tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post9172675244103573795..comments2023-10-31T10:59:03.023-04:00Comments on INKSPOT Crime Fiction Blog | A Place for Mystery, Mayhem, Writing and Life: Black cats, knocking wood, and WIPsLinda O. Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-49099939808926480682010-07-09T06:29:49.798-04:002010-07-09T06:29:49.798-04:00It always bugged me to toss the half-used spiral n...It always bugged me to toss the half-used spiral notebooks that my kids ditched at the end of the year, so now I repurpose them, using a different one for each book. I find that the initial stages of plotting and coming up with characters are easier on paper. Any pen works and sometimes I use a pencil, which is kind of fun. Any time works. When I was writing non-fiction books I needed tons of space for all the research material, but now I need only a small surface, so any place works, too. <br /><br />I love your pen collection, Alice!Vicki Douderahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12683468231378487388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-26691951183689992982010-07-06T18:26:58.369-04:002010-07-06T18:26:58.369-04:00One ritual I dind't mention is my trusty 3-rin...One ritual I dind't mention is my trusty 3-ring binder. I've worn out 5 of them and my newest one is a beautiful zip-up one that has an ipod holder and 3 zip pockets to store fountain pen cartridges, notes, and spare pens in. Because I take my WIP wherever I go when I'm ferrying the kids, getting my hair done, etc., I get lots done in that "found time", even if it's just 15 minutes.Alice Loweeceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269785237562203610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-41223436476429364582010-07-06T16:29:04.881-04:002010-07-06T16:29:04.881-04:00WOW - It amazes me how many of you use pens and no...WOW - It amazes me how many of you use pens and notebooks. I wish I could get into that habit. I'm with Keith and Darrell. I can barely write my name without a keyboard. When I think of something, I type the notes, text them or even drop myself a voice mail so I don't forget. The only notes I've ever hand written for books were on a napkin in a diner while traveling. Those notes became "Booby Trap."Sue Ann Jaffarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09984054116933714621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-64105256739184602662010-07-06T16:09:23.160-04:002010-07-06T16:09:23.160-04:00I find that occasionally shifting to longhand does...I find that occasionally shifting to longhand does wonders for the creative process. Something about putting pen to paper...or perhaps just the different pace? Whatever, it works for me.<br /><br />And my ritual involves apiral notebooks. I have to choose a new one for each project, and it has to be "right" in some mystical way that I can't always explain.Kathleen Ernsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009876100214388898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-23816200787805304002010-07-06T12:44:42.784-04:002010-07-06T12:44:42.784-04:00I can only listen to the most bland non-music when...I can only listen to the most bland non-music when I write and then only if I'm forced to listen to it in a coffee shop. I wish they'd play white noise if they feel they have to keep me entertained. (I don't know how to build a playlist. Heck, I can hardly figure out how to use the light switch.)<br /><br />I go through crazes with pens and with different papers and notebooks. Whenever I come back from England half my baggage seems to be taken up with WH Smith products. Once I special-ordered some of my favorite Pentel pens in Cambridge and I think paid the equivalent of $45 for 12 of them. The clerk thought I was mad.<br /><br />I don't clean off my desk...I abandon my desk and happily go out to dinner, read a book, etc....all the things I may not have had time for for weeks or months.G.M. Malliethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13805971625496094303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-23637700884326215172010-07-06T12:28:05.067-04:002010-07-06T12:28:05.067-04:00Alice, I'm with Keith on this one. My handwrit...Alice, I'm with Keith on this one. My handwriting is so bad even I can't read it. I write in a near prone position. Thank goodness for laptops.Darrell Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08394984700734588887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-51224760115864662962010-07-06T11:26:45.374-04:002010-07-06T11:26:45.374-04:00Sorry to hear about the hackers -- cleaning up aft...Sorry to hear about the hackers -- cleaning up after them is a nasty, scary business. Good choice, marrying a geek. ; )<br /><br />Love the pretty pens! I'm afraid I write with Bic medium pens you can buy by the box and Mead college ruled notebooks with stiff cardboard backs so I don't need a separate writing surface. They're all over the house (and car and yard).<br /><a href="www.hearthcricket.com" rel="nofollow"> Hearth Cricket</a>Cricket McRaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786996969148417569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-69269081633820017722010-07-06T10:21:04.963-04:002010-07-06T10:21:04.963-04:00We all have our writing rituals. Not sure a writer...We all have our writing rituals. Not sure a writer can exist without them. After I finish a book, I totally clean off my desk and do writing "housework" on the book I just finished such as updating my character list and timeline for the series. When I start the next book it's like having a clean slate. And I won't move on to the next until the desk is clean. Now that I do 3 series, the clean-up is really meaningful as I move my brain from one sub genre to another. As for reading, I used to not read mysteries while writing, but since I'm now writing all the time, I had to abandon that or I'd never read any mysteries. I do not, however, read any ghost or vampire mysteries at all to keep my vision of those subgenres fresh and untainted.Sue Ann Jaffarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09984054116933714621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-91347778673640662042010-07-06T09:22:11.812-04:002010-07-06T09:22:11.812-04:00Alice, I'm impressed. I wrote a whole thesis i...Alice, I'm impressed. I wrote a whole thesis in longhand, but now my fingers seem to be connected to my brain. I couldn't write much more than my signature with a fountain pen. Go get 'em.Keith Raffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02926077627965529183noreply@blogger.com