Some of my favorite writing notebooks.
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I’ve been collecting writing notebooks and journals since I was a teenager. Most writers I know tend to accumulate a lot of stationery and office supplies: notebooks, pens, paper clips, and other odds and ends that we can use to manage and organize our writing projects.
Over time, all these items pile up.
I now have a sizable collection of writing notebooks and journals. Some are completely filled up. Others are still blank. A few are only partially used.
Writing in Notebooks
These days, writers use computers for most of their writing. But many of us readily admit there’s still something about good, old-fashioned pen and paper that gets creativity flowing. It’s difficult to brainstorm on a computer; jotting down notes and random thoughts is cumbersome; and it’s impossible to doodle in the margins.
When you work with paper, more of your senses are engaged. When more of your senses are engaged, creativity flows more freely. It’s a tactile experience.
I get lost in my writing when I’m composing scenes on my computer, but the real magic happens when I’m working out problems and developing ideas in my writing notebook.
Deciding How to Use Your Writing Notebooks
Back when I first started writing, it was just me, a pen, and a spiral-bound notebook that had been intended for schoolwork. At some point, I discovered hardbound journals with decorative covers. As long as they weren’t too high-priced, I found them to be serviceable and fun to write in. But if they were too fancy (expensive), they tended to remain on my shelf. I prefer mid-range notebooks: not so cheap that they’ll fall apart, but not so expensive that they seem too precious to write in.
Watson-Guptill sketchbooks (aff link).
One of my favorites was a Watson-Guptill Sketchbook in which I did anything and everything creative: fiction, poetry, free writes, brainstorming, even drawing. It was my go-to notebook for creativity.
But then I decided to try different notebooks for different projects.
I was generating a lot of ideas for novels. But these ideas were getting buried in the pages of my notebook, and it was difficult to find a scene or character sketch within its pages. Ideas for a single project were spread out in the pages of my notebook. I wanted a system to organize all those ideas and keep projects separate and contained, so I purchased a handful of composition notebooks. They’re cheap but sturdy, and I used them for individual projects for a few years. Eventually, I moved away from that system, because I ended up with a bunch of notebooks that only had writing in the first few pages for any project that didn’t get past the brainstorming stage. Stories that did get past the brainstorming stage got migrated to the computer, so they too were only partially filled.
I’ve found that indexing works better for me. I set aside a few pages at the beginning or end of a notebook, number the pages, and then index the contents. The first time I used this method, I did all the indexing when the notebook was almost full. I’ve since discovered that it’s a lot less tedious and a lot more useful to index as you go.
Although I still occasionally try using a dedicated notebook for a particular project, I always seem to move back toward a single omni-journal for all my creative work. I think it’s because I have a bunch of notebooks for other purposes (business notes, a fitness journal, a finance notebook, and an art journal), so keeping all my creative writing in one notebook keeps things simple. When I have a writing idea, I just grab it and get busy writing. And packing a single notebook with a variety of content seems to inspire even more creativity. For this, my favorite brand has been Moleskine. There are plenty of sizes and styles to choose from.
But what works for me might not work for you. Maybe you prefer using multiple notebooks, or perhaps you’ll find a way to sort all your writing into two or three notebooks. Maybe you use a single notebook for most work but keep a sidekick (pocket-sized) notebook in your pocket when you’re out and about.
Try some different systems and methods for your writing notebooks, and you’ll find what works best for you.
What’s in Your Creative Writing Notebook?
Recently, I looked through all my notebooks and journals. I found some good ideas I’d forgotten along with plenty of ridiculous ideas that I’m glad I abandoned. I also went through the notebooks and journals that I haven’t used yet and found myself wondering about the poems, stories, and ideas that will someday fill their pages.
Do you ever go through your old creative writing notebooks and journals? Once you’re done with them, do you store them somewhere, or do you keep what you want to use and throw away the rest? Do you have a favorite brand or style for your writing notebook, and do you keep a decent supply on hand, or do you run to the store whenever you need a new one? Do you use multiple notebooks, each with a different purpose, or do you like keeping everything in a single notebook?
