A Notebook Hoarder’s Guide to Streamlining Your Writing Process with the Right Notebooks
Introduction
You know that moment where you walk by a rack of notebooks in a store and you think to yourself, Sure, I haven’t even filled the last notebook I bought, but I probably need a new one. Then you have the same problem I have.
As writers, we tend to hoard notebooks. And as soon as you need to find what you wrote, you have to page through piles of notebooks to find that one line you’re looking for. Well, I’m going to share the notebooks I bought to try and counteract this problem. I’ll explain how I use each and some of the pros and cons for each.
If you’re obsessed with notebooks like me, then hang out for a bit and I’ll give you some suggestions.
It all happened while walking through a Target. I mused aloud how I could use a new notebook. And, as if I were a child, my wife scolded me (rightfully) for having so many notebooks and not a single one filled.
“Do you even know where all of them are?” she asked me. “And even if you do know where they are, can you find anything you’ve written in them?”
Childishly, I replied with a “Maybe,” under my breath.
Every time writers see a notebook we’re sold the idea that it will be the one that will finally organize us, finally send us on the straight and narrow. But it’s not. We end up wasting money and time. I decided to see what I could do to mitigate this issue by ordering one set of the best journals I could find that were cost effective, rated well, and would never have me looking at another notebook again.
Imagine having a specific location for everything you write. What about having a routine so that every day you actually write what you wanted to that day?
If you’ve ever carried a notebook around for months without writing in it but being sure you needed it, ‘just in case’ then you’re my kind of person. But I didn’t want to be that guy anymore.
We waste so much money buying notebook after notebook. But the major problem is, our writing never gets better and we never actually get into a solid writing routine.
So I decided I would spend about $100 on notebooks all at once. I researched for (too many) hours. After my purchases, I tried out all the different planners and notebooks. The following ones are what I can comfortably recommend. Depending on what your writing style is and how you do what you do, you’ll find at least one notebook that will help achieve your writing goals.
NOTE: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you purchase the notebook through that link I get a small commission at no cost to you. This helps me keep this website up and running. Please know that I have experience with each of these products and wouldn’t recommend anything I don’t use myself.
The Five Minute Journal
A writer’s life is often filled with long periods of immensely challenging work. It’s the sad truth. So it can be easy to become overly cynical. That’s why I use the Five-Minute Journal. I complete it every morning and evening and it helps me to have some moments of gratitude.
Five minutes might seem insignificant but going through this practice every day has made me more content with my writing journey. It can be difficult to keep up with it, which is why a morning routine is so important.
The reviews speak for themselves. People love this thing!
Midori MD Note Horizontal Ruled line
Next, I use this journal for a very specific reason. Each page is organized into two equal sections. So everyday I have four different types of writing I plan to work on. Each type gets one box for that day.
I fill these throughout the day. And, honestly, I never really worry if I miss a box or if they aren’t completely filled in.
Here are the four categories I use:
Creation: In this section, I write anything that comes to mind. This serves as a way to open up my creativity and let that part of my brain flex.
Addition: The addition section is about something I will add to a piece I’m working on. Often this is quick snippets of setting or dialogue that I want to add to my longer writing work.
Observation: I spend a few minutes observing something and writing about it. It might people while people watching on a bench, my dog, or even just leaves in my back yard.
Frustration: This is a place where I can give ‘voice’ to some of my struggles. I find that when I write them out, regardless of what they are, it takes some of the weight off my shoulders.
So each day, I have those four squares to complete. They don’t take long and are done over the course of the day and never in the same order. However, I find that this practice helps me to develop as a writer.
MUJI Notebook B5
I’ve experimented with journaling before. And I’ve just never really gotten into it. I always bought large journals that I never even came close to filling. So I switched to these. Here’s why: they’re slim. They don’t take up much room which means I can lug them around and not feel guilty. They also have a lot of space inside, which means I can use a single page for multiple days.
I plan to use these 5 journals for a whole year’s worth of journaling. Based on the pages, I’ll get at least that if not more. Then, when I eventually run out of space, I’ll buy myself another year’s worth of journals for less than ten bucks! The paper is great. They’re well-made. I’m certainly not a snob when it comes to the writing quality but even I can tell the difference. Read some of the reviews, you’ll see what I mean!
Clever Fox Planner
This planner rocks. I’ve used a lot of different planners in my day. And each one faded away and out of use. I just never had everything I needed in one planner.
This planner has everything I need and nothing I don’t. Personally, I fill it out for each week over the weekend so I can see everything I need for the week on one page. It helps me stay organized and see what goals I have for each week. The monthly pages have squares that are a bit small for everything I need. However, I find that I use them to jot little notes and some one-off meetings or appointments. In that way, I’ve found it extremely useful.
As an added benefit, it also has 3 month goal setting. So if you follow the 12 Week Year like I do, then you have space to add some of your 3 month goals.
Conclusion
So after spending well over $100 on notebooks, these are the ones I recommend. There were some I purchased that I just didn’t like. The paper was too thin that the ink bled through. Or they didn’t seem to be constructed well enough to handle the wear and tear of normal use. Others were structured in such a way that they might be better for people in the business world than for writers. Hopefully this list made sense and you find something of value.
If you want to share the notebooks you use, feel free to use the comments below!
Some of the links on this blog are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission from some sites if you make a purchase. Please know that I have experience with all of these companies and services. I only recommend them because I know they will be helpful in launching a writing career. By using these affiliate links you’re helping me to keep my blog up and running. Thanks!
