefully you’ll enjoy this next story as much as the first two!! Fingers (and toes and everything!) crossed!!

For those of you interested, I went back and listened to the rest of the ten-minute video clip. Guerdat had other useful, writerly tidbits he shared. Check it out here and let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Given a couple cool items I uncovered with my online explorations last week, I’m hopefully on a surer path to completing the first draft. And I think as long as I keep asking “what happens next,” I’ll be able to convey the excitement I felt at the beginning of writing this story. What does my ideal reader want? To be engaged and enthralled and maybe even enlightened just a bit. 😉

So, dear readers, I’d best get back to work, hadn’t I? I’ve more to write and more to surprise you with. Thanks for reading and supporting … and stay tuned! And stay in touch, too. I really appreciate your thoughts and comments, so please say hi below or drop me a line at carolyn@carolyngreeley.com.

Coffee House Writing Space and What Happens Next? — Coffee House Writing Space

PS–If you’re curious to journey back in time with me, check out this older post of mine It’s True, I Do Exist. But TB Is Half Missing. – The Mystery of Relevance (carolyngreeley.com) from when I was writing Book 2, Treasure Bound. Oh, how the times have not changed! 😉 I’m still asking, what happens next?

Writing and the Benefits of Critique Groups

September, 2023Editing, Self-publishing, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing tipsaccountability, Critique, critique groups, editing, Gratitude, motivation, writing, writing craftcarolyn

There are many benefits to writing critique groups. I’m a massive fan of them, as you may’ve noticed from previous posts (and book dedications 😉). First and foremost, I hugely appreciate the accountability aspect of meeting weekly to share my work with other writers. That goes a long way toward engaging my creative muscle and keeping me motivated to write.

Writing is largely a solitary art form and occupation. But there’s also the need for feedback on your work and support from fellow writers. Some authors excel at working solo; others thrive with human interaction. I’m sort of a mix, an introverted extrovert. I enjoy working on my own with minimal supervision and distractions, but I absolutely need and value the input of my writing colleagues.

Even though I love writing, (maybe too much? 😉), I find it very challenging at times. Writing, especially for an audience or to sell your books, is both a joy and an act of will at times. The discipline needed to sit and create is huge. Adding to the pressure, I self-publish my books. Which means I set my own deadlines and strive to achieve them without the incentive of formal, real-world repercussions. There are, of course, those personal penalties my brain dishes out in the form of self-castigation, but let’s not linger on those. 😉

And for me, as for many, though the desire to create is always there, the creativity itself, the spurt of inspiration, the flood of words, is frequently and frustratingly elusive.

Sometimes, I just don’t have the energy or resourcefulness to motivate myself all on my own. Sometimes, I need the enthusiastic shove in the bum that my writer pals have given me over the years. When I feel I’m slogging along, spewing garbage, caught up in all the craziness of everyday life, their encouraging, insightful words are more galvanizing than anything I can do on my own.

Enter the Critique Group.

Yes, critique groups can be a challenge to find, join, start, and fill, but the benefits are considerable when you discover the right fit. Mind you, there are loads of blog posts about how to find and/or form your own group. Here’s a link to a thorough article on Novlr.org that covers many of the steps: Writer’s Critique Groups and How to Form Them – Novlr.

There’s also a good bit about these groups that’s helpful to understand before participating. To that end, here’s another good, longer read that dives into the pros and cons: The Truth About Critique Groups. Lessons learned by writers on the many… | by Teri Daniels | The Writing Cooperative.

So, what’s my story? When I first began to seriously write and edit, I found a couple of local writers’ meetings to participate in. Though large, infrequent, and multifaceted, they taught me many writing basics, and those general meetings were the jumping-off point for finding my first critique group.

Over the years, the first group slowly evolved into the second, and the second unfortunately dissolved as members stopped writing, drifted, or passed away. Ah, life. Some would say the transitions are inevitable. They were precious to me, though, and I’m forever grateful to you guys for everything … you know who you are!

Through those first two forays, I learned not only how to write better, but also how to more usefully interact with other writers, readers, and editors.

I learned the discipline of sharing weekly writing, I grew a thicker skin with the helpful criticisms I received, and I discovered how to offer positive assessments to others and what to look for in their writing. So, I became both a better writer and a better reader and editor myself. In short, I learned a lot.