Leave a comment to tell us about your favorite writing notebooks, and keep writing.
I find that it’s harder to get writer’s block with pen and paper than a computer. I think part of that is because I write slower than I type, so there always seems to be some idea brewing waiting for the pen to catch up, while on a computer it’s easier to use it all up.
I actually don’t like lines much. I like to brainstorm on loose pieces of totally blank printer paper.
That’s true. Using a computer is great for capturing more ideas quickly. On the other hand, with pen and paper, the process slows down so you’re working with each idea a little more deeply. Great observation!
I love writing in notebooks. I tend to have a different composition notebook for each project. You are so right about loving office supplies. Around back to school shopping time, I pick up my notebooks and supplies for the year. I remember being excited to do that shopping when I was a kid too. I do refer back to old notebooks, especially when I get into editing phases. This was a post I could really relate to.
Hey Melissa, u are absolutely right. I write more freely on paper. there my ideas and words come out more creatively and the rhyming lines ‘nd words of poetry like run amok. I never got in life a writer’s block till the time I was totally on pen & paper. After I came upon typing in computer, I faced this block twice, that too worse ones. Both of those times, I was like hitting my head at wall for some writing idea and moreover a will to write to come up. Finally pen & paper broke that dark spell of writer’s bloc.
Ideally my creations are drafted on paper. I use less-fair paper book, like the ones used for ancient scriptures. With it I use fountain pen, and then there comes up my most appraised creations.
So, old is gold 🙂
It’s a bit strange, isn’t it? You’d think that we’d feel more free on the computer because it’s so easy to delete and make changes, yet I find that most writers feel freer and more creative with pen and paper.
we are taught to write so it comes as a skill that is easy to do.
Learning to write is often a difficult task to do. As a child it is just unclear and then mastered when older but need to keep at it as time goes on. The computer cannot replace the urge to stop the skill we first created.
I don’t write often, but when I do, I never really pay much attention to the style of the book. I pretty much write in whatever; most of the time, that being a partially used school notebook. However, this journal did give me a great idea. Perhaps I can buy whimsical books to influence my creative side, that I’ve denied myself of, for awhile. I too have multiple unfinished notebooks, comps, journals, muti-subject books, you name it, I have it. Some are filled with poems, some are filled with journals or free-writing; others are filled with future plans. But I realize, none of them, or none of them that I can recall, are filled with stories; thus, neglecting my creativity within. Not to mention, writing stories also forces you to write grammatically correct, and follow all writing guidelines. Creating stories were once upon a time the epitome of my love for English class, or writing in general. I have to purchase some whimsical and/or line-free notebooks. It is a must. Just maybe it’ll spark something in me, especially the boundless effect that the line-free paper gives off. Thank you for this entry to new beginnings, for me!
I have a wall of journals (Iiterally) and I notice that ideas began in one journal (written by hand) will often complete themselves months or even years later, as if the writer was viewing the entire process from a higher perch. And the scribbles in the margins along with the isolated stain on the page will serve to bring back the entire memory of the exact moment the specific page was being written.
If a person can verbalize their experience; their position, front, back, top, bottom all around; if they can get a glimpse of their place in the ongoing process which we call this life, this world, this universe; and if this person can verbalize it at least in their own terms, to their own satisfaction and write it down, then they are like the skipper of a small sailboat in mid ocean armed with the appropriate charts and sextant. They are not merely surviving, lost at sea on a raft awaiting rescue or death. They are on a voyage. They know where they started and they have a past track at hand from which to judge their present speed and position. Life is a cruise, not an ocean rescue. This person is now a cruiser…attitude is everything.
Over the years of “journaling” I have found that In order to ‘qualify’ as a serious writer, a significant part of the person’s mind and personality must be able to transpose, transmute and transcend. One must be able to transpose events as quickly as a professional musician transposes musical keys; transmute the gross into the ethereal as facially as an alchemist and in the end, transcend and become as centered as a Zen initiate. This is quite aside from being able to write at all.
