By Alycia Morales @AlyciaMorales

As I faced the aisles filled with school supplies last month, I sighed at the prospect of no longer getting to buy all the composition notebooks, pink erasers, and pencils. Until I remembered that I still get to use them as a writer. Composition notebooks are super handy for journaling or writing out notes for a manuscript. I know of one YA writer who handwrites her manuscripts in them, despite access to computers.

And everyone knows stores mark them cheaper during back-to-school season, so that’s the perfect time to stock up while fulfilling that desire for school supplies turned office supplies.

School shopping is something I have loved doing since my oldest started kindergarten. This year, my youngest is in his senior year of high school. As a mom, I’m not sure how I feel about this. As a writer, I rejoice at the thought of no longer having to drive kids to and from school, knowing that will add two hours back into my workdays. Two hours I can spend on my writing.

How many composition notebooks does one writer need? If you’re an avid journaler like I am, four per year is a good place to start.

What do you write in a journal? Below are the ABCs of journaling, a solid list of things to include in your composition notebook (or any other journal, for that matter).

A – Activities

B – Bible Verses, Book Goals, Brilliant Ideas, Budgets, Blog Titles, Book Launch

C – Conference Plans

D – Daydreams, Debt Reduction Plans

E – Errands, Emotions, Education Plans

F – Fitness Trackers, Family Plans, Flash Fiction

G – Goals, Generosity, Gifts, Grumblings, Grief

H – Happenings, Health Trackers, Homeschooling Plans

I – Important Information

J – Joyful Moments

K – Kindnesses

L – Lists (Wish, Christmas Card, Grocery, Bucket, Reading, Packing, Playlists, etc.)

M – Manuscripts, Memories, Menu Plans

N – Notes

O – Overwhelm, Outlines

P – Prayers, Praise Reports, Prophetic Words, Poems

Q – Quotes

R – Research, Reasonings

S – Schedules (Writing, Social Media, Blogging, Household, Book Launch, etc.), Song Lyrics

T – Thankfulness, Thoughts

U – Understandings

V – Vacation Plans, Vision Boards

W – Worship

X – eXperiences

Y – Yearnings

Z – Zingers

What will you journal about today?

Alycia Morales is a freelance editor and writer. Her writing has been in Thriving Family magazine, Splickety Love, and several compilation books. Her editing clients have won several awards for their manuscripts, including finalist in the Selah Award. She is also a conference manager and the blog editor for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.

When she isn’t busy hanging out with her writing friends, her husband, and her four children, Alycia enjoys reading, watching TV, hiking, and crafting.

Follow Alycia at her blogs, Life.Inspired. and The Write Editing. She can also be found on Instagram and Pinterest.