Most weeks, I sit down with pen and paper and write or draw whatever’s on my mind. I started with a cheap notebook and pen, but gradually I’ve learned that quality paper and writing tools are worth spending a little more on. Once you’re over the fear of ruining nice paper, you start to enjoy the process of a smoother writing experience, or making drawings without lines railroading through them.
Here are a few recent spreads, and tips for journaling and sharing entries.
I’ve tried different books and layouts over time, and this year switched from Hobonichi to Midori MD blank. In some ways, I miss the structure of a guided planner, and it can be a little intimidating to start a fresh page with no pre-written dates, grids, quotes, tick boxes, daily quotes etc there. It’s as if the structure felt like a companion urging me to write, and now I’m on my own. However, embracing the blank page has helped me explore creativity, and there’s no pain in missing days or writing about something other than today’s events. The paper in the MD notebook is cream, which I find less tiring to look at and gives a softer feel than a bright white page.
To create the page above, I printed a grid of 5mm squares (1/4”) and put it behind the page to guide my writing, with a paperclip to hold it in place. For transparency, I’m showing my very best pages here, and I added a little to this spread over a few evenings. Not all my pages turn out like this, but it’s fun when they do. I used coloured pencils and a grey pen for the illustrations, and a fountain pen for the text.
I browse Pinterest or magazines for design inspiration, and this spread features a layout I copied (left page). Since it’s for my journal, it’s ok to do this, and learn more about layout. I used this spread to record notes from the book, Applied Imagination. The icons don’t have to be perfect, but can be useful for finding information quickly or remembering key points. Sticking to two tools/colours helps get past having too much choice, and always works well. I used a blue fountain pen and pink colour pencil here. Again, this spread was added to over time.
I am often stuck in a paradox of wanting to share my pages with others and hopefully find other journalers, and wanting to keep everything private. One idea I’m testing is to leave enough time between creating and sharing. This spread was made at the end of January, and leaving time helps evaluate whether or not I want to share it. I would hate to end up creating pages specifically for sharing, and change the way I make them. This spread was created in a single evening, and it’s not perfect by any means but is a nice record of the day. I find it easier to just write and draw than add stamps and stickers, but everyone is different and you find what works for you.
Another tip is to keep different notebooks for different purposes. If something is really bugging me or I’m annoyed with something, I prefer to just write for ten minutes without stopping, in a book that isn’t so precious. For me at least, it’s easier to reflect on what I’m thinking when I write it down by hand, than to speak it aloud or write it on a phon or computer. In that kind of book, I can say whatever I want without censoring myself, as the point is to process thoughts and not read them back later. With the book I shared above, I want to keep everything in a more positive frame. I keep a separate sketchbook where I can be messy and make ugly drawings. I tried to keep everything in one place before, and it just felt too chaotic. The Midori MD has become more of a “highlight reel” that I want to reread, but even so, I keep it authentic to my life as much as possible.
When I started journaling, I wasn’t sure what to write, and I got bored of writing down the weather, meals I ate and so on. I was despondent, because my life looked pretty much the same day-to-day, and felt boring. However, if you pay attention, you realise no day is the same as the one before. There’s always something new to see or do or overhear. I have a notes app on my phone to log events, thoughts and observations throughout the day, and spend time after dinner reflecting on key moments. Through recording my life this way, taking time to remember and reflect, I feel I’ve grown a little since yesterday. Journaling is a way to pause between life’s chaotic activities, and I’m finding other moments to just ‘be’. I see a lot of people on Substack report how great they feel with an analogue lifestyle or going without their phone, but I don’t think you need to go without technology to become more present and aware; just make sure you have moments of mindfulness throughout the day, allow your brain to rest a little.
I’d love to connect with other stationery enthusiasts and/or journalers, so do comment if you made it to the end!
XOXO
Madeleine
madeleineallcock.com 