Love that: transpose, transmute, transcend. Thanks for the wonderful article.
Many writers don’t write stories. However, if storytelling is what you’re drawn to, by all means, you should pursue it!
My last blog post was bumping around in my brain begging for freedom to play. I was running errands without computer or notebooks. I stopped at a fast food place and scribbled the ideas on paper napkins. Afterwards, I stopped at a drug store and bought a package of small yellow notepads. They fit in my purse and their color makes them easy to spot amid the other necessities I carry. Now when an idea demands attention, I can respond without running the gauntlet of fast food grease and calories. Although, the cheeseburger was tasty.
I can relate to that! I’ve been caught without writing instruments before and had to buy them or make do with some substitute. Now I keep notebooks everywhere so there’s always something to write with.
My problem then becomes: where did I put that?!?!
I know what you mean! One thing I’ve done is use the notebooks I’ve stashed in convenient locations to capture an idea that I don’t want to lose. I then tear that sheet out and move it to my regular notebook or journal later. I’ve actually been moving away from this method. Now I tend to make notes on my phone if I’m out and about when I get an idea. Later I can copy and paste it into a Scrivener file. Evernote is a great tool that you can install on all your devices. It syncs, so you can access all your notes from any device or location. Evernote is a digital notebook, so it’s not the old-fashioned paper and pen that some people might prefer.
What a COOL post! I have lots and lots of writing journals lying around. I’ve always been partial to spirals and composition notebooks for my ideas and scenes. I would love to have a prettier one, but for some reason, the functionality of the others seems to work best for me.
I love spirals too.
I love journals as well. The problem for me is the prettier they are, the less likely I am to use them because I don’t want to mess them up. Ha!
I have a little collection of pretty journals, and I feel the same way. I prefer the more practical journals and notebooks. I want to get down to writing, not worry about the loveliness of the notebook.
I have a bookshelf FULL of spiral notebooks, all filled with stories, notes on stories, or poetry. I’ve found it’s easier to write the first draft that way because the computer screen has a habit of preventing idea creation. I’m trying to hold off on buying more until needed; previously I had five empty notebooks and was trying to collect more.
I like spirals with pockets and dividers most of all, but a simple 100 page does fine. Turns out I’m a bit too rough for composition notebooks. Not enough flexibility and I end up with pages that fall out.
I should probably consider better storage options before Time destroys my collection.
I had one composition notebook that fell apart, so I stopped using them for years. The last few I’ve had didn’t fall apart, so I think they’re made better now.
Hi, Melissa. I’m rather new here and very glad I found your blog. I write mostly in cheap, 4×7 inch spiral-bound lined notebooks that cover a certain period of time. Each one captures a slice of my real-time life complete with grocery and To Do lists, bible study notes, as well as creative project ideas, scribbles and rough drafts. I tried dedicating notebooks to creative writing vs. the everyday brain dump, but that just didn’t work for me. It seems that creative ideas pop up most often in the middle of my routine day-to-day, and they drifted away by the time I caught up with that “creative notebook” that just didn’t happen to be with me at the moment.
I agree with Kelvin Kao above, writing with pen and paper makes me slow down and form my thoughts compared to writing rough drafts on a computer. Some of my more enjoyable writing experiences take place on paper first. I’ll have to give the no-line paper a try and see what that unlocks.
Ah, I have tried the single-notebook method. My problem is that I’m a list fanatic. I write lists all the time, and they cluttered up my creative writing notebooks too much. Also, when I finish a notebook, I usually go through and read it, pulling out pages I don’t need or won’t use. The lists would all get pulled anyway, so I keep those in my business/personal notebooks. I do like the idea of having a single notebook that captures a period of your life. I have a few from years ago that are like that. They are rather nostalgic.
