All posts by Jason

Ask the Nerds! What’s your opinion of single-purpose notebooks?

Emma C. in New Haven, CT asks, “I love the idea of Content Lists! One thing that always annoys me about my journals is that they get dominated by one subject or another. For example, I’ve been working on writing fiction, and I like writing in a portable notebook, but if 90% of the pages are creative writing, it makes the rest (wine-tasting notes, to-do lists, memorable quips, etc.) seem really out of place. Any suggestions how to avoid feeling so lopsided?

Well, Emma, let me be the first to congratulate you on actually CREATING. One of the chief reasons we got into Notebooking in the first place was to grow in our creativity, so right off the bat, you’re doing great. And yes, Content Lists are great at creating balance in a notebook.

I personally don’t have a problem with one topic dominating my notebook. If you were to look through my current notebook, it would surely be dominated by Notebooking articles and Sermon prep (I’m a pastor, it ends up in there A LOT!). But aesthetically, I can understand why an unbalanced notebook can make for an uninteresting notebook. And let’s say you scrap your current project¹, are you really going to want to go back and read through a failed project to find the useful notes in between? Or on the other hand, let’s say it does become a best-seller. Are you really going to want the original manuscript to have a page shoved in about some cute guy you met at the grocery store? So yeah, there’s at least a couple reasons your situation isn’t ideal.

In that case, I would suggest having more than one notebook. For me, whenever one particular subject starts to get too much attention, I give it its own dedicated notebook.² Some of my dedicated notebooks include:

The book I’m currently working on
An “adventure journal” of trips my wife and I take together
A prayer notebook that reminds me to pray for the people I promised to pray for
A book-review notebook, where I record salient points of books that I’ve read.
Shopping lists (because I didn’t want this in my regular notebook)

Usually, when I’m in the middle of a project, I make sure to have my dedicated notebook with me. But that’s not always the case. In those instances, I feel free to write into my “everyday” notebook and then later copy it into the dedicated notebook. This happens rarely enough that (in my opinion) it actually enhances my notebook to have a random blurb here and there.

Ultimately, it’s your notebook. You know what you want in it, and what you don’t. But there’s no shame in having a few notebooks going. Do what works best for you!

The Definitive Guide to Recording Events

Adventures in NotebookingJason

Life is made up of moments. Some are planned out. ¹ Others are more spontaneous. ² All of these events, if recorded well, make for memorable and satisfying Notebooking.

What should you include when recording an event? Here’s a few ideas…

The Facts

“Tuesday evening, July 23rd. 6:43pm. Joe’s Grill. Caren’s Birthday.”

You don’t need a lot of elaboration on “the facts”. These are here to remind you where you were, when it happened, and why you were there. Like Jot Points, these will serve as a reminder without filling the page with soul-crushing minutiae.

The Setting

This is where the meaningful details come out. The ones that will not only help you remember, but allow you to reminisce. Was it rainy or sunny? Hot or cold? Crowded or barren? Were you tired upon arriving? Shaking with anticipation? Running late after hitting 8 red lights in a row? These details will set the mood better than “Tuesday Evening” could ever do. And when you’re recording an event, mood matters.

The Players

Life’s most memorable events are often shared events. Sure, you’ll remember that your best friend was there. But the couple you met who told that great story – wouldn’t you like to remember that they were there too?

The Main Action

You’re recording this for a reason. What is that reason?

If it’s the concert of a lifetime, write down your favorite songs you heard. If it’s a wedding, take note that the couple wrote their own vows. If you were on a roadtrip, where were you going? If you were stranded on the side of the road, what went wrong? This information is vital, and will later form the core of any story you tell. Don’t neglect the center of the action.

Interesting Tidbits

These are the details that will make it a memory worth keeping. The surprise encounters, the hilarious joke, the deep conversation that took place over the 3rd bottle of wine, the view of the moon on your way home – these will give texture to your recollection and make it worthwhile to re-read. The more of these details you include, the more grateful you will be for your notebook.

Your Own Reactions

It is your notebook, after all. Make room for your own thoughts and experiences. Summarize the event from your own vantage point.

If you include all of these details of any event you record, you’ll fill your notebook with wanted thoughts, and be grateful that you took the time to capture your events well.

Filling the First Page

UncategorizedJason

Confession time – for years, the most intimidating part of Notebooking was the first page of a new notebook. It terrified me. After all, that was the page that I’d always have to see for the rest of the notebook’s life. And if anybody was to sneak a peek at my notebook, it was the most likely page that they would see. Forget about being “stranger safe”, I wanted it to be brilliant.

Consequently, I always tried to be lofty and verbose with that first page. And I was always disappointed with whatever I wrote. I’ve tossed more than one notebook in the trash because I hated what was on that first page.

I don’t feel that way anymore. That’s because I discovered that it was better to have fun with the first page than to be profound. If I have a deep thought, that’s fine for page 2, or 10, or 65. But the first page sets the tone, and the best tone for Notebooking is set with a good sense of humor. Over the (many) notebooks I’ve completed since then, I’ve tried a variety of ‘first page fillers’. Here are some of my favorites:

Stealing the opening sentence from a famous (or not so famous) book:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. —Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Ages ago, Alex, Allen and Alva arrived at Antibes, and Alva allowing all, allowing anyone, against Alex’s admonition, against Allen’s angry assertion: another African amusement . . . anyhow, as all argued, an awesome African army assembled and arduously advanced against an African anthill, assiduously annihilating ant after ant, and afterward, Alex astonishingly accuses Albert as also accepting Africa’s antipodal ant annexation. —Walter Abish, Alphabetical Africa

Similarly stealing song lyrics:

