I have a secret to share. 

When I am ready to purchase a new purse for the season, the first question I ask when browsing the shelves is this:

Will my notebook easily fit into this?

Really. 

I have multiple notebooks and I take many of them with me on a daily basis. So, that means my purse has to be large enough to accommodate my notebook, but not too large so that it gets jostled around and the pages crinkle. 

I know. I know. 

But it matters. I know if I want to experience the physical, mental, emotional and creative benefits of writing (and I DO!), then I must write everyday. And if I want to write everyday, then my notebook needs to be in my daily line of vision as a reminder AND be close by when the mood and opportunity to write strikes. 

A Notebook Obsession

This obsession runs deep. I’ve had a special love of notebooks ever since I was a little girl. I carried them around with me, stuffed them into my backpacks and bags, and piled them throughout the house. I loved them in all shapes and sizes: large notebooks with lines for writing stories, smaller notebooks with blank pages for sketching and drawing, and miniature notebooks that I carried with me wherever I went to collect ideas and pass the time. 

Fast-forward thirty or so years later and not much has changed. I adore my notebooks and have several that I write in across a single day: my personal journal, my writer’s notebook, my professional notebook, my to-do notebook and my new 5 year journal. 

My notebooks matter. They are indispensable tools for living and quite simply, they just make my life BETTER. Why? 

  • Because it prompts me to write every single day. 
  • Because it invites me to fill blank pages of paper with notes, ideas, sketches, and bursts of text. 
  • Because it helps me become a better observer of the world and of myself. 
  • Because it reminds me of the stories that are inside me just waiting to spill onto the pages even if they will never be seen by others. 
  • Because it reminds me my words matter. No matter what they are. 

In short?

My notebook prompts me to live my life on the page so I can lead a better life off of it. 

But not just any notebook will do. Oh, no. The notebook you choose must perfectly suit your own needs and preferences so that it begs you to crack the cover and make use of the pages. 

The Perfect Notebook

So, how do we choose the perfect notebook?

Take a few minutes to think about the kind of notebook that might fit your lifestyle, meet your individual needs, and set your writing heart on fire. Consider this:

  • How large do your pages need to be? Since you’ll want to keep your writer’s notebook close by, be sure to choose a size that will travel easily with you. You know my first rule is that my notebook must fit in my purse. 
  • Do you prefer blank paper, dotted paper, or lined pages? Honor your own needs and choose the kind of page that works for you. 
  • Where does the spiral edge suit you? At the top or on the side? Or, instead of a spiral, would you prefer a book spine or even a small binder filled with paper?
  • Do you need the pages to be removable? While some writers are content to section off their notebook with sticky notes or dog-eared pages, others prefer removable pages to organize and reorganize as the notebook evolves. 
  • How durable does your collection need to be? Busy teachers on the go often load materials and supplies in and out of bags and totes. If this is you, you might choose a notebook with a hard cover to keep up with your active lifestyle. 
  • Do you prefer digital paper and a stylus over the feel of a pen gliding across the page? If so, you might look into apps that allow you to create a digital writer’s notebook instead. 

Now, you might be thinking that I am going a bit over the top. How could this much thinking possibly go into choosing a notebook? While I do not want you to overthink it, I do want your notebook to be something that is highly personal to you, something that brings a smile to your face when you see it and begs you to fill the pages with your words and images. I have many different notebooks for many different reasons, but one of my favorites:

  • is 5 by 8.25 inches, the perfect size to keep in my purse or school bag 
  • is not too thick. I love the feeling I get when I fill the last page of my notebook, a signal that I have indeed built my writerly life and it’s time for yet another 
  • has a durable cover to withstand my busy lifestyle as well as a band to secure the pages together and keep them safe in my purse 
  • has blank pages. I absolutely, positively, must have blank pages in my notebook. I need the freedom to write and sketch in any direction that suits my mood and purpose for writing. But I’ll admit…a dotted grid or lightly lined paper is growing on me. 

Indulging in the perfect notebook sends a very powerful message: you matter. And what you capture on the page matters, too. If you’d like even more guidance on how to choose the perfect notebook, you might like to join Get Lit(erate), my digital community designed to help you cultivate a life you love one book and one notebook at a time.

So, what’s your perfect notebook like? Share in the comments!