Lochby Field Journal in use
In all honesty, the "use" is currently on my desk, rather than out in the field, though that will change when we escape to the highlands and islands in a few weeks.
Recently, my brain has had plenty of time to freewheel which means I'm walking a fine line between capturing ideas for a new book, and just writing the whole new book.
A book comes to me in parts - usually the characters first, and some of the setting. Plot comes later, when I figure out what these people are doing in the place they occupy. In the past, I used to write whatever came to me, as and when it came to me, using large (often A4) notebooks for capturing ideas, plus as a scrapbook for locations/settings/photos of people who resembled the characters enough for me to print their picture on a sticker and stick it in the notebook.
The bonus with this was that everything was in one book.
The downside was that everything one in one book, with no concept of order or structure!
Enter the Lochby!
The Lochby Field Journal is essentially a cover that will hold several notebooks together - a bit like a Traveller's Notebook does. Only it's bigger. And better. I've written about it before here. The extra pockets on the inside of the cover are incredibly useful when I am out and about with it.
At the moment, I have it on my desk and am using it to scribble notes for a new book. I'm keeping character notes in one book and setting notes in another, plus random snippets in a third. All three notebooks are in the Lochby, held on the cords (the way a TN cover holds books), but I could have tucked the cover into the vertical slip pocket if I'd wanted.
I'm using Calepino lined notebooks, and I must say, the kraft covers in the rugged brown canvas look divine!
Yes, yes, I could just have the three notebooks on my desk and not bother with the Lochby holding them all together, but I know that I'll be taking them all away with me when we head off to the wilds of Scotland and then they will need to be in a cover, rather than rattling around in my backpack. And anyway, the Lochby is just too nice not to use.
I see there's a navy version on the site now, as well as the black and brown. Ooh!!
