A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You

by Ralph Fletcher

Ages 8-12. Fans of Harriet the Spy who want to try keeping their own writer's notebook will appreciate this inspiring handbook. Written in a direct, non-condescending style, writer-to-writer, it offers realistic, experienced advice on how to keep notes and use them to create stories and poems. Fletcher, author of the ALA Notable children's book Fig Pudding, fleshes the book out with numerous examples from his own notebooks and from those of other writers, child and adult.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Education, Teaching, Professional Development, Childrens, School

Paperback

First published August 1, 1996

About the author

Ralph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.

Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.

Reviews

[Katherine Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, Ralph Fletcher! You do so much good work for the young writers of the world. Why aren't you a better writer? I don't mean to be unfairly hard on him. I just often find myself reading his books and wanting to reorganize or edit them for him.

There's definitely good stuff in here, and I LOVE that he writes FOR the young person. In fact, I think I plan to use most of this as read-aloud material over the course of the first weeks of school as we set up and start our writer's notebooks. The interspersed chapters written by other accomplished writers (Paul Fleischman, Naomi Shihab Nye, Lillian Morrison), describing their own writers' notebooks habits and styles, are particularly invaluable.

I still really long to meet with other teachers of writing to discuss the use of writers' notebooks in their classrooms. I want to do a better job of making this an authentic tool for my students next year. If you're interested, drop me a line!

[Dana and Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-have for any language arts teacher! I've reread this book every summer since I started teaching. Each chapter can be used as a minilesson for writing workshop. This quick, easy to follow 138pg handbook is your guide to helping students turn their writing notebooks into goldmines for the school year. I swear by it. Thank you, Ralph, for this incredible resource!

[Johnny G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little gem gave me 16 quick-write ideas for my class, which I am using, split over two of these difficult days towards the back end of the school year when there is something going on that ruins the regular routine of TCRWP sessions. I have 16 flags in the book which will be on my shelf as long as I teach. One thing that drove me crazy is that Fletcher's answer to a lot of issues with reluctant writers is to "just write", which isn't easy for everyone. The snippets of ideas are great examples to share to spark ideas. It's a quick read, and something I should've read long ago - no matter how much technology is being used, picking up a pen or pencil and visiting a writing notebook is something that should never go away.

[Addy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected, but it gave good advice for writers! Would recommend.

[Owen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many years ago, as a young child, the idea that I wanted to be a writer entered my mind. So I bought this book in a tiny bookstore in my town (which has since closed) and it has gathered dust on my bookshelf. Today I picked it up because I am procrastinating on my essay for history which is due when I get back to school.

It is okay. I'd give it between two or three stars depending on how you look at it and whether or not you take into account the fact that it is written for younger children. It offers a few good ideas for keeping a notebook for writing ideas, but really nothing better than what you could come up with on your own. One of the things I want to start doing is keep a writing journal, so that is why I read this. I will probably donate it to my local library.

[David Pilon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great inspirational resource for keeping a writer's notebook. Although beneficial to any person needing some motivation to write (or simply understand the importance of writing down observations, etc., which could turn into future writing pieces), this is a great teacher resource to inspire elementary students. I've already used it as a starting point for classroom Writer's Notebooks.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great one by Fletcher. Inspiring.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational for all ages. Will use in my classroom, for mini-lessons in Writer’s Workshop, but also, this made me want to run and pick up a pen and a notebook and do some writing.

[Maggie Desrosiers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met the author and he is SO NICE!! Such a great book for grades 4-6.

