A variety of personal contacts, a restless seeking for knowledge, a study of national and world problems, a keen awareness of events, and a sensitiveness to all stimuli will condition the potential writer for the fascinating occupation of working with words.
The Note-Taking Habit.—The habit of taking notes is very important in writing. A writer should keep his notebook with him and be always on the lookout for ideas, jotting down thoughts and observations, copying references, and seeking material that he can use. Lectures, radio talks, sermons, conversations, newspapers, magazines, books, encyclopedias, commentaries, and even the dictionary, all yield information and inspiration—though they do not, of course, take the place of creative thinking.
In addition to taking notes, marking passages that appeal is a great help in writing. Various methods are used. Some draw a mark at the side; others underline with pencil or pen, with ruler or without; and some jot down the pages on the last blank page of a book, or on the back cover of a magazine. If the passage is in a magazine or pamphlet that belongs to him, the writer may want to clip it and insert it under the proper subject heading in his file. If the book or magazine is borrowed, he may wish to jot down the pages as he goes along and copy certain passages before he returns it.
Files and Clippings.—Every writer should have a file of some sort in which to keep his notations, observations, clippings, illustrations, quotations, references, and miscellaneous matter. As he reads and listens, he often finds choice thoughts that he wants to keep. And so he marks, clips, copies, or jots down the reference, as the case may be. But unless this material is classified and indexed, much of it is unusable because he cannot find it when he wants it.
That which is copied should be copied on a standard-size card or sheet. Thus by having a uniform size, he may file each item neatly in its proper place. Perhaps the collector will want to assign each item a general subject, such as Statistics, Biography, Health, Science, Books, Poems, Current History, and then type or write that subject name in the upper right-hand corner, arranging the various items alphabetically, and grouping them according to topic. Variations and modifications can be worked out to suit individual taste and requirement, but some plan should be chosen.
In the January, 1938, and January, 1940, issues of THE MINISTRY, writers of experience (Elders Spicer and Emmerson) tell how they preserve their sermon materials and notes. These articles are well worth rereading by those who have not as yet worked out an adequate filing system.
After gathering together a collection of miscellaneous clippings and arranging the various sheets or cards according to subject, some are puzzled to know what to do for a suitable container. If no systematic method of filing is followed, the clippings become mixed, torn, and soiled. But by visiting an office-equipment company or even the "ten-cent store," one can soon pick out a file to fit his collection, as well as his pocketbook. Files of all sizes and prices are available for from less than a dollar on up.
An index to the file can be made by listing the subjects in alphabetical order on a separate sheet or card. For a cross index on allied subjects, insert cards or sheets with the notation, "See —." Such a file proves indispensable in many ways to speakers and writers, students and teachers. If carefully and intelligently worked out, a collection of this kind draws together a vast amount and variety of data that is available at a moment's notice.
As a part of his clipping collection, the writer may want to keep several copies of all he writes that appears in print, cutting one copy for a scrapbook, and keeping one whole copy of the magazine.
The final article in this series on writing will deal with miscellaneous matters.
M. A. H.
