Plotting Reflection

Over the past month I started attending daily Mass once a week. It’s been a practice I’ve slowly incorporated into my life as I have tried to rebuild my routines. I try to attend on Wednesdays or Thursdays as a mid-week boost to spiritually and mentally get me through the last part of the week without devolving into frustration and confusion, as I tend to do a lot lately.

Anyway, enough about my confessions. For those not familiar with the practice, daily Masses are smaller and more intimate than the Sunday Masses. They are also much shorter, usually running about 30 minutes, which gives me enough time to make it back to work in an hour on my lunch break.

This practice has enabled me to reexamine my bible-size Plotter use and how it can enable me to reflect during Mass and at other parts of my life when I need to slow down and reflect. If you’re not religious, I hope this can enable you to create your own system to reflect and pause. And as always, you don’t have to use my exact tools. Use what speaks to you, whether cheap or expensive, that can easily adapt to your life.

Getting Over the Snags 

One aspect of attending daily Mass that always tripped me up was fasting before communion. It was difficult to dedicate enough time to fast one hour before communion in the middle of the day when all I want to think about was food. But exercising in the mornings enabled me to better control my diet throughout the day, where like Bilbo Baggins I have a first and second breakfast, leaving me enough time to wait until later in the afternoon to eat lunch.

In the back of my Plotter, I have a section for PCOS-friendly food options that have helped me stay on track with my diet. Making these changes has enabled me to think more clearly and take control of the choices I make throughout the day.

Daily Missal

For Sunday Masses, churches usually use hymnals or leaflets that list all songs, prayers, and scripture verses that pertain to the day we’re celebrating. All churches throughout the world who follow the Gregorian liturgical calendar will use the same scripture verses in their services every day. You don’t have to guess what the verses of the day will be, and can somewhat guess what the music and homily/sermon will touch on. This includes Daily Masses, too, but churches usually don’t have hymnals to cover readings for everyone every day. Some parishes have subscriptions to monthly missal booklets for parishioners to use. Some people use phone apps like Universalis or iMissal. Those have been excellent apps to help me start, but I don’t like using my phone in church, so I use a Daily Roman Missal by the Midwest Theological Forum.

Creating a Custom Setup for Daily Masses

This inspired me to rethink my bible-sized Plotter usage, which I have discussed before but was looking for something new I have written before about creating a notebook system for Sunday Mass, but I wanted something different for weekday Masses. In this instance, my bible-size Plotter has been a great companion to house specific prayers and quotes that I reflect on.

A traditional Catholic practice is saying a prayer called the Angelus at noon. This prayer, which dates back to the eleventh century, commemorates the incarnation. On a weekday Mass, we all say the Angelus before the start of Mass. Since I’ve never prayed it much, I don’t have it committed to memory. So I wrote the prayer in my Plotter to reference.

This kickstarted a new idea of dedicating a section of my Plotter to prayer. Ring binders, especially small ones that require a set amount of pages, can be more daunting to me than bound notebooks, but they serve purpose when I want something discreet and to the point. I like ring binders for creating custom layouts and sections, but I don’t like tearing paper out all the time.

Call it a weird psychological glitch, fear of letting go, or a form of stationery rebellion, but I like holding on to some type of permanency in my systems until I’m good and ready to change. So I have landed on quarterly reference system, which specific sections that I can glance at several months before I get the itch to change. My other sections include a monthly calendar and meal planning that highlights the best foods to eat and avoid at specific times of the month.

But back to the fun part. Recently my local stationery shop began carrying bible-size Iroful paper for ring binders. Iroful is 75gsm paper with a matte finish. I decided to use this paper for the Angelus and other prayers that I would like to reference throughout the day, especially during the service. Along with the Angelus, I wrote out the Anima Christi prayer. Written in the medieval times, this prayer is traditionally said silently after receiving communion.

Outside of Mass, I also like to reference these prayers and random saint quotes I find on social media. Writing out these quotes by hand and easily referencing them in a small notebook throughout the day anchors me in a world that is filled with necessary and unnecessary digital noise. I like the beauty in having these quotes in my own custom system, with my own doodles, that I can take anywhere and anchor myself with.

The Iroful paper has been a nice addition to my system due to its thickness and ability to make colors pop. I like using it specifically for this section due to its thickness. It’s too much for simple lists and calendar events, but it’s excellent for areas that I want to reference for a while. Being slightly thicker than other types of Plotter paper enables me to stop and realize that I’m entering a more sacred section of my notebook.