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My undergrads often struggle with launching their writer's notebooks. Fletcher's book provides numerous teacher-friendly, kid-friendly strategies for maximizing the writer's notebook. I'm eager to see how it will work

[Katherine Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and concise. Inspiring for students and adults a like. A must read for teachers of writing.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure I can even give this book a bad rating; it had to be 5 stars and nothing else. My Associate Teacher (Mr. G) gifted me this book as a way to inspire and set me up for the initiative he plans to start with his Grade 5/6 class. He spoke about his own Writer's Notebook and how he still carries the same one from 2012 – the date of his first entry. He revealed the sense of warmth and impact he felt when his past students, now in their mid-20s, return and "gigglishly" pulls out their Writer's Notebooks from behind their backs. For teachers, I know for a fact that this was a paramount moment – just the thought of the imprint you have left on your students and how lasting it can be. It's what makes the teaching profession so valuable.

To be frank, I read this book with the mindset of a teacher – the mindset that I would be implementing this in my lessons. Little did I know, how many insightful connections I was able to make with its contents. As I skimmed through the first few pages at my PD school, I knew I would be running to the nearest book store to purchase my very own, personal Writer's Notebook. One of my teaching philosophy is that you can't teach or preach something that you haven't done or believe in. I needed to experience it for myself. If I want my students to fully engage in this activity, I must model by example and fully engage in it as well. It only makes sense that way.

Each chapter sparked teachable moments for me. Luckily, I've had my own positive (and negative) experiences with writing to fall back on. Between the years of 2018 to 2020, I wrote travel journals. They were exactly what you thought journals would be like – very descriptive, a day-to-day recount of the most absurd details that stuck to my teenage mind. For some odd reason, I was hyper-fixated on consumptions and gifts back then. Out of everything I could have jotted down, I made a daily table of items that my family and I bought. For instance, I would neatly lay out how many t-shirts I bought or how many earrings I got for x amount of dollars and which store I purchased it from etc... I kept track of everything my family bought as well. I guess you could say, I loved my gifts back then. It was also in these travel journals that I first wrote about something that "scraped my heart." When I read Ralph Fletcher's analogy of "writing-as-lifejacket: the writing you do because your heart will burst if you don't write it [pg.109]," my mind painstakingly retrieved a memory that was intertwined with a certain set of emotions that I can still feel to this day. I clearly remember where I was and how I felt. I remember this clearly because I wrote it down and even created a feeling scale on the same page, circling the sad emoticon on the scale. I was on a sleeper train in Thailand then. I saw the notification pop up and my thumb dragged along the screen to view the full message. It was from my brother. It felt like someone punched me in the guts. I was still quite young then and didn't know how to respond. My first instinct was to crack open my journal and just write so that's what I did; I wrote about the instance and poured my thoughts into it. I knew it was a piece of writing I didn't want anyone to see. To "hide" it, I folded the page, deepened the crease, and sandwiched it between the covers...like that wouldn't draw more attention to it...

For me, writing allows me to convey my innermost feelings and thoughts into my words, more effectively than if I were to speak it aloud. In my Positionality assignment, I wrote with my heart on my finger tips. Though it was written slightly figuratively, the words and experiences were genuine. That was the first piece of writing I publicly and proudly shared with my family and close friends. It was definitely a leap of faith as I had always been hesitant to share any form of my writing. I had a barrier that prevented me from letting others read my work or even edit it. There was this quote from the novel Verity by Colleen Hoover that divulges: "When you read an author's book, it's like they're sharing a piece of their soul with you. Like they're naked on the pages." That's how vulnerable I felt while writing my assignment. To the quiet girl and to the girl who always can't seem to wipe a smile from her face, there were many insecurities and doubt that even people I grew up with never would have known...and there these were, squarely laid out on the screen. I've received many positive and supportive praises for sharing this piece of writing. It brought tears (and laughter) to my mother, father, and even my professor. My dad, whose usually a stone wall, cried and told me when I visited him in person in China that my writing gave him fuel. Due to the pandemic and the loneliness he endured all my himself in China, those past two years were the hardest it has ever been for him. Not only was the economic situation in China in shatters, but he also felt like his relationship with his children were holding on by a thread. Because I'm not very verbal, he always wondered how I felt inside and whether or not we actually recognize or appreciate all the work he does. He said... because he's been living apart from us for so long, sometimes he feels like we are on two separate islands – us against him. My writing was the first time he was able to gain confirmation and be affirmed on the impact his hard work and love had on us.

