Why Notion is Every Storytellers New Best Friend

The writing process circa 4 BN (Before Notion)

Introduction: What is Notion Anyway?

So silliness aside for a minute, I want to start to talk seriously about storytelling. Now as much as storytelling is a soft skill there are some tools and techniques that I’ll be referring back time and time again to help you organise and create your storylines.

Picture this: you’re plotting your next with a brilliant story, a tangled web of characters, and a mountain of post-it notes that could rival the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Sound familiar? That’s where Notion swoops in like a superhero armed with colour-coded spreadsheets and infinite tabs.

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that lets you organise your life (and your stories) in ways you never thought possible. Need a place to jot down random ideas? Notion’s got you. Want to track your writing progress like a boss? Notion’s got you there too. Think of it as a digital Swiss Army knife—part notebook, part database, part planner, and all magic.

In this post, I’ll walk you through why writers and storytellers should be flocking to Notion, how to get started, and a few tips to help you hit the ground running.

By the end, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without it. Let’s dive in, shall we?

How Notion Benefits Storytellers: A Match Made in Creative Heaven

Let’s face it: storytellers have a lot going on. You’ve got character arcs to plot, deadlines to meet, and just the right amount of procrastination to manage. Notion doesn’t just organise your chaos—it turns it into a symphony of productivity. Here’s how:

1. Everything in One Place

Notion is like your favourite coffee shop: everything you need is right there, and it feels just the way you like it. From jotting down ideas to creating character sheets, from first drafts to world-building databases, and from collaborative editing to submission trackers, Notion lets you store and access it all in one cozy digital nook.

2. Customisation Galore

Are you a minimalist who thrives on clean layouts? Or maybe you’re all about the bells, whistles, and a colour-coded extravaganza. Either way, Notion can be tailored to fit your unique writing style. Want a kanban¹ board for tracking your novel’s progress? Done. How about a database for all your rejected pitches (that will find a home someday)? Also done.

3. Collaboration Made Easy

Got a writing buddy or editor? Share your workspace with them for seamless collaboration. They can leave comments, make edits, and marvel at how organised you are (or pretend to be).

4. The Ultimate Feedback Tracker

Let’s talk about feedback—every creatives best frenemy. With Notion, you can create a database to log feedback from beta readers, editors, or even that overly honest friend who doesn’t mince words. You can tag recurring issues (like “too much exposition”) and track how you’ve addressed them in revisions.

5. Motivation Station

Notion’s progress trackers, checklists, and reminders are perfect for keeping you on track. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of ticking off a box that says “Finish Chapter 3.” It’s like a pat on the back from your past self.

How to Create a Notion Account: Where the Magic Begins

Before you can start your Notion journey, you’ll need to create an account. Don’t worry—it’s easier than finding a pen when inspiration strikes. Here’s how:

1. Visit the Notion Website - Head over to www.notion.so. (Fun fact: The “.so” stands for “so organised”—okay, not really, but it should.)

2. Sign Up for Free - Click the “Get Started for Free” button. You can sign up with your email address, Google account, or Apple ID.

3. Choose Your Plan - Notion offers a free plan that’s more than enough for most writers. If you’re feeling fancy, you can upgrade to a paid plan for added features, but you don’t need it to get started.

4. Verify and Log In - Check your email for a verification link, click it, and voilà—you’re in! Welcome to the Notion club.

Going the extra mile

The standard way to use Notion is via your favourite web browser, however once you’ve created your account you can download both a Notion desktop app AND a Notion mobile app. All the versions sync seamlessly which means you can access your Notion on the go (internet signal required). Fun fact: I actually use the Notion mobile app on my plus size iPhone to do most of my writing - including this post right now!

How to Get Started Using Notion: The Fun Part

Now that you’ve got an account, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start organising like a pro. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

1. Create Your First Page

Think of a Notion page as a blank canvas. It can be a journal entry, a character profile, or a list of plot ideas that come to you at 3 a.m. To create a page:

• Click the “new page” icon in the top right of the sidebar.

  

• Give your page a title like “Brilliant Ideas” or “Plot Holes That Need Fixing.”

2. Explore the Building Blocks

Notion uses “blocks” to build your pages. These are like LEGO pieces for your workspace. You can add:

• Text: Perfect for notes or free writing.

• Headings: Use these to create sections like “Act 1” or “Villain Backstory.”

• Checklists: Great for to-do lists or chapter outlines.

• Bullet points and numbered lists: Great for jotting down important items

• Pages: You can create as many pages as you like. In fact pages are a special type of block so you can create pages inside of other pages. Great for building a hierarchal structure.

• Layouts: Multi columns, quotes, call-outs, there’s loads of fun ways to personalise your content

And last but not least.

• Databases: A writer’s best friend. Use them to create tables for tracking characters, settings, or even submissions.

  Fun fact: Each record in a database is actually a Notion page and can contain everything a page can contain (+ some extra bits, including more databases)

3. Play with Templates

In addition to all the other amazing features Notion has one more trick up its sleeve. The ability to create and reuse any page as a template for new pages.

Notion has pre-made templates for just about everything. For writers, there are templates for journaling, drafting scenes, research, project management, and even goal tracking. To find templates:

• Click “Templates” in the sidebar and browse the options.

  

• Choose the one you want and click to get started.

• Customise them to fit your individual needs (because every writer is unique, and your workspace should reflect that).

4. Start Small

If Notion feels overwhelming at first, that’s normal. Start with one or two pages—maybe a simple writing log or a character sheet—and build from there. It’s better to keep things simple than to create an elaborate system you’ll never use.

5. Experiment and Have Fun

Notion is like a sandbox: the more you play with it, the more you’ll discover. Try creating some more pages and embedding some images. You can link pages by , linking pages.

Don’t worry about the more complex parts yet we’ll be covering those in future posts.

Conclusion: A Noteworthy Tool for Writers

Using Notion as a writer is like finding the perfect pen—except this pen can organise your life, track your progress, and remind you to take breaks. Whether you’re plotting a novel, managing freelance gigs, or simply trying to keep your ideas in one place, Notion has you covered.

So why not give it a try? Create an account, experiment with a few pages, and let Notion take your writing game to the next level. Who knows—your future bestseller might just start on a Notion page. And if nothing else, at least you’ll have a beautifully organised workspace to procrastinate in. Happy writing!

NEXT UP: Now that you know how to get started with Notion I’ll be showing you how to use it to get some deliberate practice in.

1. A Kanban board is a project management tool designed to help visualise work, limit work-in-progress and maximise efficiency.