Now, after a couple years of mayhem (AKA, life), I’ve started a new group. We’re fledgling still, but we’re beginning to find our own groove, our own rhythm. And everyone is so enthusiastic … it feels great to once again be part of a band of writers who want to help each other improve their craft. I’m grateful to start this next journey with these guys (and you know who you are!).

So, where am I going with all this? Having these weekly critique meetings forces me to plant my butt in the chair and either write or edit. Every week. (I can’t say every day, because though tons of fab authors/writers do write every day, I don’t want to force my writing until I hate it. My discipline is to produce working material every week, Monday to Friday.)

Knowing I have an external deadline, and interested, encouraging partners who want to read my work, is what keeps me accountable and keeps me motivated to produce. And the more productive a writer I am, the more the creativity flows and the smoother. Like lubricating the lovely creative cogs.

So, for those of you struggling with the discipline, maybe it’s time you find a critique group. More so than the general, all-encompassing writers’ groups, you may just find a circle of supportive, encouraging, thoughtful, and inspiring writers who motivates you to keep your bum in the seat, and who gives you the straightforward means to stay accountable. This is huge for me. Let me know if it is for you, too … please drop a comment below! Happy trails to you and keep writing! 😉

Before I sign off, in a similar vein, here’s a link to an old post of mine about finding a mentor. This is another great way to work with someone who’s been around the block and can teach you more about writing and the business. Keep this in mind!

Writing Craft: Creative Shifts and Shorts

June, 2023Blogging, FWA, New opportunities, Refresh and reset, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing locationsblogging, short story, writing, writing craftcarolyn

Life really runs just so smoothly, right? Nah! I began writing this post in May, the month celebrating the Short Story. I planned to blog about changing formats to challenge your growth as a writer, in my case, writing shorts instead of working on my usual long-format novel. You guys know I can’t resist stretching my chops and working on writing craft.

But, now it’s June. I’m just posting this, and all I can do is chuckle. And grab a cold glass of something refreshing. Because here in Florida, the temps are rising, and summer has hit the ground running.

Despite the heat, I love to write outside on our screen porch, which is a tad cluttered—read: tools, coolers, spare deck chairs, and general et cetera—but the view of our jungle (AKA, the backyard) is great for a creative boost.

And oftentimes a change of scenery, even a small one like moving from office to porch, can make a big creative difference. As I write and study the craft, anything that can enhance creativity helps. Sometimes, that’s a scenery shift, sometimes a format change to write something brilliant and brief.

It’s from the wacky screen porch that I wrote two short stories these past two months. And guess what? One of those stories has been selected for publication in an anthology. Woo hoo! You might recall I mentioned the Florida Writers Association Collection contest. The contest is open to poetry and short stories of up to 1200 words, a length which is definitely not my strong suit.

This year’s Collection theme was the unignorable Secrets, so I decided to submit a piece. I have entered this contest in the past, to no avail. But you only get better with practice, and that’s definitely true of writing craft.

You all already know I primarily write novels. Long, descriptive, but hopefully compelling, page-turning novels. I love to plunge into action, adventure, characters’ brains and emotions, food, travels, all that good stuff that drives a reader through every page. Novels are my happy place.

So, for me to shift to writing a short story is a real trick, and one I’m working on doing better. Because the thing is, a short story is basically a very short novel, meaning, that tiny piece of writing must contain all the elements of the novel with thousands fewer words. Yikes. By contrast, my novels run in the 70-90,000-word range. You can see the challenge this presents for a writer like me.

And maybe now you can see the appeal, too. Every author wants to improve, wants to hone their writing craft and make it readable, enjoyable, or gripping. I’m pretty okay (so I’m told) at putting together decent imagery, fun vignettes, things of that nature. If you’re keen, I post some of those under the Writing Snippets section here at my site. But they’re not all short stories, with a story arc, character development, conflict, etc. and the other elements of a true SS.

Writing the shorts these past months really challenged how I wrote, what I wrote about, and how good my recall of Grammar 101 was (it wasn’t!). ;P So, I hit some hurdles while working on my submissions. But the experience of writing a full story, succinctly, was excellent. If you’re interested in some smart tips for writing shorts from uber-knowledgeable folks, follow these two links to learn more: Writer’s Digest and Grammarly.

I can say honestly—especially after hearing about my anthology contest selection—that the experience was really worth the effort of writing something outside my wheelhouse. It sure helps when that effort is rewarded.