Writing is a vessel and a bridge – a very powerful one too. Writing doesn't always have to be shared, but you will know which ones you want others to read and which ones are better kept private. Similar to my assignment, there were a few book reviews that I was beyond excited to share. I knew from the moment I finished writing them that I wanted it to be out there and I wanted people to read them (their choice, of course). There were a few reviews where I pestered my brother and mom to read – no choice given because they're family. I did this because I wanted to let them inside my head. I wanted them to know more about me and what I was thinking without explicitly telling them. I wanted to give them insight into my life. And to sum it all up, this is the whole purpose of writing. It is to share meaningful messages.

[Missy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a basic how-to for keeping a writer's notebook. Nothing extraordinary here.

"What is a writer's notebook, anyway? Let's start by talking what it's not. A writer's notebook is not a diary. . . . It's not a reading journal in which your teacher tells you to summarize the main idea of a book, or write a letter to a character."

Record small details. "You can train yourself to notice the details around you. Use all your senses."

"You might write a line today that you don't use in a piece of writing for years! Or, you might never use it at all. But just get in the habit of writing little things all the time helps sharpen your perceptions. Can you imagine a star athlete never exercising or warming up! Notebooks are a stretch, a jog around the block."

"Memories just may be the most important possession any writer has. As much as anything else, our memories shape what we write."

"The first draft is the down draft. You just get it down. The second draft is the up draft -- you fix it up. The third draft is the dental draft, where you check every tooth, to see if it's loose or cramped or decayed, or . . . healthy."

[Isa (Pages Full of Stars) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know that this book is aimed more at the young readers, but I've always wanted to know more about how to start a writer's notebook, so when I saw it on scribd, I decided to give it a go. And I really enjoyed it!

I like all of the categories and examples, and I found everything very useful. It's true, that the author focuses on giving tips to middle grade/young adult readers, but I think everyone could get something useful from this book.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I much preferred How Writer's Work, also by Fletcher. This one didn't seem to have as many practical suggestions or examples of student writing as How Writer's Work. I also didn't think that the chapters were all that different from each other. Each one just seemed like a cheerleader for keeping a notebook, without much additional substance.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was helpful! I now want to carry a notebook wherever I go and I feel like now I would know how to use it. I also don’t feel so weird about my desire to write random stuff down. It’s apparently part of the process. Onward!

[Sameer Khan Brohi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, how the desire to become an author that a child has can be nurtured. And there is no greater mentor than someone who can explain this to these children, someone who is actually a very great writer himself or has an accomplished position. So I liked reading this, that Ralph Fletcher actually thought about children this time, when everyone else focuses on adult writers.
And it's not too true that it is only relevant for children. This book is actually a kind of notebook, which explicitly says "Writer's Notebook." Even its front cover is so illustrative, a British kind of like the ones in Roald Dahl’s book, colorful, which is very good. And then a lot of stuff is in there, like the small quotes. Which talks about writing excerpts of different children. Most of them are from New York and Ohio, whose points of view he has presented, what they write in their diaries, which can actually give the next person the perspective of what to actually write in writer’s notebook. The notebook is not just a notebook, it's also a notebook, a scrapbook, a thoughtful dream journal. And besides that, it's also a diary and a journal in general.
Okay, so all those anecdotal dots and personal narratives, and even everything we heard in the conversation between two people, all those reflections, we can write them down in our notebook. So, the author explained all of that quite objectively. I liked it a lot, but I would say that as an adult writer, it didn't have a profound impact on me, which makes sense because it's a children's book. But on the other hand, if I had read this book in my childhood, I would have liked it even more. But if you ask me whether this book actually has a spark, I would say that it definitely does. Besides that, it's a combination of two things. Firstly, personal narratives, which are the author's own personal stories or reflections.
And secondly, there are also third-person perspectives, which actually include students, learners, and even other authors, and how they approach things. And at the end, he also mentioned that it's not necessary for a writer to always keep a writer's notebook. It's not mandatory; it's just an optional thing, and many writers don't keep one. Anyway, to sum it all up, this book has a spark.

