I come to you by way of austin kleon, who loves your work. I just started my own substack (I've heard we're supposed to just call them newsletters). I've been waiting fifty years to become a writer, so now i am. I will follow you and share--you are incredibly inspiring. What brand of notebooks do you use?? Just curious. Thank you for your work!!
Thank you for your kind comment. I'm glad to hear your wait is over!
I'm not sure Austin Kleon is aware of my work, haha, but it's a nice thought.
For notebooks---which I use for actual note-taking and the planning and plotting of projects---I use an 8 x 12 inch unlined Rhodia. Or at least, that's what I have right now. For journals I like to switch it up, but they always have to be unlined, lie flat, and have paper that takes fountain pen well. These painted ink-written posts are done on drawing paper at my drafting table. I bought a 36" roll that I cut up the middle to make 18" wide, so it's like I'm painting/writing on a scroll 🙂
No--he is! Because I followed the link to you from his page, notes, or newsletter. Trying to retrace steps here is a little like a jungle. Anyway. Thank you. Rhodia was ranked higher than Moleskine because they were so good to use with fountain pens. I love fountain pens. Great idea using the roll! Thank you again!
Kelsey, thank you so much. I read the post you linked to and started to feel a little sick to my stomach, which is what happens when I encounter something that hits home in such a way that I know I have to return to it and think about it more. I subscribed to the newsletter and I bookmarked the post because SOMETHING there is demanding attention. Thank you again!
I loved the chance to see a little of your process! So interesting to look at the beginnings, when I got the chance to see the show and had those memories in mind.
I think this is the first time I’ve seen “You Think You’re Better than Me” in its entirety. It hits hard (unfortunately, I can relate). The patchwork-quilt arrangement works so well - there’s a chronological story that comes through but its also clear that all the pieces are interrelated. “I took stock. I took lunch.” (From your notes) Is also a really cool line.
Sorry you guys are having a tough time of it right now! Here’s to the future!
I’m always inspired in the fall to start up my art/journaling again. Thanks for giving me that extra push. Just had cataract surgery on my right eye and WOWZA people were right when they said colours will POP! Excited to get the left eye done.
I like this edition, there's lots to take in and think about. It is substantive. Your notes reveal that "Drunken Parties" took place in both the kitchen and living room. Good info. Sometimes when I get ideas for song lyrics if I don't write them down immediately they fly away. Merle Haggard speaks of this and I've heard other songwriters say the same. I write notes in my phone or record myself singing or speaking. Or scrawl them on the back of a random piece of paper in my van.
Ha ha, I hadn't noticed the drunken parties in both rooms on that page 😅. But OF COURSE there were drunken parties in both rooms. And yes... you have to write things down! Très important!
I await the arrival of your journaling workshop…as journaling is something I am absolute crap at…I record stuff, doodle stuff, burn it all in a bonfire every winter. I find it cleansing…but also I loose a load of possibly good ideas…or maybe they are shit ideas and better burned! Who’s to know 🤣. But more importantly, I am sorry you guys have had such a tough year. And heartened that you are still up for setting the world on fire. Big hugs to you BA.
I live below Parc Lafontaine, and I often daydream to own one of these houses! I too feel like I would be so creative living there! But I often go to the park and read, and this place is magical and so inspiring!
I have started writing my book again, after taking a year off from it, and am I ever glad I was keeping a process notebook when I last worked on it! There is so much important information in there that I hadn't captured in my manuscript when it went on hiatus.... including a big structural conception I had worked out (and forgotten entirely about). These days I keep notebooks everywhere so that I can get stuff out of my head when I need to (because I forget stuff pretty much immediately). In any case, I enjoy your thoughts here as well as your notebook pictures. Katherine May also wrote recently about her notebooks.... I love to know that I'm not alone in the weirdness of mine. Somehow I still think that other people are writing eloquent prose in their notebooks while I am writing garbage. It's the equivalent of the creative people behind the windows I guess.
No-one's writing eloquent prose, haha. At least, certainly not in their notebooks or journals or first, second or third drafts of their novels. If they are, they shouldn't be. You just need to write that shit down in whatever form it arrives, for so many good reasons!
I come to you by way of austin kleon, who loves your work. I just started my own substack (I've heard we're supposed to just call them newsletters). I've been waiting fifty years to become a writer, so now i am. I will follow you and share--you are incredibly inspiring. What brand of notebooks do you use?? Just curious. Thank you for your work!!
Thank you for your kind comment. I'm glad to hear your wait is over!
I'm not sure Austin Kleon is aware of my work, haha, but it's a nice thought.
For notebooks---which I use for actual note-taking and the planning and plotting of projects---I use an 8 x 12 inch unlined Rhodia. Or at least, that's what I have right now. For journals I like to switch it up, but they always have to be unlined, lie flat, and have paper that takes fountain pen well. These painted ink-written posts are done on drawing paper at my drafting table. I bought a 36" roll that I cut up the middle to make 18" wide, so it's like I'm painting/writing on a scroll 🙂
No--he is! Because I followed the link to you from his page, notes, or newsletter. Trying to retrace steps here is a little like a jungle. Anyway. Thank you. Rhodia was ranked higher than Moleskine because they were so good to use with fountain pens. I love fountain pens. Great idea using the roll! Thank you again!
