Many of you Notebookers I hear from tell me how much they love Notebooking in public places.  Not because of the unwanted attention it garners but because of the steady stream of stimuli.  Inevitably, when discussing the stream of stimuli, we turn to people watching.

People Watching

A touchy subject to be sure.  Is it the purview of creeps and “manic pixie dream girls?”  Is there a place for watching other people?

Maybe.  But first let me paint you a picture.

Notebooker #1.  There’s a person at a park.  Sitting at a bench writing in a notebook.  Occasionally, this person looks up.  There are children playing nearby.  Sometimes they squeal, sometimes our Notebooker looks up at the noise.  Our Notebooker continues writing.  At times, joggers jog by.  Notebooker #1 looks up at the impending footfalls, maybe even smiles if eye contact occurs.

Notebooker #2.  He’s sitting in the cafe area of a big bookstore chain.  He, too, is writing in a notebook.  He is mostly staring though.  The circle of empty space around him is slowly getting larger while he continues to stare.  Occasionally, while staring, he will slowly smile and write something.

DON’T BE LIKE NOTEBOOKER #2!

Now here’s the scary part.  It’s entirely possible that Notebooker #1 and Notebooker #2 are the same person.  On the same day.  From their perspective they are simply “people watching” so what’s the difference?  Maybe nothing.  Maybe social awareness.

What follows is a few rules and a few tips that will help us cultivate some social awareness, even when in the throws of Notebooking ecstasy.  And hopefully help us to avoid being like Notebooker #2.

 Rule #1  Be Polite

The world would be a vastly better place if we all simply behaved like a house guest when in public.  If you want to be creepy and gross, do it at home.  When you leave your home, you are a guest of the public.  Act accordingly.

Rule #2 Be Kind

If you’re people watching it is important to remember that the people you’re watching are people first and muses a distant second.  Being a kind Notebooker goes beyond helping someone up if they fall (although obviously do that).  Being a kind Notebooker also means writing nice things about people.  People are complex creatures that have both good and bad in their make up.  By focusing on the good your writing will be more positive, you will be in a better mood, and you will avoid complaining.  Remember that complaining is just a short step away from the toxic whining.  NO WHINING!

Rule #3 Don’t Judge

Everyone has had a bad day.  All of us have been in bad moods.

As a corollary to Rule #2, when you see someone having a bad day or in a bad mood, get down from your high horse and remember that it could be you having a rough go of it.

And now for some  tips…

1. Don’t Stare  It’s rude and creepy.  This point might not need reiterating but it’s always worth reminding.  If any of your Notebooking goes something like, “Everyone here seems uncomfortable and standoff-ish.”  LEAVE!  You are staring.
2. Try a Prop  Writing in a Notebook while staring people is bad.  Writing in a Notebook while another book is laid out in front of you is unremarkable.  It’s basically note taking.  A glass of wine or whiskey might make it look like you’re one of those pretentious people who take notes on what they drink.  I am one of those pretentious people who take notes on my coffee and my whiskey.  I can confirm that when I do this most seem to disregard me.  Bonus:  you get to enjoy a tasty beverage!  There are other props that might work aside from those but they tend to go downhill fast.  Props that don’t work include:  balloon animals, a series of vials filled with bubbling liquids, blueprints to someone’s house.
3. Listen to Something  Don’t be a jerk, use earbuds or headphones.  If you’re listening to music, an audio book or a podcast, then writing notes in a Notebook is fine.
4. Don’t JUST People watch  A Notebooker no doubt has their Content List ready to help them write.  You probably have a handful of Writing Prompts at the ready.  If you’re somewhere that people watching is possible then you’re somewhere that, inevitably, has more out there to write about too.  Don’t miss out on the world because you were writing about a jogger’s shoes!
5. Look for Insight  Ask yourself why you’re people watching.  Is it because it makes you feel above the “little people?”  Is it to “watch the puppets dance?”  Is it to appreciate the depth and variety of people on this planet in an effort to broaden your capacity for empathy?  If you know why you’re people watching you should know if  it’s a good idea.

If all this seems like a lot to do just to people watch, you’re right.  Personally, I never found the writing I yield from people watching to be worth the effort.  So the next time you go forth and write about strangers, do yourself a favor and honestly assess what you wrote.  You can probably write much better than that.

My advice is:  don’t bother.  But if you must, then do it right.