Stationery

A writer friend posed a question on Facebook today asking if anyone else had a stationery addiction. That would be me.  I have more notebooks than I expect to get through, but I still see a pretty notebook and want it. During the discussion on the post, I also realised that I have distinct uses for the different types of notebooks I have.

The picture is of the drawer I keep of the unused notebooks that look good.  Most of them are spiral bound and hard backed, because these are the type I most like to do my first draft writing in.  These are generally A5 but a few are B5, but mostly I prefer A5.

I use the A6 notebooks for ideas. They’re easy to carry and if they get messed up, I don’t mind. I have one I’ve nearly filled with ideas for my next steampunk trilogy, including character descriptions, background data, details on fashion, architecture, world history and even sketches of ‘hieroglyphs’ that will be used in the series.

What I won’t photograph are the stacks of A4 pads and papers that I have at least two magazine racks packed with.  These I keep for editing, when I write out the story events by chapter to ensure that I’ve got everything I the right order.  This does not, of course, include my stash of A4 printer paper.

The there are the piles of part used notebooks from which I have torn pages already transcribed.  These get used when I want to write something short, usually one-off-scenes or short stories.  Or maybe when the mode is “I need to use up some of these notebooks” before someone points out my notebook hoard is out of control.

Glue-spined, soft-cover notebooks are not a favourite , which means I won’t buy them, but I still get gifted them.  These notebooks I use for working out stuff, crosswords clues, codeword possibilities, games score, or generally use as needed.

Remember this is just about my stash of writing papers. Probably best not to ask about my pen/pencil collection – and don’t even start on the sticky notes!

I love stationery, how about you?

Hangover

After two days of frantic activity, had a very quiet day today.  Kind of had to.  I drank a bottle and a half of wine last night.  Why?  I have no idea. It was there and I drank it.

Despite also having water to drink before going to bed and during the night, I was hungover as hell this morning. Got up at 11 with a massive headache. I wasn’t sick, but did retch a few times. I tried to function, but it just wasn’t going to happen. Instead I went back to bed.

I got up about 3, to find that our son was on the phone to my hubby, it being Father’s Day and all.  I did talk to him too, thankfully all’s well with him and his significant other.

Since then I have been going through a load of the papers and notebooks that were on the various bookcases. Picking what to keep and what to throw away. Most of it got thrown out. I had three plastic shopping bags worth of paper, one of cardboard, and one of the wire that binds my preferred style of notebooks. That’s also six magazine racks emptied.  Which is a good start on the getting rid of stuff. 

When moving around all the bookcase from the hall and landing, I decided it was time to trim the collection.  It’s easy to get rid of the my notes, the next step is to rationalise my book collection.  That’s going to be harder.  I love books, and getting rid of any will hurt.  But it’s got to be done, and to quote one book I don’t have “Tomorrow is another day” and this time, I won’t wake up with a hangover.