When I was in college I took a World Literature class with the poet Steve Kowit. He taught at the community college where everyone was angry because of price hikes. Classes cost $13 up from $9. We read about Zen and learned how to juggle. We also kept a writer’s journal. There weren’t any restrictions on what the notebook should contain—just whatever caught our eye. We only had to create 3 entries each week.
I love the idea of keeping a notebook, but your last question is the reason I can't ever quite keep it up. I cannot reread my own journaling. It feels the way hearing my own recorded voice feels- a deep soul cringe. I think it's because I (typically of my generation) was socialized to expect constant optimization. Rereading the thoughts of Past Me feels like re-inhabiting a worse, less-optimized version of myself. I realize this is irrational.
Oh the deep soul cringe of my recorded voice!.I feel that!
One of the things that came up in the original discussion was the possibility of the journal being a place where for once, we weren't optimizing or monetizing or beautifying. The journal as a place to be curious, knowing that with curiosity is going to come a lot of false starts and abandoned trails.
Oh this is a great set of question! I love notebooks so much--all sorts. Whenever I try to have a dedicated subject, it gets all higgelty-piggelty with other thoughts and random topics. Cheap spirals or those black and white marbled "composition" notebooks are my favorites, because they don't seem too precious. I seem to have several going at once. I wish I would just methodically finish one at a time!
The exception is my microseasons notebook-- this one is an unusual size--a larger format, and distinctive enough that it stays on-topic.
And yes! Kortney, I re-read, underline, highlight and annotate my notes all the time. My favorite thoughts and questions get distilled onto index cards and put into my Idea Lab. https://72seasons.substack.com/p/my-idea-lab
Thank you so much for sharing the Idea Lab again. This post lived in an open tab on my computer for weeks as I contemplated it!
I too write in comp books. I stock up at back to school sales, so there's always one waiting. I also love blank pages with no lines, so every once in a while I use a larger sketchbook as a journal.
OH the Microseasons Notebook! I don't think I ever imagined it as its own journal. I might have to lay hands on my collection of microseason/haiku words...maybe as a part of my Lenten practice this year?!
I love this so much. It’s right where I find myself right now, with stacks of notebooks on my floor … sorting and planning and designating.
I definitely use a notebook for writing. I have another for dreaming and planning. I use a cheap notebook for the rants I know I won’t keep, but writing helps me process.
Can I ask - how do you “store” everyday notebooks? The ones you actively use, but not at the exact same time ☺️ I’ve been using a basket because my desk is tiny. But I feel like the deserve a nook 😉
I've got a basket sitting next to my desk...but I am not good at keeping it current. So it ends up that I have a full basket AND a pile on the desk. Yes--to nooks!
The sunporch where my desk is looks very much like the pictures in this post. There's the desk and the windows...but then there's the rest of the room: coats and shoes and overflow pantry! https://www.kortneygarrison.com/2009/11/13/establish-a-place/
I'm so glad the index card idea was useful for you! Your chapbook poetry is inspiring me, as well. Also, your Lenten practice sounds lovely. I have to tell you, I checked the mailbox in anticipation of receiving _Elemental_ today... I ordered it last week and it has shipped. Soon!!! I love your work.
I have a bunch of notebooks going at once, but they're all hodgepodge, notes for doctor appointments and phone calls jostling with diary type entries and fragments of poems and commonplace booking.
Recently, I've started doing a lot of notebooking directly onto my computer. My hands are having a harder time writing for longer periods, especially when I'm having eczema flares. So I've been playing with using Obsidian for journaling. I don't exactly love it, but I also don't hate it. But I've done a lot of productive writing there and I'm more likely to go back and re-read what I've written there than I am to go back to physical notebooks.
I do occasionally flip though old notebooks and find treasures there. Not in any kind of systematic way, though. I wish I were more organized, but I'm kind of resigned to being the way I am.
Yeah, I feel like finding a way to do the sifting more reliably would be a good thing. Maybe just a little more reliably? Maybe my standards are too high?
After working through The Artists Way, I made the switch to using 2 journals at once. One for the hodgepoge/ morning pages. And then one for poems or daily writing. They do get a little jumbled when I don't have the right book near to hand, but much less so!
