The Perfect Notebook

In which I may have found mine, at least for now…

I am a habitual starter and acquirer of new notebooks. I buy them online and in person at stores here or when I travel. I try to convince myself that I don’t need them, that I already have a stack I can use in my closet or on my bookshelf. But, still, I buy and I start and I give up twenty pages in.

I’ve got a few requirements:

• Durable cover as I tend to be really hard on them, tossing them into my purse or a backpack where they join who knows what else

• Either a small grid or narrow lines since I write rather small. Usually choose for grid as this lets me do things like draw diagrams and doesn’t feel so odd when I paste in a bunch of stuff

• Paper that can hold up to at least some markers though I usually write in pen. I don’t want the pages to tear should I flip a page too forcefully

I’ve used Travelers notebooks (both with the original Timor River paper and the MD cream paper they now have), Moleskines (before they switched the paper in the late 2010s, Cognitive Surplus Experiment notebooks, Leuchttrum 1917s, and a ton of others. All wasn’t quite right though the ones I’ve named are all lovely and I stuck with them for months or even years.

Then, just last week, a new journal was released by Suleika Jaouad whose Book of Alchemy had been a constant inspiration since I got it in July. I’ll be honest, I didn’t even read the description of it, just purchased it because it was from her.

Cover, end papers, lined page, index page, unlined page, front and back of an ink test oage

What a surprise! It’s got a great set of features from a beautiful cover and end pages to these tiny lines with little dashes you can use to turn them into a grid. Thick paper with 214 pages to record your thoughts on. After every 3 pages front and back of the lines, it’s got one that’s totally blank so great for drawing or pasting things in. And a bookmark, of course, that’s a fun bright pink.

I am really employing using it. I actually moved my notes from November 1-11 into it and am already up to page 31.

Perhaps this’ll be my notebook for awhile. Maybe for good. I’m going to commit to using it until the end of 2025 or I use up at least 150 pages, whichever comes first. I’ll report back then on how it’s held up.

(Must admit I did put three small holes into the binding as I was hoping I could make it fit into a Murdy brand journal cover but it’s justttt too wide for that. Womp womp. Don’t think it’ll make much of a difference, but wanted to note this now so I don’t forget.)

Do you have a favorite notebook or journal or blank book? Tell me about it in the comments.