I haven’t heard back yet about the second contest I entered, for AutoCrit, so I’ll stay positive on that score. Once the judging ends and all the legalities are sorted, I’ll share the news.

In the meantime, this creative shift should help me refocus as I return to writing Book 3 of my series. Sometimes all we need is that bit of clarity that comes from a change of perspective.

Thanks again for visiting. And please let me know in the comments how you like to mix things up with your writing craft. Would love to hear what works for you!

Get Out of My Head

January, 2023Blogging, Refresh and reset, WritingBasketball, blogging, Gratitude, writingcarolyn

A new year has begun, but I’m the same old me, still trying to get out of my head at times. Does that sound like you, too?

Happy New Year, dear readers and friends, and welcome to 2023! This year has already started out with some flips and flops, and I’ve found myself struggling to get out of my head, to find the words I want for the places I want them. Those of you who’ve bumped along beside me on my writing journey know how much I love to write. You also know how challenging I sometimes find doing so. This year is no different, with some residual and new setbacks along for the ride.

Since that is life as we all know it, I took myself off for a short walk in the beautiful sunshine and moderate temps of north Florida, and I pondered my next post.

As I did, I focused on my current issues and what I would like to know at this particular moment in time. That’s how I hit on the topic for this blog, how to get out of my head.

First for the bad part: I don’t know how to get out of your head. And I don’t have a magic formula, especially not one that works for everyone, which I doubt exists anywhere in the universe. But I did come up with a thought, simple and hopefully helpful, to share with you.

Experiment until you find something or someplace which lets you detach completely for a time. That gives you the freedom to stop thinking. That engrosses you so fully you temporarily let go of your worries and your conscious thoughts and just do.

This thing or place could be just about anything, so I suggest having as much fun as you can while you explore your options. Guess what my distraction is? Shooting hoops. Yep, basketball! I love shooting baskets so much, yet having our own backyard hoop was a completely random occurrence.

My husband and I found an abandoned, freestanding basketball hoop at one of the fixer project houses we renovated. The hoop had been lying on the ground, half covered by weeds, beat-up and broken looking. I didn’t give it much thought beyond how clunky and worn it appeared.

A week later, however, I looked out our back windows, and what do I see standing tall and straight at the edge of our concrete patio? The hoop! Okay … us not having kids, I thought, hmm, what’re two creaky middle-agers going to do with a basketball hoop and with all of our “free time”?

Turns out, I now make time, even if that’s only 5 or 10 minutes, and just hurl our yellow-and-lime-green basketball toward that round metal circle, waiting to hear the whoosh of all net and the thwap of the ball on the concrete, and I relax. It’s incredible. And who knew?

Well, someone else does, probably, but the peace and detachment (in the good way) that I feel when playing surprised me (in the best way), and I’m so grateful my hub thought the hoop would be fun and transported the heavy, enormous thing all the way to our house. Yay! (Aside, a quick search led me to this post with other basketball games to try, if you’re interested.)

So, while shooting baskets works wonders for my brain (and it’s pretty good for my body, too), you’ll need to find that which works for you. And I hope you do.

We all need to feel like we can let go, disconnect in that positive way, so I encourage you to experiment until you find your detachment-from-the-mayhem button.

Oddly, another activity that works wonders for my brain is laying floors. That, however, is neither always available as an option, nor particularly happy for my back to endure. Still … it’s good to have choices for getting out of my head. 😛 Check this out, one of our renovated kitchens and check out that floor I helped lay! 🙂

And funny enough, walking obviously doesn’t do it for me. I pretty much never detach from my thoughts and worries then. Quite the opposite, walking allows my brain free rein to roam and helps me find new paths in my writing and my life. Supremely important in its own way. 😉

Thanks again for stopping by, guys. I wish you success in finding your way, and I hope this post gives you a starting point. Keep on keeping on! And if you’d like to share what works for you in the comment section below, I’d love to hear!

PS–If you’re interested in reading a bit more about the need to reset the brain, check out this older post of mine. Hope you enjoy it!

Starting Fresh. Again.