This is another fun experiment for me to find small ways to take me away from the digital medium and ground myself in a more realistic space using analog tools. It enables me to use my creativity in a way that’s not restricted by set templates and designs, nor does it pull me away from reality like my phone does at times. As always, balance is key. The most important factor is being intentional with all the tools you use, digital or analog, and being in control of how they move you forward. Daily Mass is an essential aspect of my life that grounds me, and the analog tools enable me to more fully understand this truth.

I'm Writing a Novel

My spiritual director has been hounding me for years to dedicate more time to writing and take it seriously. Like all writers, I knew that was necessary, but found reasons to distract myself from that reality because writing is hard, even when you’re somewhat good at it. She reminded me that at the end, God will ask how we used the gifts he’s given us. Ouch. I’ve met with her for almost 10 years, so she knows me pretty well. She helped me discern that writing is more than just a hobby. I need to treat it as a vocation. And I need to step out of my comfort zone and focus on something that’s been gnawing at me for years.

Nonfiction is my comfort zone, despite the stories that have flooded my head for years. I relate deeply to von Balthasar’s concept of treating your life as a Theodrama, because in the end, we are all somewhat actors in a play with an unmoved mover who spoke the universe into existence. And novels are a reflection of real events. So what’s my excuse now? Well, my own perfectionism, I guess. That’s an easy trick for the enemy (which is a mishmash of my own natural inclinations, the fallen world, and spiritual forces) to hit me with. So I’m going to disregard that and keep going. Also, writing a fictional story with an engrossing plot line and story arc has felt daunting to me. But now that I’m starting the process, it’s flowing quite naturally. I’m sure I’ll hit some snags and dry spells, but for now I’ll keep writing.

Pantsing and Plotting

I learned two types of novel writers: pantsers and plotters. Pantsers write by the seat of their pants without knowing where the story is going. Plotters plot out every detail before writing. I’ve always been more of a pantser (my thesis chair tried to get me to write out an outline of my thesis because it went all over the place). But this time I’m incorporating more a balanced approach. I’m letting the writing guide the story as I write it, while also taking time to plotting out the structure as the story matures and moves. The story arc has changed and morphed from its original beginning in my head, but as it changes I make notes of areas I need to expand on, characters I need to introduce, and plot lines that need to be introduced. With this workflow in mind, I thought I would share some of the tools I use to accomplish this. I’m only about 3,000 words in, but this experimentation stage has allowed me to see what foundational elements work for me.

Digital Process: Scrivener 

Thankfully we live in the golden age of writing programs that allow us to avoid Microsoft Word and other traditional word processors. These programs value simplicity and writer-focused needs over a traditional word processing structure that values an all-or-nothing approach that makes you fit into their specific rules. I don’t have to expound on Word too much, because we all know (or at least those born before 1995) the struggle of using it.

For the actual writing part, I’m using Scrivener. I had a copy of this program years ago and tried to use it for my thesis, but it didn’t click with my particular situation for heavy essay format heavily influenced by technical writing. I instead needed a program that incorporated structured documentation. Scrivener felt too unstructured and unorganized for my use case. But for writing a novel? Fantastic. It allows me to have specific sections for character layouts, chapters, scenes, notes, research, and other areas that allow me to plot out and write my story.

It combines plotting and writing into one seamless system, with enough wiggle room for organized chaos. Scrivener is a digital version of a desk setup: you have your notecards on one side, your notes on the other side, and other pertinent information on another side. Then in the middle of your desk is the actual book itself. Putting chapter sections into individual folders is also a killer feature that makes it worth it over Microsoft Word. Have you ever tried to create a new section in a Word document? Even after years of advanced Word use, it still takes too long to organize sections and pages. Good luck moving sections into new chapters.

Scrivener also has a typewriter feature for focused writing. This has been useful for me when I don’t want to see all my options and notes available.

Once you’ve finished your draft, or if you want to export specific sections, you can compile your novel together in a manuscript format. We’ll see how that goes when I eventually get there. Who knows how long that will take…

Analog Process: A5 Three-Ring Binder and Notecards

Of course I can’t have a fully digital process. As I’ve harped on multiple times on this Substack, I have to balance my digital tools with analog tools. But I don’t want my analog tools to distract me from the actual writing part of the process, because it’s easy to use my tools as distraction.

My analog structure almost mirrors the digital structure in Scrivener, but I use analog tools for plotting and planning the story arc and characters. This structure has allowed me to switch contexts between plotting and writing. When I need to turn away from writing, I turn to my notebook and notecards.

I am using an A5 three-ring binder (ironically called a Plotter) for notes, character descriptions, and setting descriptions. I started out using note cards, and may go back to using those as I come up with more ideas, but for now A5 paper has been a good size for me. A binder system works well for easily moving sections and ideas back and forth more so than a traditional fixed notebook.

