The quiet contentment of writing longhand

I spent this last week quietly working through all the notes I have for not only The Marigold Miracle, but also The Rose Rebellion (book 3), The Dahlia Dilemma (possibly book 3.5), and a manuscript to be named later (but maybe The Florence Fiasco).

Yes, I love me some alliteration.

I refined the old notes (things change as I write) and made new ones. As you can see:

Actually, that’s not all the notes I’ve made while writing this series, just the most recent ones.

There are all sorts of studies about the hand-to-brain connection. I love writing longhand. The main problem I have is searching for the information I’ve written down. Clearly, my handwriting is nowhere near good enough to scan into a digital file (if only).

So, I’ve further refined my notetaking technique by adding plot points and characters in the margins. That way, I can page through and quickly find what I need.

The other thing I’m doing is double-checking my world-building. I really don’t want to end up needing to retcon (retroactive continuity) something.

I’ve really enjoyed this process, and I plan to keep at it for this coming week. Not interacting with any kind of digital technology for several hours in the morning has been unbelievably refreshing.

May’s Booking Through Thursday prompts

For those who like to plan ahead, here are the May 2026 Booking Through Thursday prompts:

  • May 7: In honor of Children’s Book Week, what were your favorite childhood books?
  • May 14: Favorite (or fun) first lines. These can be famous first lines or ones you’ve happened upon recently.
  • May 21: In a variation on a theme: Favorite lines from books that aren’t first lines.
  • May 28: Words and music. Do you like listening to music while reading, or does it distract you?

Want to suggest a prompt? Leave a comment or use the contact form to send it my way.