Do You Doodle?

I used to be doodler. When I started writing everything by hand (I did originally use a computer, but switched after a while), I doodled all over the margins of the notebook all the time. I could usually tell which parts of the story I had struggled with the most by which pages had the most doodles. I considered it a weakness that I was forever doodling instead of concentrating on writing.

Then, when I had my big turning point just over two years ago, about when I started this blog, something strange happened. The doodling stopped. It didn't trickle out or gradually lessen. I just stopped doodling all together. I looked in the notebook I was using at the time. You can see where I suddenly stopped doodling. I am inordinately pleased with the fact that in both five subject notebooks I filled up with The Ransomed Returning there is not one single doodle in the margin.

So, last night when I was brainstorming in my planning notebook and found that I was doodling--not just in the margins, but over the whole page, I was sort of shocked. I don't want to be falling back into that old habit. It's okay, though. It's only the planning notebook, and it's only because I am totally lost on where to go with this novella. I have decided to start over (for the second time), but with a different POV character. I think this one will work. I hope.

If not, I may be looking at a notebook full of margin doodles again!