The Commonplace Book; A Miscellany of New Ideas…Writing advice from OCA tutor and novelist Nina Milton

Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves or we know where we can get information upon it...Samuel Johnson

Johnson was quite right (which is just as well, because he generally did think he was right!); if you know where to get the information you need, your research is halfway done. Which is where a keeping a file of miscellaneous items comes in, because sometimes (quite often, really), writers don’t know what they’ll need to know or even what they’ll want to write about until it jumps out at them.

Think about this. I was skimming through the Sunday supplements one afternoon (not necessarily on Sunday of course...) and was absorbed by an article on genetic history....the story of people who’d discovered that they have ancestors that don’t belong to the cultural, social, national or even racial group they always imagined they were part of. I cut it out, for no better reason than it was interesting, and as a writer, I keep things that are interesting. I put it into my miscellany file.

Months later, I came across it and started to write a story about this subject. I researched it closely, battled on,  finished it, submitted it, and, a year on, saw it published as a novel for 9+ children called Just My Luck. 

Thank you - Miscellany File!

In Johnson’s time, such a collections were called 'commonplace books'.  In his dictionary of 1805, he defines a commonplace book as a "book in which things to be remembered are ranged under general heads." He also lists a verb "to commonplace" which means "to reduce to general heads." 

Commonplace books have been used since the Middle Ages – the phrase translates from the Latin, locus communis, loosely meaning ‘a wise proverb’. John Milton’s commonplace book was a vast collection of sayings. Over hundreds of years, the term expanded to include collections with a common theme. Often these were scrapbooks filled with items: quotes, puzzles, letters, poems, even prayers. However, I don’t recommend actually using a scrapbook, because cuttings often include articles that run over both sides of a page, and ‘sticking them in’ will become a problem. A writer’s commonplace, or miscellany, will contain all the visual or written material that catches their interest and which might be useful, or might excite the imagination. 

I’m pretty sure Johnson had a commonplace book, full of miscellanies, if this quote from him is anything to go by...If it rained knowledge I'd hold out my hand, but I would not give myself the trouble to go in quest of it...

Sometimes, the right information drops into your hand, and when that happens you’ve got your Miscellany File to store it in until further need.My Miscellany File is a store of incidental items that a writer might find useful, informative or inspiring in time to come...a collection of  ‘miscellaneous’ cuttings…pages from magazines or printouts from the internet...photos, postcards, business cards, pamphlets, maps, CDs & DVDs. Collecting incidental items is what a miscellany file is all about. 

The file will probably start out as an envelope of cuttings, but even with the occasional ‘weeding out’, the collection will eventually grow large enough to be moved into its own box folder or office drawer. Mine is in a shoe box with the word Amblers on the side.

It's a store of incidental items that a writer might find useful, informative or inspiring in time to come...a collection of  ‘miscellaneous’ cuttings…pages from magazines or printouts from the internet...photos, postcards, business cards, pamphlets, maps, CDs & DVDs. Collecting incidental items is what a miscellany file is all about. 

A Miscellany File is useful in two main respects:

Sparks of inspiration – save anything and everything that might get you writing

Research material - if you know what you are interested in writing about, search out cuttings on specific subjects. If you don’t know what you’re planning to write, keep things that attract your attention.

Get into the habit of collecting ideas in this way, and leaving them in the file for however long it takes for them to brew-up into something you might want to write about – this might be days or years.

What you are dong is nourishing your imagination. A writer never knows what will spark off an idea that later becomes a poem, or a novel, or a letter to an editor. As this happens, a certain section might start to grow, as you look out for things of interest that, for instance, might fuel your research into a specific subject.

The file will probably start out as an envelope of cuttings, but even with the occasional ‘weeding out’, the collection will eventually grow large enough to be moved into its own box folder or office drawer. Mine is in a shoe box with the word Amblers on the side.

An Exercise to Try:

Choose a receptacle;

Go for cornered, rather than rounded, receptacles:

•  shoe box
• empty drawer
• ring plan or box file
• cardboard or plastic container
• Or you can buy an attractive box or basket
• If you’d like to extend your collection to the world wide web, try EverNote

Start your collection by rifling through things you’ve stored haphazardly around your house. Seek out:

• Photographs
• Newspapers and magazine
• Postcards
• Flyers
• Letters from friends
• Tokens of memories 
• Collect them together and spend a happy hour reading or meditating on this collection. You might also like to examine ideas that spring from the following:
• Music 
• Sketchbooks
• Pinterest

In the following week, try to extend your collection:

• Pick up some interesting reading at the magazine counter next time you are out
• This coming Sunday buy copies of newspapers with a supplement
• Drop an email/chat to your friends – alert them especially to the things you might like to collect

 Make notes about all the ideas that spin off from this early collection

Don’t stop to consider if each idea will ever be used. At this stage, just write down all the ideas 

Feel free to start a dedicated notebook if you wish. You could keep it inside the commonplace book.

