Clattertron

[dc]I[/dc] send out a new email newsletter every week through MailChimp (sign up here), and decided to back up my old newsletters here. This is Clattertron Newsletter #8 –Taking Notes from August 30, 2015. 

I always try to carry a notebook, or a sketchbook, around with me. These days, it’s a tiny flexible journal by Miquelrius. It’s smaller than 4” x 6” and easily fits in my pocket (I picked it up at Schuler Books here in Lansing, but here’s a similar one on Amazon).

Notebook!

I like this pocket notebook, because it is easily to carry around, and it doesn’t have lined paper. I used to only carry lined notebooks, but that changed when I started drawing more.

Lined paper just doesn’t do it for me when it comes to drawing. Fine for notes, sure, but I like the option of using the paper for both.

I don’t write any sort of grand essay on the small pages, just quick notes or thoughts. Maybe I saw or heard something funny (or weird), and in the notebook it goes.

While I do sit down and write my comics, more often than not the idea comes to me at random times. So, I write it down. The idea could evolve, or get tweaked, or not even be used for months—but it’s there, on the page.

When I’m stuck on an idea for a comic (or a blog post), I flip through my notebook (never trust your memory).

In a recent Gilbert Gottfried podcast, someone mentioned Larry David told the Seinfeld writers to keep a diary of what happened to them throughout the day. I’ve been working on doing this myself, or at least bullet points for interesting things.

It helps, because something is funnier if it came from life, even if it is changed a bit for the sake of humor (or storytelling). Some of my favorite comics came from real events (example 1, example 2, example 3).

Take notes. Write stuff down.