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Life of a Writer Mom Column
Notebook Dilemma As I've mentioned in my previous columns, I write my rough drafts in a notebook. Pen and paper is how all my stories begin. If I try any other way the muse moves to the Artic. I have no idea why. Writing my stories in a notebook has never been a problem for me. Actually, It works out quite well considering the portability of notebooks and the speed at which I have to have to keep up with my three active children. On the shelf in my writing corner, I always keep a spare notebook or two along with an extra bag of pens so I'm always ready whenever inspiration strikes. Lately though, I've noticed something: I'll buy three or four notebooks and a new bag of pens only to find out a week later that several notebooks along with the new pens are missing. All without starting one new story on my part. I know where they are, as they're very easy to trace. In fact, I suppose if you really think about it, I do have a role in their disappearance. You see, there is Hal, my nine-year-old son. The one who is crazy about anything remotely tied to science fiction. And it doesn't end with books and movies. There's his wild imagination (Hmmm, I wonder where he got that from?). Sci-fi drawings, sci-fi stories, all created from his own wonderful mind, are a part of his daily routine. When he was younger his imagination spilled out onto pieces of typing paper. After picking up off the floor one too many pictures of mutant squid attacking the world, I knew this was not going to work for me. It wasn't the mutant squid that bothered me, it was more the condition of the bedroom floor after his imagination explosions. So I did it. I introduced him to the magic of the notebook. All those amazing creatures from his imagination, tucked neatly away in one place. I pointed out that the notebooks could even be stored on the book shelf―10 or 12 notebooks, even more, all to be saved for posterity, or for a later story that might just need that special something that's extra creepy. Hal's eyes lit up. The perfect solution! He could write and draw all the sci-fi he wanted and amazingly still find his way to the bunk bed every night! So, several years later, this writer-in-training and I co-exist happily, sharing our notebooks and the wonder of the worlds created by our imaginations. And when I'm out of notebooks and pens I happily sigh, knowing I may be feeding a mind that will delight sci-fi lovers for years to come. Carla Charter is mom to Samantha, Halden, and Mathew. In addition to being a mom, Carla is a freelance writer specializing in newspaper and magazine journalism. Among her publication credits are Woman's World, American Indian Report and New England Business Journal. Online she has been published in Scubasource.com and Military.com. She teaches creative writing courses at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Ma. Recently her novel Across Lots has been serialized at http://www.newenglandwow.com. She may be reached at cjfreelancewriter@earthlink.net. |
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