[Yujeong Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written with creative sincerity as the author asked provoking questions to engage the readers to tap into their creativity and extend their affinity for books to cherish fleeting moments one experiences for organizing ideas through a notebook.

This book was the right book for me to read because I recently decided to carry around a journal with me, everywhere I can bring it, to capture moments and fleeting ideas to revisit them in a different modality than a phone, which often can be insidious when drowning with the impact of social media. Having a writer's notebook, and using this creative outlet to react provides me with a strange sense of comfort and a safe place for my thoughts to go.

The author distinguishes writers and non-writers from the writer's autonomy and inclination to react and relive moments and being engaged in mindfulness while the non-writer breezes through the many sensational, external stimuli. As mentioned, this book is an ideal one at this phase in my life where as cliche as it sounds, hopefully, this hobby can strengthen my sense of identity with acceptance, radiance, and compassion to optimize my well-being and community, and hopefully beyond in imagination and creativity through reliving small moments of joy that really matters.

"When I'm finished with a book and thinking of starting another, I go through it and select the ideas that give me the most voltage. Often I've forgotten that I've written an idea in the notebook, and will later find that it appears 2 or 3 times; there are the ideas that usually become books, ideas that tug at your sleeve for years."

"Human talk has an amazing ability to capture a whole world in a few words. This is a dialogue I overheard between three boys who were each playing a handheld Gameboy."

[Alexander Davidson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I originally bought and read this book to see if it would be too young for the high school level creative writing course I plan to teach next semester. It was. It was also not what I was expecting to find at all. While a short book that could have easily been completed in an hour, it took me a while because I completely lost motivation. Only my compulsive nature made me finish.

I was originally hoping to find some useful writing activities that I could use with my students. Instead, I found a how-to manual on how to keep a "writer's notebook." With chapters advertised a variety of seemingly interesting writing opportunities, it was ultimately a dud. For 120 pages, each new strategy boiled down to "See this? Write it down in your notebook. Hear that? Write it down. Remember something? Write it down? Too lazy? Copy/paste and get it in there." (I'm exaggerating.)

I kept going in to see if there were any strategies for writers once their notebook had been established. What tips did the author have for turning these observations into actual stories. His advice at the end? SPOILER: Now that you have a writer's notebook, go back and re-read it later. That's it! Nothing about how to stretch those moments into something larger and creative.

The only thing I got from this book is that I do not want my students creating writer's notebooks.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good things come in small packages. I happened on this slim volume in a box of books a friend brought over for me to look through, and despite it being for ages 8-12, the former teacher in me couldn't resist turning a few pages, and then rapidly finishing the book.

Fletcher provides lots of tips for how to keep a writer's notebook to capture the experiences, images, questions, and observations that could become the seeds of a piece of writing. And he cites excerpts from his own writer's notebook and those of other writers, including very young writers from first grade through sixth grade and some of the poems and prose passages that emerged from those jottings.

What a delight!

I will pass this along to a local school or Little Free Library in the hope that a young budding writer will happen upon it, just as I did, and find it both inspiring and practical, just as I did. It's never too late to start something new. Or too early!

[Brandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The district curriculum I taught referenced this book years ago so I got a copy. Ralph Fletcher is a great author and presenter. This book is quite old so a bit outdated now but the message is still relevant. This particular copy, though, is very repetitive and disorganized. I hope later edits have created spaces when focus shifts and ideas change. It can be hard to follow. The idea of putting student writing samples in here is good but I’m not sure it was executed perfectly in this edition. Lastly, the heart strings chapter was a bit much ... he oversimplifies his message but then uses giant vocabulary and subjects such as divorce as death and a mom committing suicide that really felt out of place. I’m interested to see if HarperCollins allowed these things.

