Writing and Public Speaking
I will always be grateful to the eighth grade teacher who taught me how to take notes in outline form. Though her name escapes me, I still remember her note-taking tips. Thank goodness, because writing ideas come to me at odd times. I often get ideas in the car or grocery store. What do I do? I grab my little notebook and jot them down.
If the idea starts to develop, I add Roman numerals, capitol and small letters -- just as my teacher taught me. I may not act on these notes for months, but they have been recorded for future reference. Since I started writing 30 years ago note-taking has changed drastically. I am a health and wellness writer and this requires documentation. Thanks to the Internet, finding resources is easy, and I enjoy it.
But coming up with new ideas is hard and that is why I always carry a notebook. When I am on the Internet I print out articles or take short notes on a legal pad. In a pinch, I have written notes on the back of cash register slips, old envelopes, and newspapers. Though taking handwritten notes is old-fashioned, it works for me, and may work for you.
John Carter thinks note-taking is hard for budding writers and makes this point in "Note Taking Tips for Writers," published on the Associated Content Website. Filing notes is even harder for budding writers, Carter adds, yet it is a "skill that must be developed by a writer to succeed." He uses a pencil to take handwritten notes on file cards. Then he transfers this information to his computer.
Dustin Wax also writes about note-taking in "Character Keeper: Free Note-taking Software for Writers," an article on the Writer's Technology Companion Website. This software was developed by writers who contribute to the Magical Words blog. Wax defines the software as an "AIR-based program intended to keep track of character profiles and other snippets of information."
I am not very computer savvy, so I doubt if I will ever use this program, but you may. You may also take notes on a laptop computer or hand-held device. Electronic notes are easy to take, but you many not make sense of them later if your notes are disorganized. Michelle Hiskey and Maria Sapora, staff writers for the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," teach a course titled "Take Note of This." Their advice applies to experienced and budding writers.
"Note-taking seems simple," they say, a process of listening, watching, and jotting down what you need. "It's such an elementary skill that most journalism schools don't even teach it." Hiskey and Sapora's message: You need to know how to take good notes.
For handwritten notes they recommend a pad with narrow columns. Use a sharp pen and, if you wish, a different color of ink for each speaker. Inventing your own shorthand is another one of their tips. I developed my own shorthand, ex for example, com for committee, w for with, and similar abbreviations.
Hiskey and Sapora also suggest taking notes on Post-It Notes pages. Though I have done this, I always return to my notebook. Notes should contain basic information, according to Hiskey and Sapora, key words and a summary sentence. You should also include conditions and words that reflect careful listening.
I determine the key points in my notes and group them according to topics and sub-topics. These points evolve into a book outline. Note-taking skills take time to develop and the process gets easier with practice. Novelist Brenda Ueland, author of "If You Want to Write," describes writing as talking and thinking on paper. Note-taking is the same.
Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson
Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 30 years. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Association of Health Care Journalists, and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from Amazon.
Centering Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska has published her 26th book, "Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life." The company has also published a companion resource, the "Writing to Recover Journal," which contains 100 writing prompts. Please visit Harriet's Website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.