Once I have my ideas and notes written down on paper, I convert them into their respective folders in Scrivener. I then have everything I need contained as I write my story.

Overall I’m happy with this setup and plan to use it as I move through this process. I’m sure it will change. But I’m hoping it will keep me motivated to keep placing words onto paper. Stay tuned!

My Spiritual EDC Notebook System

https://youtu.be/Ha9x069KXoM

In the midst of the confusing cyber world we live in, many people have turned to pocket notebook systems to keep them from social media doomscrolling. The irony, of course, is that the internet has been good to the analog community, fueling desire for pretty notebooks and stationery. But I think a lot of good can come from turning people back to pocket notebooks and pens. If the internet can inspire people to have hobbies away from the internet and learn to use social media moderately, then it’s a win for me.

A few years ago I discovered Plotter, the Japanese ring bound system that has a ton of customizable options. It’s like the old Filofaxes but much smaller. You can’t go into this thinking you can stuff every aspect of your life into it like a Filofax. You have to consciously decide what you need in this present moment in your notebook. That may stress people out. It certainly stressed me out at the beginning. Paper in, paper out.

You have to think about this notebook in a systematic approach. It’s not just a stack of paper glued together in a book. It’s a notebook cover that allows you to implement different sections, folders, and dividers for specific reasons. It’s like in school when your teachers made you have three-ring binders (are those required anymore?) with specific section dividers. But in a Plotter system, you have to determine what those sections are used for. And it took me a while to figure out what sections of my life would be important for me to divide. Maybe that’s why analog systems are popular today—it’s a physical manifestation of what you think is important in life.

Plotter provides accessories, such as paper pads, folders, pouches, and section dividers, to help you create your own flexible system. Unfortunately, the covers are expensive. But if you didn’t want to throw down the money for one of theirs, the accessories are reasonable enough to purchase for an alternative cover. My specific cover is called the “bible size,” which is what we called “personal size” in the west.

But I don’t want to focus so much on what I’m using but how I’m using it. I don’t want this to turn into some type of popular influencer content where I’m trying to sell an expensive notebook system. What fascinates me is not the brand but the systematic approach to journaling and how analog tools can help us discover what’s important to us in ways digital systems can’t. It took me a long time to discover what my system looks like, but it’s slowly coming to fruition to reflect who I am in my mid-30s.

My spiritual EDC system

I use my Bible-size Plotter for personal and spiritual reflection. It’s nice to have a physical manifestation of components in my life that help me focus throughout the day. Due to its size, I call this my “Spiritual EDC (every day carry) System.”

The first part of my system is a zipper pouch, which holds holy cards, a Padre Pio coin (randomly given to me by someone at Starbucks after a conversation. He didn’t know Padre Pio was my confirmation saint), and a green scapular, because I need all the help I can get for my conversion. The back of the zipper pouch holds my business cards and a Field Notes pocket notebook with specific chaplet prayers that I can’t remember.

After the pouch, the planner is the first section of the notebook. Right before the planning pages is a note I wrote on the components of the First Saturday Devotion from Our Lady of Fatima. I decided to start this devotion a few months ago, and is what I ground myself with throughout the year. Having this note at the beginning of the planner section reflects that truth about my goal.

The monthly planner section doesn’t include any work-related tasks or meetings, just personal and spiritual items to pay attention to.

The cool thing about a flexible binder system is you can move pages around as needed. Some users like to place individual note pages between the monthly spread pages. I need to spreads clean, though to see the full month. So any notes for the month go behind the current monthly spread. For this area, I have a note page with questions that my spiritual director gives me to reflect on before our monthly meetings.

The next section contains brainstorming notes that pertain to my business and a personal to-do list. Right now, I mostly have sections on my business plan and online store layouts.

Last, I use the Project Manager folders as an archive of sorts. The first folder holds swatches from my inks. It’s a nice reference to have to quickly see which inks I have and what would go well with my pens. The other Project Manager folder holds small journal entries I’ve written at Mass and the Adoration Chapel. It’s important to have space to quickly write out prayers and thoughts on my heart. I like placing them in the folder in the back because it’s not easily seen the first time you open the notebook.

Overall I’m pleased with the system, even if it is a bit small. I think you could create something much less expensive with more room. But if you have the means, the Plotter is an excellent system to help organize your life. My goal is not to pressure you to buy a Plotter, but to investigate your own needs and create your own external analog system that reflects who you are, what’s important to you, and what you need to accomplish. We can all do this on our phones, but I’ve never been able to fully replicate the ease of jotting thoughts down on paper.

I’d love to hear what you use if you have an analog system.