Today is the third Thursday in May, and that means it’s National Notebook Day! I love this day because I’m obsessed with notebooks… and any kind of writing gadget, including pens, tablets, Kindle Scribes, etc. But in a digital age where typing and tapping dominate, National Notebook Day invites us to slow down and return to the tactile joy of writing by hand. Whether you’re a novelist, a poet, or someone who just loves the feel of a pen on paper, today is a celebration of the blank page and all the possibility it holds.
As a writer, I understand that some ideas only come to life when we write them out longhand. There’s something powerful about the quiet focus of a notebook, away from notifications and blinking cursors. It can be where my next chapter starts—or where I finally figure out my main character’s secret. And if it works for me, I know it can work for you!
National Notebook Day
📓 For Writers, Notebooks Are More Than Paper
A notebook is a safe space for messy first drafts, snippets of overheard dialogue, or that perfect line that pops into your head at 2 a.m. Many writers keep separate notebooks for plotting, character development, or scene brainstorming. (I know I do!) And unlike a blinking screen, a notebook doesn’t judge my crossed-out words or half-formed ideas.
💕 A Romance Author’s Secret Weapon
Romance authors, take note—literally. A dedicated notebook can be your relationship tracker, helping you chart chemistry arcs, romantic beats, or emotional turning points. Here is one of my favorite tips for using notebooks while crafting my romances: Use a double-column notebook spread to track each love interest’s emotional state scene by scene. On one side, jot down what the heroine is thinking or feeling; on the other, track the hero’s perspective. It’s a simple, powerful way to build authentic emotional tension and pacing.
✍️ Celebrate with a Page (or Ten)
- Start a fresh notebook and write the opening lines of a new story.
- Go back to a work in progress and free-write a scene you’ve been stuck on.
- Try a writing prompt in pen and see where it leads.
- Gift a gorgeous notebook to a writer friend—or yourself. (You deserve it.)
- Start a gratitude journal.
- Write a letter to your future self.
- Sketch something from your day.
- Organize your travel plans or goals in a new notebook.
- No matter your genre or style, today is a perfect reminder that every book begins the same way: a blank page and the courage to fill it.
