I work as a technical editor for an airline. A year and a half ago, my department moved into the gigantic new hangar the airline built. While I love the new building, I never thought it would help me in my writing. But it does.
It just so happens the science fiction novella I’m working on takes place on a space station. And, as it happens, many of the scenes take place in the station’s bay which in a way is a lot like the hangar I work in.
While I work on the side of the building that has offices – no, I don’t work in the hangar itself – I can just leave my desk and in seconds stroll through the hangar for breaks.
As a result, I’ve been able to use the sights, sounds and smells I’ve encountered over the last year and a half into the scenes of my story. The smell of petrol, the echoes of clangs, the actions of the mechanics as they attend to the giant 747s like ants on a piece of bread.
I even incorporated the emergency foam that would drop from the ceiling in case of an emergency. It hasn’t been used yet but knowing it was there helped me finish a scene.
These are details I should include in my writing journal. I used to keep writing journals when I was in college, but I stopped somewhere between graduation and 9/11.
But incorporating these sensory minutiae from the hangar into my story made me pause. I want to start using a writing journal again.
I’ve decided to use the yellow stickies software on my phone for two reasons: I already created a writing folder and my phone is always with me. Easy and quick access to take notes for future use.
Of course, some prefer a traditional paper notebook or journal. Whatever works. But whatever type of journal used, or whatever software to use is up to the writer. Whatever is accessible and inspiring.
I created a list of possible categories for a writing journal. No need to incorporate all of them; they’re just to give ideas to customize a writing journal for whoever may want to use one.
Here’s the list:
Creative Development
- Story Ideas – Quick notes or fragments of potential storylines, titles, or premises.
- Character Concepts – Early notes about new characters (appearance, goals, fears, quirks).
- Worldbuilding – Setting details, maps, political systems, religions, or technologies.
- Themes & Motifs – Recurring ideas or emotional threads you want to explore.
- Symbols & Imagery – Visual metaphors or recurring symbols to weave into your work.
- Dialog Snippets – Lines of dialogue that come to mind (even if you don’t know who says them yet).
- Scenes in Fragments – Rough sketches of scenes or moments, even out of order.
- Titles & Taglines – Potential titles for projects, stories, or chapters.
- Quotes & Epigraphs – Lines from literature or real life that might inspire or frame your writing.
Writing Craft & Practice
- Daily Writing Logs – Record word counts, time spent writing, and brief reflections.
- Writing Exercises – Prompts, freewrites, or technique drills (e.g., sensory description, dialogue-only scenes).
- Style Experiments – Notes on trying new narrative voices, perspectives, or tense.
- Vocabulary Bank – Favorite or unusual words you encounter.
- Metaphor & Simile Collection – Original comparisons or vivid phrases to reuse.
- Tone & Mood Studies – Observations on how tone shifts with language, syntax, or pacing.
- Revision Notes – What’s working or not working in current drafts.
- Editing Checklists – Personalized reminders for line editing and structure revisions.
- Feedback Summaries – Condensed notes from beta readers, workshops, or editors.
Reading & Research
- Book Notes – Observations from your reading, especially about craft or structure.
- Passage Analysis – Favorite excerpts you break down for technique or rhythm.
- Author Insights – Quotes or lessons from authors you admire.
- Research Notes – Historical, scientific, or cultural facts relevant to your work.
- Art, Film, or Music Inspiration – Nonliterary influences that spark ideas or tone.
Planning & Organization
- Project Overviews – Brief summaries of all active or planned writing projects.
- Outlines & Beat Sheets – Structural overviews for novels, short stories, or screenplays.
- Timelines – Chronologies for story events or character backstories.
- Character Arcs – Evolution of characters across the story.
- Plot Problems – Snags you’ve encountered and possible solutions.
- To-Do Lists – Writing goals, submissions, or next steps.
Reflection & Mindset
- Why I Write – Your personal mission statement or creative manifesto.
- Writing Goals – Yearly, monthly, or weekly intentions.
- Creative Challenges – Notes on fear, procrastination, or motivation.
- Victories & Milestones – Celebrate finished drafts, word count goals, or submissions.
- Writing Environment Notes – What conditions help you write best.
- Lessons Learned – Insights from failures, successes, or experiments.
Professional & Publishing
- Submission Tracker – Where and when you’ve submitted work, and responses.
- Pitch & Query Drafts – Early versions of synopses, elevator pitches, or query letters.
- Marketing Ideas – Concepts for author branding, social media posts, or newsletters.
- Networking Notes – Contacts, events, and communities to engage with.
- Career Vision – Long-term creative goals and steps toward them.
The next step is to get into the habit of observing sensory details around myself to record them. Or to get those ideas jotted down when they pop into my head. I’ve talked about a scene palette, so I’ll add it to my digital writing journal. And be more conscientious of adding to it.
Do you use a writing journal?
Andrew M. Friday 
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