I've blogged before about reasons to carry a notebook. It's something I consider so important that I've come up with seven more reasons. For me, as a writer, it's unthinkable to be without a notebook in my bag. We may be living in a digital age, but pen and paper still have many advantages. So here are some more reasons to carry a notebook …
One of the most practical reasons to carry a notebook is that it acts as a memory aide. You can quickly and easily note down anything that you need to remember. A notebook is the perfect place to jot down anything of interest or importance, and it keeps everything together, rather than scribbling notes on bits of paper that you'll soon lose.
A notebook is an excellent way of recording your thoughts. Whether it's for your own journal, or for later use in a blog, your notebook will serve as a collection of those random thoughts and observations that you'd be annoyed if you forgot. If you do any kind of writing or studying, you'll know that great ideas often occur when you're away from your computer.
Diehard notebook carriers will understand this - a phone is simply not the same. Notebooks are an essential tool for the creative soul. How can you create on a phone? Phones are fine for noting brief details such as appointments or for sending messages. But they are not a substitute for pen and paper.
If you have an artistic eye (or even if you don't), you can make use of your notebook by doing sketches. It's a great way to while away the time while waiting for someone or something. Don't be discouraged from drawing because you think you're no good. You might be surprised what you can produce. Besides, you can get better with practise.
A notebook is a must for the creative writer. You can guarantee that your best ideas are going to occur to you at random times when you're not near a computer. So your notebook is perfect for jotting them down so that you don't forget them. Keep a section in your notebook for new ideas that don't belong to your current work, then you can refer back to them later.
A notebook provides easy access to information. Sure, you can look up most things on your smart phone in next to no time. But what if your cell has run out of battery power, there is no signal, or the connection is slow? Sometimes it's a lot quicker to check an address when it's written down.
Sometimes you spot an interesting restaurant when you're out and about, that you mean to try later. Or you spot a type of shop that you know you need, like a dry cleaners. But when you intend to go back there, you've forgotten where it is or what it's called! Write information like this down in your notebook, and it will always be there for future reference.
However much we turn to technology, I don't think the humble notebook will ever become obsolete. It's a simple principle that cannot be improved on. Information can be transferred from one notebook to another to preserve it, and deleted when it becomes irrelevant. Do you prefer the advances of technology, or are you a traditionalist?