Oh yes, Austin Kleon and I were both mentioned recently in a post by Jillian Hess in her newsletter Noted. I felt honoured!
I like Moleskines too, and find them fine with fountain pens. The journal I'm using right now is a Leuchtturm1917, which is similar to Moleskine.
Hello again! Wanted to share a link about notebooks I just followed from another newsletter. Thought you might find it interesting.
https://substack.com/redirect/1da13b31-936b-4a47-bb13-694d0221be8c?j=eyJ1IjoiMTcyNjZmIn0.fGpcoXyHuADnQ9Wm8FNzMc_X9bzE5aQbIptJCTTvJ3A
Kelsey, thank you so much. I read the post you linked to and started to feel a little sick to my stomach, which is what happens when I encounter something that hits home in such a way that I know I have to return to it and think about it more. I subscribed to the newsletter and I bookmarked the post because SOMETHING there is demanding attention. Thank you again!
Most welcome! It’s funny when something hits you like that.
It's good!
I loved the chance to see a little of your process! So interesting to look at the beginnings, when I got the chance to see the show and had those memories in mind.
Thank you Kelsey 😊
I think this is the first time I’ve seen “You Think You’re Better than Me” in its entirety. It hits hard (unfortunately, I can relate). The patchwork-quilt arrangement works so well - there’s a chronological story that comes through but its also clear that all the pieces are interrelated. “I took stock. I took lunch.” (From your notes) Is also a really cool line.
Thank you so much Talia, and I'm sorry you can relate. There's a post from a couple of years ago where I write about making "You Think You're Better Than Me" if you're interested: https://balampman.substack.com/p/vulnerability-is-punk-af. The next month's post is about it too! https://balampman.substack.com/p/no-thinking-allowed. That piece was a big deal for me in many ways. Thank you for always reading.
gotta love Victoria B.C. being the city of dreams it would seem it is wow
Sorry you guys are having a tough time of it right now! Here’s to the future!
I’m always inspired in the fall to start up my art/journaling again. Thanks for giving me that extra push. Just had cataract surgery on my right eye and WOWZA people were right when they said colours will POP! Excited to get the left eye done.
Yes! THE FUTURE!
My husband had cataract surgery done, and it was a game changer for sure.
I like this edition, there's lots to take in and think about. It is substantive. Your notes reveal that "Drunken Parties" took place in both the kitchen and living room. Good info. Sometimes when I get ideas for song lyrics if I don't write them down immediately they fly away. Merle Haggard speaks of this and I've heard other songwriters say the same. I write notes in my phone or record myself singing or speaking. Or scrawl them on the back of a random piece of paper in my van.
Ha ha, I hadn't noticed the drunken parties in both rooms on that page 😅. But OF COURSE there were drunken parties in both rooms. And yes... you have to write things down! Très important!
Ideas can be like fleeting visitations
Thanks for letting us take a peak inside your notebooks! I always love to see how other writers go about using them.
Ah good, thanks. I knew that some people would be into seeing the notes, while others probably *not so much*. This one's for the notebook people!
Secret fan over here. I saw your show and was moved to tears. Thank you
Oh man. Now you've moved me to tears so, I guess we're even? Thank you so much.
I await the arrival of your journaling workshop…as journaling is something I am absolute crap at…I record stuff, doodle stuff, burn it all in a bonfire every winter. I find it cleansing…but also I loose a load of possibly good ideas…or maybe they are shit ideas and better burned! Who’s to know 🤣. But more importantly, I am sorry you guys have had such a tough year. And heartened that you are still up for setting the world on fire. Big hugs to you BA.
Thank you Kristine! You are too kind 😊
I live below Parc Lafontaine, and I often daydream to own one of these houses! I too feel like I would be so creative living there! But I often go to the park and read, and this place is magical and so inspiring!
Ah, wonderful! I miss Montreal... all the goddamn time. I've been back many times since leaving in 1990... it feels like a second home.
I have started writing my book again, after taking a year off from it, and am I ever glad I was keeping a process notebook when I last worked on it! There is so much important information in there that I hadn't captured in my manuscript when it went on hiatus.... including a big structural conception I had worked out (and forgotten entirely about). These days I keep notebooks everywhere so that I can get stuff out of my head when I need to (because I forget stuff pretty much immediately). In any case, I enjoy your thoughts here as well as your notebook pictures. Katherine May also wrote recently about her notebooks.... I love to know that I'm not alone in the weirdness of mine. Somehow I still think that other people are writing eloquent prose in their notebooks while I am writing garbage. It's the equivalent of the creative people behind the windows I guess.
No-one's writing eloquent prose, haha. At least, certainly not in their notebooks or journals or first, second or third drafts of their novels. If they are, they shouldn't be. You just need to write that shit down in whatever form it arrives, for so many good reasons!
Haha, thank you 😅