December, 2022Blogging, Gratitude, Refresh and reset, Writing, Writing timeblogging, writing, writing craft, Writing lifecarolyn

So. A little bit of time has passed between my posts once again. Shocker. 😉 For those of you rejoining me here as I’m starting fresh, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Many of you have followed my story online since I created my website and started blogging in 2015. Just before then, I’d done a major life reset by leaving my job of 16+ years, moving solo from NYC to Florida, and publishing my first adventure-mystery novel.

That’s what I call a pretty good reset. A pretty eye-opening one, too.

I’d spent most of my life prior in a semi-content stasis with little large-scale change, and oftentimes loaded with feelings of boredom and loneliness. That first major reset has been hugely wonderful—not without problems, of course—but worth the world to me.

Something I tried to learn from that shift is how to be comfortable with change.

Because periodically since then, I’ve been hitting that reset button. Write and publish novels? Ding! Insinuate myself into the design and construction fields? Ding! Design and renovate fixer homes? Ding! Which of late has been both my major time draw and my creative outlet. Utterly challenging, utterly rewarding.

And now, close to 10 years later, I’m facing another potentially huge reset. In some ways, I feel I’ve come full-circle, because I’m now able to refocus on writing. This came about in a frustrating, wacky way—and let me tell you, it’s been a year, again—but I’m working on my flexibility and am focusing my creativity once more on writing. It feels a little like coming home. 🙂

So, starting fresh for me, with this, certainly isn’t starting from scratch. More, it’s revisiting where my heart took me before, and finding new avenues to happiness. It’s about keeping my head up as I wander, looking forward instead of down. Not because of FOMO, rather, because of the importance of paying attention to and appreciating what’s here and now. The little things, like ducks, and the big things. 😉 Of course, it helps to exercise that ol’ peripheral vision. Like the rest of you, I try to keep from stumbling on the sidewalk cracks or getting tossed by a rogue wave.

And as ever, focusing reminds me of all that I have to be grateful for: life, love, home, health, the list is long and worth reflecting on. Always, but especially when life throws those unexpected resets your way. 😉

Thanks again for spending time here with me. I’m still slow to dive into social media, but I’m gradually returning to a few bits I enjoy, where I can engage with my friends and readers. Hope to see you there. And here again, soon!

#grateful #keepwriting #keepreading #writingcommunity #readingcommunity

Love in a Time of Corona

May, 2020Blogging, Current Events, Reading, Refresh and reset, Stress Management, Writing, Writing and Emotionsblogging, community, Emotions, Gratitude, Reading, short story, storytelling, writing, Writing lifecarolyn

Well. Today’s reality in no way, shape, or form is anything like what I could’ve imagined one year ago.

Last May (May the 4^th Be With You, to be exact for my Star Wars fans), my husband and I finally celebrated our wedding by renewing our vows in front of our family and friends. We had such an incredible time, sharing the experience with loved ones from far and near who couldn’t be with us the first time around.

Things are so different this May. We’ve now been living with the specter of the coronavirus (COVID-19) for many months, and life is so bizarre. I haven’t blogged in eons. Partly, because doing so feels more than a little out-of-whack with all that’s been going on—all the devastating loss, all the confusion, all the misinformation that surrounds us.

I’ve had to curtail my time spent online and on social media. Reading incessantly about the deaths and the lack of answers took an emotional and mental toll on me. It’s too easy to become overwhelmed. And I haven’t wanted to add to the bullshit by becoming part of the noise.

I’ve also continued to work at my other job, considered an essential business. Increased hours there have wiped me out, but also, the presence of so many customers—people who should’ve stayed home but couldn’t take the cabin fever and so they ventured out—has added to my stress level.

That said, though, I still feel the tug of the blank page. I long to tell my stories and, hopefully, to bring a few moments of enjoyment or happiness or escape to my readers.

So I decided to write this blog post. And while I’m brainstorming subplots before beginning Book 3, I’ve written a short story I plan to publish soon, a creepy little affair with a fun twist. I really love writing in a different genre while getting my head together to work on a novel. I have to say, writing definitely helps sort me out and feel human again. 😉

And so it goes.

As for me, I’ll do my best to keep posting periodically. To check in and hopefully offer a mini diversion from reality.

To you, my friends and readers, I wish you all safety, peace, health, comfort, kindness, and patience. We have a long road to travel—and everyone’s path will be different—but we have made it this far. We can make it the rest of the way.

Sending six-feet-distant virtual hugs to you and yours. #grateful #keepwriting #keepreading #staysafe #community