Archives: Writing Notebooks

The Perfect Writing Notebook: Review 7

This is probably my last writing notebook review, mostly because I’ve found my favorite. If you see me at GenCon this week I’m liable to be carting it around, and I think I’ll be carrying one by the same manufacturer for the next little while.

This week I’m taking a look at Sigel’s Conceptium. If you’re interested in seeing other reviews, or finding out what my judging criteria are (including what standard features I prefer) click here.

Pricing: $12.00 and up

The Perfect Pocket Writing Notebook: Review 6

This week I’m taking a look at the Pen & Ink Lined Journal. If you’re interested in seeing other reviews, or finding out what my judging criteria are (including what standard features I prefer) click here.

Pricing: $6.96 and up

The Perfect Pocket Writing Notebook: Review 5

This week I’m reviewing the Palamino Luxury Small hardcover. If you’re interested in seeing other notebook reviews, or my judging criteria, click here. Unless noted otherwise, all the notebooks I review are 3.5 by 5.5 — other details I expect include an elastic closure, a bookmark, and an inside back cover envelope (again, follow the link for details).

Pricing: $12.95 and up

The Perfect Pocket Writing Notebook: Review 4

This week I’m looking at the Poppin Soft Cover notebook. In previous reviews I’ve simply mentioned that a product is widely available without providing a link because I’m pretty sure you all know how the search function works. (If you’ve questions about my criteria, that preceding link should take you to a page than answers them.)

In the case of Poppin, though, the notebook is currently only available through the manufacturer, so you’ll probably have to pay shipping costs. And that’s okay, because even with shipping the Poppin is a bargain. Here’s the link.

Price: $6.00

Notebook Writing

One of the reasons I’ve been talking about writing notebooks so much lately is that I’ve been using them more than ever.

It’s just too danged easy to be distracted while on a computer and lately I’ve been extra distractible. E-mail checking, looking up data that I didn’t have any interest in a few moments before, following links from Facebook to articles I didn’t know I wanted to read, etc. I’ve been failing the Dr. McCoy test pretty miserably. Sometimes I promise myself I won’t be distracted and get good work done, and sometimes I fall prey to Resistance.

The Perfect Pocket Writing Notebook: Review 3

This week I’m reviewing the Rhodia Web Notebook. Although its referred to by some as the “webbie” you’ll never hear me say that aloud. For previous pocket writing notebook reviews or my criteria, click here.

Pricing: $15.25 and up

The Rhodia Web Notebook is on the high end of pocket notebooks, which means that once shipping is added in it’s pretty much priced out of my criteria (and yes, there are some pocket notebooks that are even more expensive).

The Perfect Pocket Writing Notebook: Review 2

This week I’m reviewing the Picadilly Essential Notebook. If you want to take a closer look at my criteria (starting with the fact that all of the pocket notebooks on my “best of” list have to be approximately 3.5 by 5.5 inches) click here, and if you want to see all my posts on pocket writing notebooks, click here.

Pricing = $2.60 and up

The Perfect Pocket Writing Notebook: Review 1

I’ve previously written about the reasons I find pocket notebooks useful, and my criteria for judging what makes one ideal.

With all that in mind, from time-to-time I’m going to feature some pocket notebooks that meet my criteria. I’m not going to bore you with notebooks that don’t work, just get right to the ones that do.

First up, the Leuchtturm1917 hardback and softback models.

The Perfect Pocket Writing Notebook, Part 2: Criteria

As I mentioned in part 1, I think a pocket writing notebook is a vital tool for a writer, or at least for THIS writer, and I’m detailing my ideas about about what makes for a great one.

It may seem like I’m over thinking this, but If I’m plunking down fifteen dollars to get an important tool for my job, I want that tool to be designed in a useful way – lines that aren’t too close together, pages that don’t fall out, a binding that’s going to hold up until I fill all the pages, etc. And there are other considerations as well. For instance, I’ve never been big on style, but I don’t want my writing notebook covered with kittens, or pictures of a woman’s boot.

Here are the qualities I consider when picking out a writing notebook:

The Perfect Pocket Writing Notebook, Part 1: Purpose

Writers write; they don’t just compose when it’s convenient for them, when the stars are in alignment, or when they happen to be sitting in front of their computers.  Snatches of dialogue, scenes, or entire outlines can be lost because the muses don’t wait to inspire you until you’re in just the right place with just the right tools.

I don’t mean to suggest that we’re powerless before the goddesses of inspiration, nor do I mean to belittle the ability to simply sit down and focus and make writing happen even when you’re having a slow day. Writers have to be able to make writing happen, not to wait for it to happen.