Paper

Paper…A very simple title, very simple object, also very useful, even though it can be taken for granted. As writers, paper is one of the most important tools we use (Yes there’s our laptops as well but lets not get too technical lol). We use paper to write notes, story ideas, edit, and then finally to print our novels.

Personally, my writing started in little notebooks, journals or in the back of school notebooks when I was a kid. I didn’t have access to a laptop of my own until I was an adult. Honestly, I have a collection of notebooks and pages filled with story ideas I’ve written over the years. There’s just something about getting a new notebook and opening it up to that first blank page. Then writing in it for the first time. I know I may sound a little odd but as a writer, new supplies like paper and pens/pencils is exciting.

There is even a journal that my father got me that I haven’t been able to write in because I can’t think of what I want to write in it (maybe someday I will find something)(Fun Fact: It’s the same journal in the picture at the bottom of this blog lol). It’s just because I like it so much that I think it needs something special written in it. It may sound like I’m a hoarder of all things paper but maybe some of you out there can relate. I just like paper and respect where it comes from (without beautiful trees to inspire us and make what we write on… where would we be?).

Each story idea has come from a moment where I’ve been inspired enough to create, or a dream that I felt could be turned into something more. Sometimes I have pages that I write at a time, or sometimes just a paragraph. As I’ve said before I am interested in many different genres, so I have story ideas that reflect that. I’ve heard many times that authors write the story they want to read. That is partially true. I also write because I want to share what I think are great ideas with the world. I want to spark creativity and imagination. So each piece of paper that I use is important in my Journey as an aspiring author.

If I notice something that inspires me even for just a character in a novel, a name, a word (I have a long list of words in case I need one that I feel would work better lol), a food, place or even a color, I write it down (I try to refrain from using too much paper to save trees of course, so I use my phone sometimes). Every detail that inspires you is important because when you are sitting there at that laptop (or notebook) trying so hard to come up with that next paragraph you can open up those notes. You have the ability to inspire yourself by looking back on your journal or notebooks full of ideas.

For example I saw someone in the store one time who grabbed a bag of chips off of a shelf, so gingerly, so gently, as to not shake the bag even a little. I wrote it down because I had never seen someone be that gentle with their groceries before and it made me think that it may be a curious trait for a character in one of my books to have someday. It made me think what a character that would do that in the middle of a chaotic store might be like. Why they would do that? Not to mention how were they ‘personality wise’ outside of that scenario.

Paper itself is an inspiration to me because ever since I was little, a blank piece of paper made me feel like I needed to fill it. That it needed to have a story to tell. Every book I have ever read has inspired me in some way and as writers we should always strive to inspire, as all the authors have before us.

I’ve decided to add something new to the end of my blog posts…So please feel free to comment your idea prompted by the following writing prompt…

The cool morning air made my breath steam in front of my face as I went for my walk. Making it to the halfway point, the bench felt cool beneath me. As I looked down I noticed a worn leather bound journal sitting next to me. When I opened it, the pages were blank but as I looked closer…

Thank you for reading my blog, please subscribe below (so you are updated each time I write a new post), there are also links to both my Facebook author page and group below if your interested. Until next time…

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