Keeping and making sense of notes is an exercise in and of itself. Especially with all the different ways to capture the things we want to think about a little longer, or maybe even write about later on. My pile is always growing and seems to be everywhere: in my email, on my phone notes, and on countless pieces of paper. Reading through them is always nice, even transportive. When I find a torn piece of paper scribbled with words I want to hold on to, it takes me back to the time and place I wrote it. These notes are snapshots of our lives, a chronology. Last week, I heard more about this subject during an interview between Terry Gross and American novelist, Richard Ford. Here’s what he said on the subject of note-taking:

A steady stream of author interviews featured in The Paris Review fills my twitter feed. I like to breeze through them, sometimes when I’m feeling glued, or just because they’re really good. This quote caught my eye and led me to an interview with author Erskine Caldwell. If you like, here are a few more quotes by Caldwell from the longer version.

Often times, I’ll chase quotes on writing and creativity. In my handwritten journals, they are everywhere: clipped to pages, scribbled in corners. I’ve been thinking it would be nice to compile them somehow, and maybe, I’ll figure that out. In the meantime, I’ll sprinkle them in here. This one is from Ira Glass. It’s part of a storytelling series to budding creatives. But it makes so much sense no matter how or when you discover it. Here’s an excerpt:

I’ve always been drawn to books and articles that talk about creativity especially when written to, or from, writers. After I discovered this book a while back, it’s given me a boost anytime I’ve needed it. And not just in my writing, but everyday. Here’s a quote from the wonderful and witty author, Anne Lamott: