Friday 7 October 2011

Another filofax on its way!

Confession time… the filofax family is about to be enlarged (again).
I’m a wannabe writer and about to start planning my 4th novel and have been considering what to use as the planning notebook. I’ve used a ring-bound A4, an A4 Moleskine and random bits of paper in the past and although each has worked okay, there are obvious advantages and disadvantages to each. For a start, although I like the bound planners to be able to keep all my notes together, the inability to move things around is quite frustrating. Hence, a ring-bound system might work a lot better – then when I have odd ideas about something, I can put them into the correct section, rather than having to label the top of every page or keep a table of contents in the front.
Of course, as I said in a very early post on here, there’s no joy in using a standard, plastic ring binder…
Also, the A4 pages, whilst being great for many things, were often too big. Coupled with that, I was using index cards as scene planners, which were loose and not in the planner.

I already had some scene planner templates that I had adapted from ones on the DIY Planner site. A5 is a lovely size in many ways for notes and so on and so I have decided to buy a(nother) A5 domino in ultraviolet. They are still on offer in WHSmiths (£18 - use the Philofaxy link to raise money for charity) but I still won’t want the contents (so check out the For Sale section here in a few days if you need any A5 bits and bobs!), just the binder. I can easily print out scene planner pages (and other pages I use) in booklet-format and then punch them to go into the different sections.

I’m probably going to make my own dividers for it (because, frankly, the ones that come with it are too dull) and have already ordered myself some pretty card to do so. I was going to order some tabs so that I could make two dividers from each sheet of card, but then I had an idea… why not still just cut the A4 card in half, but when I punch the holes in them, punch them lower down, and use the extra bit at the top for top tabs!! The fact there’s a gap towards the bottom won’t matter (even to my OCD-ish mind) and it’s much better than only being able to cut one divider from each card.

Now, I think the top tabs is a genius idea! (but maybe it’s jut me!)

I’ll post pictures as soon as the card arrives and I have made them.

13 comments:

  1. Amanda,

    You rascal - I had no idea that you're a writer, although I might have guessed given your fondness for pen and paper :)

    May I ask, do you stay in a particular genre, or riff across several?

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  2. I am also interested to know your genre. ANOTHER filofax! Sigh I shall have to enjoy your blog post when it arrives as I have to be good!

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  3. @Gerard; @CP
    Are you guys on holiday or just having a quiet afternoon?! Only posted this <an hour ago!

    My genre would be murder/thriller (though sadly have yet to find an agent or a publisher). I enjoy writing them though, even if no-one ever publishes them (though of course, I would love for them to get published!!).

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  4. Amanda
    You need to follow my wife @alison_morton on Twitter or http://alison-morton.com/ she is also a writer and is looking for an agent/publisher... I'm sure you will have a lot in common...

    Steve

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  5. Amanda, I *was* on holidays last week, and struggled through the current week, until crumbling at lunchtime today when I clocked out. Oy - quelle semaine!

    Maybe you could self-publish in eBook format. I have no appreciation of the economics involved, but no doubt rum coves and shysters abound :-/

    That said, any chance of a preview chapter? :)

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  6. @Steve
    Just started following Alison's blog!

    @Gerard
    Thank Crunchie It's Friday?? Hope you have a good weekend. I've been contemplating ebook publishing as a possibility... still not quite sure (and happy to hears pros and cons from others)

    A preview chapter? I could email you one if you really want!?

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  7. Good luck with your Filofax solution! Let us know how it turns out!

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  8. Hi Amanda,
    Please do send it on - you have my email address.
    G

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  9. Amanda, I thought about getting the ultraviolet a5 as another writing filo as well. I'm sure I will like the color, the material made me hesitate. I'm not sure I can deal with a non leather filo. ; ) You will do a review post, will you?
    I'm also looking at Levenger circa as writing notebook. Or M by Staple, the cheaper version. M's binder, though "leather", is not too inspiring, but the paper quality is decent, appears to be good value.

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  10. I enjoyed reading this post, and it was only yesterday that I was thinking of making new dividers. The strange thing is I was considering top tabs, and whether it would work!!
    My thinking for this was, if I had top tabs I would have more room at the side for my pens in the loop of my pocket Malden. (I use a bic 4 colour sonit doesn't fit in the loop, I have to hook it on. Then I have a black pen too). It would be interesting to see if this idea would work.
    Xx
    :)

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  11. You guys are all as excited about the arrival of my new filofax as I am!! :)

    @Sweetspot - I will indeed do a review. I already (ahem) have 2 A5 dominos, so the non-leather aspect won't worry me. The colour is lovely and the fact that the cover is non-leather makes it much firmer (and therefore easier to lean on, out and about). Re: the other notebooks - I think I really need to be able to file/re-file/move pages around when I'm working on a book - I've tried the bound books and although they are okay, they feel a bit restrictive.

    @icclewu - smart idea about the pens having more space - hadn't thought of that. As soon as the card arrives and I make the new dividers there will pics and reviews on here!

    @Gerard - on its way.

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  12. I have made my top tab dividers. Take a look http://icclewu.blogspot.com/2011/10/top-tab-dividers-for-pocket-malden.html?m=1
    :)

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  13. @icclewu - fabulous! They look so divine! I can hardly wait to get my card and start on making mine. I love the glittery card you used!

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