Write clearly, because you may not return to read these notes for some time – you can also transfer your notes to a computer file.

Brewing ideas in your Commonplace Book

As your collection grows, you can start writing about it, as well as using it to write.  You might find yourself making notes in your writing diary about the subject matter, sources and collection methods you might employ.

Regularly browse through the growing collection and allow your thoughts to pour into your notebook, using freewriting; let them go where they will, remembering that if the avenue you’ve pursued dries up, you can return to the commonplace book for fresh inspiration.

You won’t want to be inspired by everything you’ve collected all at once! But this collection of ideas is like letting beer brew. An idea might form in days or years. The habit of reading through the collection regularly will help this along. What you are doing is nourishing your imagination. A writer never knows what will spark off an idea that later becomes a poem, or a story, or an article.

Exercise

Take one item you have already ‘collected’

 Place it before you on your desk. Read the words. Gaze into any illustrations. Listen to any audio recordings

Allow your mind to both focus intently and to wander where it will

Freewrite!

MAY GUEST BLOGGER: Writing Coach Bekki Hill

As both a writer and a creativity coach for writers, Bekki Hill's first message for her guest blog with KTWs is that… 

Writing can be a slow and frustrating business. 

Have you ever told anyone that you write, to met by the question:

‘So you’re going to write the next 50 Shades of Grey?’

Or

‘So you’re going to be the next J K Rowling?’

Or something similar.

Coach Yourself to Writing Success
 by Bekki Hill

Such encounters can needle away at our confidence. Even friends and family can erode self-assurance by asking too frequently if we’re published yet or if we’re still writing that book. Few books make it big. However, if you're responding to such ill-thought out comments by explaining that you’re pre-published, that you publish short pieces, you can be left feeling pretty flat. 

In reality, unless we’re fortunate to be truly gifted or lucky enough to hit on a bandwagon that doesn’t ask us to write competently, we writers need to spend years developing our skills. Furthermore, in a tough market, even the most brilliant prose can fail to make it through acquisition. Even once we’re published, we have to keep proving ourselves over and over again. On top of that, the whole publishing process can be a very very slow. Meantime the idea that we write, therefore we must have written something everyone has heard of, and/or are being frequently published, penetrates our earshot far too often. Worse still repeated, well-meant, enquiries from family and friends can unintentionally suggest we must be slow or stupid or both. 

If you’re frustrated by the speed at which the writing business moves, doubting yourself because others don’t understand, or becoming increasing shy about admitting you write, here’s a few things you can do to help:

1. Start by identifying what you want to achieve in the short as well as the longer term. That way you can manage both your own and others expectations more effectively.
2. Tame others expectations by being more detailed about what you do. For example instead of saying you write, say you have an interest in a particular area and write articles about it, or if you want to write for children, say you’re learning about writing for children. If you’re not aiming for publication consider why you write so you can help others understand you’re not interested in publication.
3. Don’t try to do too much too soon - you’ll eventually lose faith without any help. That doesn’t mean you can’t reach for the stars, just make sure at each step you’re being realistic.
4. Remind yourself that your writing is strong or improving by collect things such as positive rejections, competition wins or good feedback from tutors.   
5. If you’re not ready to be published and others make you feel negative about it, remind yourself that just because you can type it doesn’t mean you’re ready for publication - just as people who can pick up a tennis racket aren’t ready to play at Wimbledon and not everyone who knows how to use a scalpel can perform brain surgery.

NLP for Writers
by Bekki Hill

One of the best ways to build self-belief in your writing is to spend time with other writers who are in a similar position to you. They can help you feel less isolated and recognise you’re not the only one who other people expect to write a bestseller in the blink of an eye. They can also provide support when your work is rejected and help celebrate when you do well. Their future successes will also underline that it’s possible for you too to achieve your goals.

Seek out communities that have writers of your level and/or share your interests. Organisations such as the Romantic Novelist Association and The Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators accept both published and unpublished writers and have both physical and virtual gatherings. Writers’ conferences are also good places to meet new writers as well as hear seasoned writers talks about how they overcame  rejection and confidence dips. Also seek out bloggers who are supportive and/or that you feel attuned with.

Above all be proud of what you achieve, don’t knock yourself for what you haven’t done yet and keep on learning and growing until you succeed.

Bekki has written features and short stories for many publications. She holds an MA in writing for children, has written part of an MA in screenwriting and is the author of three books including NLP for Writers and Coach Yourself to Writing Success. 

You can read Bekki's regular posts at her blog; http://www.thecreativitycauldron

 Links for RNA and SCBWI

http://www.rna-uk.org/

http://www.scbwi.org/