How to Create With a Composition Notebook

A composition notebook is a stock-bound notebook containing sheets of paper lined in blue to assist users in writing more comfortably, with a vertical line to include a wide left margin for notes. The traditional black and white marble design is still popular today, though composition notebooks come in a variety of colors. Composition notebooks include a label on the cover for titling and typically include reference materials such as weights and measurements on the back of the cover. Since composition notebooks are more durable than spiral bound, they are more suited to long-term assignments and projects, which makes composition notebooks ideal for creating literary and artistic projects.

Things You'll Need

• Composition notebook
• Pen

Instructions

1. Set your composition notebook up to suit your project and to inspire your creative mood. You may elect to use the front cover label and write a title for your composition notebook, such as "journal," "story ideas" or "song lyrics," along with your name and the date the composition notebook begins. Consider decorating your notebook with personal stickers, colored paper or colored beads.

2. Determine how to organize the information you want to write in your composition notebook. If you are using the notebook to jot down ideas for a story, consider how you want to organize your ideas. You may want to separate title ideas from actual storyline ideas. This process will allow you to keep a list of random title ideas without coming up with a matching storyline immediately. If you're writing song lyrics, decide if you want to leave a blank line between each lyric line to put chords in later. You can also use your composition notebook for a journal, using a new notebook for each month if you plan to do a lot of writing. If you're using the composition notebook as an art notebook, consider sketching on one page and writing a description of the sketch on the facing page.

3. Keep your notebook beside your bed, which is helpful for writers who wake up in the middle of the night from a dream or with an idea. Capturing the idea in words can help ensure you don't lose it.

4. Write or draw in your composition notebook regularly. If you're using it to create, making a regular time each day to work in the notebook can help fuel your inspiration. Trying to create is better than waiting for a creative moment to strike, and using a composition notebook is a good way to get into the habit.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a composition notebook when you teach your child to write. It's a good way to track his progress over time by comparison.

References

• Donna Young: Composition Books for Handwriting Lessons
• Go Make Something: How to Cover Composition Books