Over the last couple of hours I have been flipping through my old, and current, “idea notebooks” looking for something to really spark my interest. The nuggets of information and previous insights that I came across astounded me and have provided some spectacular motivation. The notion of “idea notebooks” is something that I take to heart. I try to have notebooks with me at all times and in all places (camera bag, laptop bag, jacket pockets) so that I can jot down quick notes and ideas that would otherwise be forgotten. Sure, I could type small notes into my iPhone, but I am less likely to expand on those ideas at a later date.
I would love to hear how Rural Technocrat readers keep track of their ideas, thoughts, musings, and anything else while on the road or at home relaxing. My primary notebook (pictured in this post) is a Moleskine 5″ x 8″ hardcover squared notebook, while I also use a collection of super-thin Moleskine 3″ x 5″ lined notebooks when mobility is more of an issue. Share with us what you use!
Let loose!!
I use my small sketchbook (which looks like an unlined Moleskine notebook). I draw all of my character designs and ideas in this sketchbook, and it has served me quite well. I’ve almost filled up the entire thing! Whenever I have a new idea, I love to draw things out and make little notes in it. Also, when I need to contemplate prices and the costs of materials, I make those notes in it as well. One time, when I was reading an article for one of my classes, I had forgotten to bring my laptop or regular notebook to record my notes down in, and so I used my sketchbook as my ‘notebook’ haha. But I love using my sketchbook for recording down my ideas. I record my patterns down in it, and constantly revise drawings and patterns until it looks just right
Handy things these are 
I have notebook issues.
Its not that I don’t like them. Its that I love them. I kind of think of myself as the Jerry Seinfeld of notebooks. You see Jerry has a new notebook every episode. Sometimes the notebook would be so great, he’d question if it was real or not.
But even the great notebooks have a problem and by the end of each episode, Jerry would find it!
Thats me.
Instead of reruns full of ex gfs. I have shelves and piles of note books. I find one I like, I buy it. I use it and then I buy another one. I don’t have a single full note book. Just a ridiculous amount of barely used ones.
Still, I think they are great and although I havent busted it open, I have a potential permanent notebook. Its leather bound with an anagram on it. Looks terrific.
My other and probably more neurotic idea tracking method is to email myself. This gets complicated because I have about as many email addresses as notebooks and if I’m at work, using that email, I write the idea in code. Why? Paranoia.
I have a blackberry and its amazing for tracking ideas or notes. it however a paranoid persons bane. Imagine losing it? Ya you can put a password on it BUT if you lay it all out on that blackberry and someone knows it, no password on earth will stop them from prying open your life (at least thats what paranoia would say about it).
Great idea to pick the brains of brainy brainstormers Cole.
PS – If you’re as paranoid as I am about my ideas, then you better make sure that picture of your note book gets super pixelated when one zooms in on it haha.
Thank you for the comments Sherry and Patrick!
@Sherry. Sketchbooks are a GREAT idea, unfortunately, I have ZERO drawing ability so the square lines (just like the background here) make it really easy for me to do some…umm…rough sketches.
@Patrick. Ha!! Glad to hear someone is similar to me. I also have a LOT of half-full notebooks as I buy whatever looks cool. Sometimes I come across a RED Moleskine notebook, so I buy that thinking it will make me more creative. Does it? No, never. Emailing yourself is definitely a good idea, I generally do that when I want to "back things up". I bet that most of my Gmail storage is stupid emails that I send myself. Sure, I could write some of those things on my iPhone, but what if it is stolen?!?! I always seem to assume that anything I value will be stolen. So far that has yet to happen, it’s just an unrealistic fear that I have.
Great comments!!!
I love idea notebooks. I have 3 half filled. I write almost everything down, from business ideas, to marketing plans, quotes, tips and even photoshop workflows. Now I use one of the notebooks for my personal daily to do lists. I am thinking of getting a Moleskin notebook with hopes that I can actually fill it.