I’d like to say that my Creativity Notebook is my bullet journal. I discovered bullet journaling last year and I loved it because it turned out to be my all-in-one notebook for anything. It housed not only my ideas but also my memories (which could also be used as future ideas). Unlike other bullet journal enthusiasts, though, I’m not always a fan of decorating. I also only use small cheap notebooks. That is because I have small and messy handwriting.
I also have my digital journal with my Google Keep Notes. I mostly use it for times when it’s not possible to write on my notebook. I just simply access it on my phone.
Yes, I must agree that it’s easier to brainstorm with pen and paper. But my reason is quite inverted. I type slower than I think. So my fingers are still busy with typing one idea but my mind had already flown to the other. That could easily be captured by my small and messy handwriting.
A fellow bullet journaler! I started bullet journaling last summer, and I love it too. I haven’t yet been able to make my bullet journal into an all-in-one, but it’s definitely helped my day-to-day living, especially with achieving some goals that I set for myself.
I started with a Moleskine because I’m a fan of the brand, but I recently finished that notebook and now I’m trying a Leuchtturm1917. I think Moleskine has better overall quality, but the Leuchtturm is a bit wider and the pages are a little thicker. I mostly keep it simple, but I like doodling and decorating, if I have time. I find it relaxing as a creative outlet.
Thanks for sharing about your bullet journal!
When I was in grade school we used Big Chief tablets. Even now they have a special place in my journaling heart. I love to add other things like leaves, stains, pictures, etc. to mine for inspiration. I don’t mind journaling on my computer but find it’s limiting because you can’t hold your computer at weird angles and scribble in circles like you can on paper.
I hope you don’t mind but I enjoyed this post so much I linked to it from my blog post. It inspired me to actually post something again after weeks of web silence!
Of course I don’t mind if you link to any post on my site. I agree that journaling on the computer is limiting whereas with paper you can explore your creativity more. Thanks for sharing your comment!
I find that I can take a notebook and great writing pen with me anywhere and just open it up and use it. I ‘ll sit in the car sometimes and just write, enclosed in a safe world of glass and steel. I’ve been known to spend $5.00 or more on a good pen,lol. And yes, I’l bulk buy notebooks, the 5 subject kind.
wiritng on a computer, I lose my train of thought. Somehow I like the idea of writing in longhand like the old masters used to do. It just feels better. Go figure.
One of the great things about a pen and notebook is how portable they are. Sometimes people lament about the old tools, but I don’t think they’re going the way of the horse and buggy any time soon.
When it comes to the future of writing or reading, I can only hope that paper will stay around because there is nothing quite like writing or reading something which exists in physical form. The internet and cyberspace are wonderful and have great potential and purpose, but I also love the good old-fashioned style for writing and reading.
When it comes to journaling, I have a distinct distaste for spiral notebooks because the wire is too malleable and often becomes some state of mangled. The vital part of a notebook for me has become size. I’d like to be able to carry my journal without needing a large bag at all times. Sometimes it becomes an issue, and I end up having to type myself notes in the app on my cell phone. When I do this, the note becomes lost for some time until I remember to transfer it to my journal or blog.
This is my weakness when it comes to cyberspace and technology based journaling–I become forgetful and lost. I’m sure it just has to do with how my brain processes and manages information.
Thanks for writing your article so people could discussing this topic!
Thanks for your insight, Terry. As much as I love a spiral-bound notebook, I know many people find them annoying. I can see how the wire gets in the way, and it is frustrating when it gets bent. For me, the one problem with technology is keeping track of everything. Notes on the cell phone, files on the computer, plus all the old notebooks means a bunch of different information systems to maintain!
I too have been captivated with journals since I started writing over twenty years ago. I mostly wrote poems and then did entries of my feelings and my ups and downs. I did my poetry on spiral notebooks since I was prone to re-write and then tear out the first edition. The lined journals with the hardbound covers called to me, yet they did not get any spontaneous writing in them. They were too good for my random thoughts and ideas. I finally found the theme books that I used in college could be the best solution and now I have a couple to write my thoughts and ideas for writing. Unfortunately I have numerous scraps of paper with poems, and research scrawled and need to put in a folder or a journal to keep from losing. A great article that makes me realize how important it is to contain our writing in a secure notebook or journal that will be archive my writing life!
