A good notebook is a boring notebook

Many of us own a beautiful notebook we are afraid to write in. The cover is lovely, the paper is thick, and every page feels too good for our scribbles. So it sits on the shelf.

A good notebook is the opposite. It is plain, inexpensive and easy to replace.

Why fancy notebooks stay empty#

A precious object makes you want to write something worthy. That is pressure, and pressure makes people put off writing. You tell yourself you will start when you have something important to say, and that day does not come.

What a plain one gives you#

• Permission to be messy. You can cross things out, draw arrows and write half-formed ideas.
• Willingness to carry it. You will take a cheap one anywhere, and a notebook you carry is a notebook you use.
• No fear of finishing. When it is full, you buy another one.

What to look for#

• A size that fits your pocket or bag. Smaller books travel better.
• Paper that works with your pen. Test it so the ink does not bleed through.
• A cover that survives being carried. A flexible cover bends and a stiff one protects pages.
• Lines or dots. Choose whatever lets you write without thinking about it.

Habits that help#

1. Write the date at the top of each entry.
2. Number the pages and keep a short index at the back.
3. On the first page, write your name and a way to be contacted in case you lose it.
4. Do not tear pages out. A notebook is a record, and the bad pages are part of it.

If you want to enjoy a lovely notebook, keep one for special things. For everything else, use the boring one. The best notebook is the one that is full.