Writer, copy editor, and educator who finds joy in reading, writing, and thinking along life’s trails

My Notebook

Notebook and feather fountain pen

A hill country writer and newspaper publisher once wrote inside the cover of a book of his essays:

To Martha—

Your grandmother thought you might enjoy this little book. She also told me that you are an aspiring writer. Read the story on page 51 and get to work.

- December 1983

I have kept a writer’s notebook through different times as I have grown older. I jot down details about interesting people, places, ideas, and conversations. Newspaper and magazine clippings, photos, postcards, ticket stubs, invitations, and drawings also fill the pages. When I reread my notebook entries, I also highlight words or phrases which might be future writing topics.

My present writing notebook is a double-entry journal. I have two columns. On the left side, I write a quotation or paraphrase something I have read that speaks to me. On the right side, I write my reaction to these words.


I invite you to join me by reading my notebook entries and responses, then thinking about your own response to the same entry. How is your reaction the same or different? If you have a writing notebook like mine, you might use one of my entries and write your thoughts in your own notebook. Have fun thinking like a writer!


THOUGHTS OR QUOTES

(Actual quotation or the author’s ideas put in your own words, the source of quote, and the date)

My earliest memory was when I was five years old. My four-year-old brother and I were standing one cold afternoon at the edge of a large pond. As we peered into the dark green water, my parents watched us from a nearby park bench. My brother and I also shared later adventures. We used small shovels to dig a huge hole in the front yard. As we grew up, we performed seasonal songs for family events.

--M. Stoddard, 2013

 


MY RESPONSE

(Description of how the author’s words made you think and feel, question, wonder, compare, reflect, or predict)

I like to see life in patterns. With our younger sister, we children experienced life in unique ways: art, music, business, gourmet cuisine, teaching, and writing.

My siblings and I always watched over each other. Now we share this trait with our next generation.

A fellow teacher and I wrote pieces for a writing group’s anthology. She described a high school student who
couldn’t attend the regional soccer playoffs with his team.

The team missed him and played very hard to win for him. As school adults and the team players gathered around
the gold trophy, they read the engraved words:

“For when the One Great Scorer comes
To mark against your name, He writes – not that you won or lost –
But how you played the Game."

-Grantland Rice in "Alumnus Football", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
/Grantland_Rice

--L. Driggers, 1996

Capstone Writing Project
Class Anthology

 

Dear Readers: Think about this entry of Ms. Driggers’ writing. Write your reaction to it in your writer’s notebook.

I hope that you will continue your reading and response writing!

M. Stoddard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Check back for future notebook
entries : )
!


Author at Work

 

Turtle Turtle Turtle

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