I’ve had the problem with scraps of paper too. If I didn’t write on the back side of the scrap, I usually glue it into my journal with a glue stick!
I cannot tell you how elated I am to have read this today! I started journaling at the age of 8. My first journal was covered in an ecru linen, and adorned with pressed flowers. I wrote in it daily, as it helped me cope with growing pains, moving, changing schools, leaving old friends behind, an facing the daunting task of making new ones. I grew up in the Air Force, so keeping a journal really kept me balanced for the longest time.
Now, at 40, I can say that writing has become as necessary as breathing. I started collecting journals about 15 years ago. It was then that I really started putting pen to paper, and I found the ideas rolling out of my mind with ease. Paper itself isn’t nearly as important as the pen; after all, without that precious ink, my mind cannot convey itself to a blank sheet of paper. Pens are like magic wands for me, and they have to be fine tip, black or colored inks. I have also been known to use glitter gel pens, or scented gel pens until they run dry.
You’re so very right when you mentioned the writer’s block that comes of sitting in front of a computer screen. It’s like a brain sucking parasite, and it’s side effects are mindless drooling, procrastination, hypnosis, and mental blockage.
Now, since paper is the topic of the moment, I prefer 5 Star Notebooks, 3 to 5 subject. They must be college ruled, and have pockets in the dividers. Since I have hundreds of loose scraps of paper floating around bearing story lines, scene ideal, character quotes, etc., I need a place to keep them organized. I’ve also been known to use neon college rule loose leaf paper. I also have a rather extensive collection of three ring binders. These are essential in organizing specific projects, character files, and the like.
As to my poetry, I keep it all neatly organized in three ring binders. One day, perhaps, I will buy that Dragon Software, and dictate all my poems into my computer.
Writers are ritualists, much as anyone who observes an art form. Art deserves the time it takes to be born, to be nurtured, and finally to be exposed to the world. sevaS trA
Hi Jeana. Thank you for sharing your experiences with journaling and the notebooks you use. I like working in the 5 Star Notebooks too, and I always prefer college ruled paper to the wide ruled sheets. I use those for my business notes and appreciate the pockets throughout the notebook. Keep writing!
Writing with an ink pen works for me. Things become clearer when i use coloured ink. Also, my writing looks beautiful and neat.
I like writing with a pen too. Thanks for sharing what works for you.
I journal online with an app called 750 words. I have been doing this for years. But I keep a spiral notebook journal where I write when I go to my weekly writer’s group. I also keep what I call a Commonplace Book. This book is where I keep quotes and writing prompts and definitions of fun words or words I might like to use in a poem sometime. I am on my fourth one now and I have always used my nice book for that – ones given as a gift with a nice cover. I have a file cabinet where I keep all my journals and Commonplace books.
I really like the idea you present of indexing a journal as you go. I think it might work for the Commonplace book, too, but these entries are usually very short.
While the bulk of my writing is on the computer, I do enjoy doodling in my notebooks, writing in the margins, and even listing dates and phone numbers if it comes up. My current notebook and Commonplace book are right by my elbow on my desk.
One other thing that is somewhat on the topic is scraps of paper. I have tons of scraps with ideas (some really silly) or drafts of a haiku or playful combinations of words. I keep those in a basket because I am usually in the kitchen listening to music or a podcast or hanging out with my sweetie when these little gems arise. I don’t know what to do with those scraps but sometimes I do go through them if I am feeling uninspired.
I enjoyed this article. Thanks for sharing it again.
It’s always interesting to learn how other writers manage and store different types of writing. Thanks for sharing, LuAnne.
A4 mainly, whatever is cheapest. I take notes on novels or papers I’m reading. A notebook in the toilet for my dreams. Old diaries to remind me of the names of characters in books. I also cut and paste from the internet into my blog for that year.
I love having notebooks and notes everywhere!