THIS PAGE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS
SUPPLIES | BOOKS | WEBSITES | SOFTWARE | DEVICES
FOR THE CURIOUS: A CATALOGUE OF MY WRITING/ORGANIZING TOOLS
supplies
notebooks:
Recently, I was stranded on the wrong side of town, my phone out of power, and every cab in the city seemed to be engaged. When I reached into my bag, I realized I’d gotten lax. I hadn’t bothered to shove a notebook and pen into my new bag. I ended up making notes on the cheques in my chequebook, with the pen I keep hidden in there. Lesson learned.
the moleskine: This is my first love. I find the large ruled or squared notebook (5″x8.25″) to be the most convenient size for taking notes. For expanded plots and outlines, I use the large softcover cahier/journal in various colours because they come in packs of three and I can use colour to differentiate. The small softcover notebooks are perfect for fitting in a small purse or jeans/coat pockets. It’s a great way to make sure you’re not caught without a notebook.
field notes: Instead of the small Moleskine, I used to carry Field Notes notebooks. I had a year-round subscription to their custom colours. The price point is comparable to Moleskine but I liked the variety of colours and the fact that I got my fix every quarter. Aesthetically, in the end, the Moleskines won out.
cambridge: My first writing notebook, the heavy-backed Cambridge steno pad remains a good standby for actually writing stories. With no bindings on the edges to interfere with the hands, a heavy back so one can write anywhere, and smooth, heavy paper that survives over a decade (I have Cambridge pads to which I still refer dating back to 1996 and the paper quality is still good and the ink—Staedtler roller ball—is perfectly clear), this notebook is worth every penny. I use the lavender-coloured Cambridge notepad in a nice black portfolio for carrying to seminars and conferences. The paper colour makes it easy to locate among my other notes, the quality is excellent, and the wide-ruling accommodates my abhorrent handwriting.
binders:
For years, out of laziness and anxiety, I resisted the concept of the story bible. As I’m getting older and people are actually reading my work, the story bible is more and more appealing. For me, the only place to keep a story bible is a binder. I have sleeves for notes and pictures, dividers, and various paper types. Even if I print off most of the bible, the binder is the place it goes. A story bible needs to be flexible, even if it’s canon.
the better binder: This is the only binder I use, the Staples Better Binder. It really is better. Reliable, with rubberized edges and hinges, it comes in a wide variety of colours (even two-tone neons) and sizes. I use Avery Style Edge dividers right now because they’re pretty and I’m shallow.
paper: Something has to go IN the binder. I am lazy and buy 3-hole punched paper for my printer—otherwise, there’s another step to the “getting it in the binder” process that might take me days to accomplish. For ruled or squared writing paper, I generally use something heavy enough to hold up to felt-tipped pens and a lot of corrections. I like neon paper or cardstock to slip into sections as it helps me locate subsections faster.
pens & pencils:
I have a serious pens-issue. I love them too much. I have shoe-boxes full of them. Sometimes, I get so busy playing with my pens, I forget to write… this is where my system breaks down. As you wander through this section, you will see what I mean.
staedtler: I’ve used Staedtler pens and pencils for years. I used the roller ball pens (10-colour set) on my Cambridge notebooks for years. The Triplus line of three-sided pens is excellent for those who need more stability in their grip. As my handwriting deteriorated, the Triplus Fineliner became my standby. Great colour range, excellent packaging. They also have a line of bold ball-point pens in 1.4mm and 1.6mm sizes, which I use when my hands need help staying steady.
Staedtler pencil sets remain my standards for artwork, as they’re easily available and reasonably priced. The Micron inking pens are an essential part of my desk collection. A Staedler mechanical pencil is my favourite slender mechanical pencil. For highlighters, the Textsurfer Gel is my stand-by for any thinner paper, as it’s not liquid and doesn’t soak the page.
sharpie: Who doesn’t love Sharpies? I use all widths to work on index cards (one of the essential stages of novel editing for me) and, since a dreadful experience losing important notes to amazing fading ink, I use Sharpie pens to make all of my must-keep notes. They don’t quite have my love the way Staedtler does, but I do rely on them often. Sharpie highlighters, on the other hand, have been my stand-by since the end of high school.
papermate: I had Eraser-Mate pens in school and loved them—erasable pen, the segue between childhood and maturity. Pink Pearl erasers held the smell of a new school year. Flair (multi-colour) and Flex Grip (red and purple) pens are still part of my desk collection. The Flair especially are useful when I am struggling to write at all, as they take little pressure to write but can withstand the occasional squish.
pilot: The Pilot Precise was the pen of my university years. I no longer have the hand control to write with them reliably but they are a beautiful pen that writes well for the price. For my own amusement, I keep my gaming notes with brightly coloured Pilot Frixion erasable pens. The G-Tec ultra-fine pens are absolutely to be recommended for anyone who prefers to write small. I used these for quite a while when I was younger.