[Tiffany Smead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ralph Fletcher insights creativity & imagination, while teaching practical approaches for young writers learning about the heart of creative writing—writing that evokes emotion.

The book revolves around the many wats to use a writer’s journal/notebook to capture curiosities & memories.

Reading this in my mid 30’s I can see many things I’ve done as a writer, while also wishing I’d had this book when I was in elementary school. For me, writing was my therapy. Writing to me is like breathing freely after spending weeks with an asthma attack.

Ralph’s style of teaching reminds me about why I write. I’d recommend this book to any young person who has ever shown an inkling for story telling.

[Jennivie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a young writer anymore but I still found great worth in reading this book and others aimed at kids. I wish this book had been around when I was a young writer or at least I wish I'd read it when it was published. it would have helped, I think. I've started a notebook of my own, beyond my list of ideas for stories that I normally keep. I'm jotting down unique thoughts and word patterns and strange sights. I think it's helping me to see the world differently and remember instead of letting the thought evaporate immediately.

[Hungry Letters · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I had to read this book for a class. In addition, we had to create a writer's notebook that went along with the book. This book though little was very impactful. I want to keep on writing in my writer's notebook. It gave great examples and explanations of different types of ideas you can write down. Your "Write's Notebook" is not a journal but, a place to put your ideas, thoughts, memories, and stuff that impacted you. It is such a great little book for anyone wanting to improve their writing or just have writers block and want some inspiration. This is a must-read!

[Britt Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

Such a great book not only for children but adults as well. As a person finally taking her writing seriously and wanting to start writing fiction this book has given me a blueprint of some sorts to how I can collect thoughts, feelings, and words that I might able to use in my stories. This book puts to death my feelings of not knowing what to write about. I have always been fascinated by people who collect things now I can say I'm a collector of thoughts, feelings, words, and stories. So thankful for this book.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the new and expanded version of A Writer's Notebook. I wish I could buy this for every one of my students to help them understand what a writer's notebook can be. (Actually, it is needed just as much for teachers of writers to help teachers understand the value of a writer's notebook!) He uses so many metaphors for notebooks: a ditch, an incubator, a specimen box, or an alarm clock. He gives students reasons and ways to collect writing in notebooks. Even as an adult who writes, I found inspiration for my own writing life in this short little book. This is a gem of a book on writing!

[Katie Elmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Ralph for making the shadowy process that is writing a little more visible and solid. Many reviews say that the writing here isn't the best: I disagree. Ralph calms you down, makes complicated concepts understandable by a plethora of stunning examples. He'll make you want to get up and explore your writer's notebook (I had to stop and write mid-read multiple times - you know it's real beans when you want to actually try out what an author suggests!). Great teaching resource for sure.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first edition of this book a number of years ago and liked it, but I like this expanded version even better. Lots of clear, specific, practical advice for student writers. Much of the book is dedicated to using a writer's notebook: why, how, when. The last couple of chapters focus more on being a writer and the importance of studying writing, getting feedback, and being persistent.

Middle and high school classroom libraries should include books about writing. This is a good one.

[Elizabeth Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Writer's Notebook was clearly written for children with exerts from children's writing journals. I enjoyed some of the poems showing deep insight into human emotions.
What Ralph Fletcher shows through his short book is how joyous writing can be if one takes a few minutes to do so. This book does not delve into the technical details of proper grammar, but is meant to encourage young people to write. Even as an adult I gleamed an idea from this book I'll think I'll put to practice.

[Yunhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you want to become a great author? A writer's notebook is one way. A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You tells what you can put into your writer's notebook and how to use it in your writing. It also includes samples of children's writing. I like this book because it includes many samples from the author, authors, and children. I think it could have explained in more detail, though. This book is a must-have for anyone who wants to be an author.