I love the idea of keeping a notebook, but your last question is the reason I can't ever quite keep it up. I cannot reread my own journaling. It feels the way hearing my own recorded voice feels- a deep soul cringe. I think it's because I (typically of my generation) was socialized to expect constant optimization. Rereading the thoughts of Past Me feels like re-inhabiting a worse, less-optimized version of myself. I realize this is irrational.
Oh the deep soul cringe of my recorded voice!.I feel that!
One of the things that came up in the original discussion was the possibility of the journal being a place where for once, we weren't optimizing or monetizing or beautifying. The journal as a place to be curious, knowing that with curiosity is going to come a lot of false starts and abandoned trails.
I love this take on the journal a tool for anti-optimization growth!
Oh this is a great set of question! I love notebooks so much--all sorts. Whenever I try to have a dedicated subject, it gets all higgelty-piggelty with other thoughts and random topics. Cheap spirals or those black and white marbled "composition" notebooks are my favorites, because they don't seem too precious. I seem to have several going at once. I wish I would just methodically finish one at a time!
The exception is my microseasons notebook-- this one is an unusual size--a larger format, and distinctive enough that it stays on-topic.
And yes! Kortney, I re-read, underline, highlight and annotate my notes all the time. My favorite thoughts and questions get distilled onto index cards and put into my Idea Lab. https://72seasons.substack.com/p/my-idea-lab
Thank you so much for sharing the Idea Lab again. This post lived in an open tab on my computer for weeks as I contemplated it!
I too write in comp books. I stock up at back to school sales, so there's always one waiting. I also love blank pages with no lines, so every once in a while I use a larger sketchbook as a journal.
OH the Microseasons Notebook! I don't think I ever imagined it as its own journal. I might have to lay hands on my collection of microseason/haiku words...maybe as a part of my Lenten practice this year?!
I love this so much. It’s right where I find myself right now, with stacks of notebooks on my floor … sorting and planning and designating.
I definitely use a notebook for writing. I have another for dreaming and planning. I use a cheap notebook for the rants I know I won’t keep, but writing helps me process.
Can I ask - how do you “store” everyday notebooks? The ones you actively use, but not at the exact same time ☺️ I’ve been using a basket because my desk is tiny. But I feel like the deserve a nook 😉
I've got a basket sitting next to my desk...but I am not good at keeping it current. So it ends up that I have a full basket AND a pile on the desk. Yes--to nooks!
The sunporch where my desk is looks very much like the pictures in this post. There's the desk and the windows...but then there's the rest of the room: coats and shoes and overflow pantry! https://www.kortneygarrison.com/2009/11/13/establish-a-place/
What a wonderful phrase: “to find the grammar in the shimmer”!
I know! I had only read the introduction and I felt like I had found what I needed.
I'm so glad the index card idea was useful for you! Your chapbook poetry is inspiring me, as well. Also, your Lenten practice sounds lovely. I have to tell you, I checked the mailbox in anticipation of receiving _Elemental_ today... I ordered it last week and it has shipped. Soon!!! I love your work.
Oh this makes my heart thrill! You sent a lot of new readers my way. Thank you for such careful, heart-filled reading.
My pleasure!👊🔥
I have a bunch of notebooks going at once, but they're all hodgepodge, notes for doctor appointments and phone calls jostling with diary type entries and fragments of poems and commonplace booking.
Recently, I've started doing a lot of notebooking directly onto my computer. My hands are having a harder time writing for longer periods, especially when I'm having eczema flares. So I've been playing with using Obsidian for journaling. I don't exactly love it, but I also don't hate it. But I've done a lot of productive writing there and I'm more likely to go back and re-read what I've written there than I am to go back to physical notebooks.
I do occasionally flip though old notebooks and find treasures there. Not in any kind of systematic way, though. I wish I were more organized, but I'm kind of resigned to being the way I am.
Yeah, I feel like finding a way to do the sifting more reliably would be a good thing. Maybe just a little more reliably? Maybe my standards are too high?
After working through The Artists Way, I made the switch to using 2 journals at once. One for the hodgepoge/ morning pages. And then one for poems or daily writing. They do get a little jumbled when I don't have the right book near to hand, but much less so!
Your presence was integral to the magic, Kortney!
Thank you for the space! So much good happens there.