This is the end, beautiful friend
This is the end, my only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I’ll never look into your eyes, again
Can you picture what will be, so limitless and free
Desperately in need, of some, stranger’s hand
In a desperate land (The Doors “The End”)

Oh, baby, baby
The reason I breathe is you
Boy, you got me blinded
Oh, baby, baby
There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do
It’s not the way I planned it (Britney Spears, “Baby One More Time”)

Fun or Random Dedications

To my first grade teacher, Mrs. Swayne, without whose tutelage I would be ill-equipped to form the letters contained in this volume.
From Google’s daily doodle – Dedicated to Begum Rokeya, on the 137th anniversary of her birth. She pioneered education for females in what is present-day Bangladesh. She authored essays, short-stories, articles, and books. But she is best known for ‘Sultana’s Dream’, a science fiction piece about a feminist utopia. To you, Begum!
An infamous or unfamous person – To Jeff Gillooly, you hired a henchman to make your girlfriend’s figure skating dreams come true. When that failed, you masterminded the first celebrity sex tape. You are a true pioneer!
A fictional character – This notebook goes out to Ann Perkins, you poetic, noble, land-mermaid.

Some silly list that can be compiled over time:

Recommendations that prove Netflix does NOT know me
Books or movies that I DON’T want if I’m stranded on a deserted island
10 favorite tv shows from my childhood
Famous people I wouldn’t be excited to meet, but would talk with anyway

You can go on and on. The specifics of what you put on your first page matter infinitely less than the tone you set. Set a tone you can live up to, set a tone you can be proud of, but most of all, set a tone that helps you to have fun!

Patience is a virture (why wait 21 days to assess your Notebooking)

Adventures in NotebookingJason

You’ve started Notebooking. Great!

You’ve found your time, your place, your notebook, and your pen (or pencil). Even better!

You’re a week in and ready to start assessing your new Notebooking habit. Don’t you dare!

Yes, it’s possible that within a week, you’re discovering things you like and don’t like about your writing. Or you’re regretting choosing an unlined notebook. Or you’re wishing you could add something you didn’t think of to your content list. We still caution you to wait.

There are a few reasons that you shouldn’t start your assessment until you’ve done a minimum of 21 days. ¹

21 Days builds a habit

The science is out on how long it takes to build a habit. The truth is, it probably takes longer than 21 days. But it is certain that it takes at least this long. If you start tinkering with a habit before it is formed, you’re asking for trouble before you get started.

21 Days lets you experience your ‘rut’

It’s likely that somewhere in the first 3 weeks, you’re going to run into a problem or two. It’s hard to assess both the positives and negatives without going through a little bit of growing pains. You can’t solve a challenge until you’ve experienced it.

21 Days will use your whole Content List

Inevitably, some items on your Content List will seem like a better idea before you actually start writing. Once you start, you’ll discover that some aren’t as easy as you thought. But a difficult topic isn’t a worthless topic. Some of your best Notebooking will only come after you force yourself to notebook a difficult subject. 21 days keeps you from eliminating these valuable topics prematurely.

21 Days is long enough to develop patterns

If you’re going to make a mistake ² once, you’re going to make it again. It’s easier to identify these problems after you’ve made them a few times. You don’t want to let your weak areas sit for years, but they need to sit long enough for you to discover them.

You can see there’s lots of reasons to wait 21 days to do your first assessment, but the number 1 reason to wait 21 days is…

21 Days is a tried and true method

All the nerds have tried Notebooking several times before finding the right formula. We’ve failed to assess, and we’ve assessed too quickly. We’ve found that waiting 21 days is the perfect balance of “quick enough to keep the excitement” and “long enough to have continuity”. ³ In fact, it’s worthwhile to assess every 3-4 weeks until you know exactly what you want your notebook to be.

Ask The Nerds: What’s your favorite Notebook?

Ask the Nerds!Jason

Giovanni A. in Skokie, IL asks, “You guys spend a lot of time thinking about notebooks. Which is, in your opinion, the absolutely BEST notebook?

Jason says:

Giovanni, thanks for the question. To be honest, we do spend a lot of time thinking about notebooks. (I’m sure our wives would say ‘too much’ time, but we enjoy it).

Right now I’m using the Midori Traveler’s Passport Size. It’s a little pricier than most notebooks, but if you’re serious about Notebooking, it might be worth the investment.¹

I’m a big fan of passport-size notebooks. They’re small enough that I know I’ll be able to fill it out in a timely manner. They’re cheap (although that’s out the window with the Midori). But the biggest reason I like them is that they are extremely portable. It fits in my pocket! And there’s no feeling worse than wanting to take down a note, and not having your notebook with you because it’s too big to carry.

Of course, there’s a problem with carrying a paper-bound notebook in your pocket. After the course of a couple of weeks, it gets bent and beat up. There’s no fun in writing in a disfigured notebook, so I’ve always been stuck between choosing good portability or a good writing experience. (This has even led me to often keep 2 simultaneous notebooks).

But now I need not choose! The Midori solves all that. Now, to be clear, most of the Midori system is the wallet that the notebook (paper) goes into. The inserts are interchangeable, and are similarly priced to other passport-size notebooks,². But having that wallet over your notebook keeps it intact and flat, while still being portable.

Of course the paper quality is top-notch, and it’s a thing of beauty. When I finish off my first insert, I’ll be doing a full review, but I expect I’ll be using my Midori Traveller for years to come.

Kevin says:

Lately, it’s been the Leuchtturm 1917 A6 in softcover grid (or squared as they call it).

It has a lot of great features that add up to a great experience.

It lays flat.
The pages are numbered which is really nice for when I have additional thoughts on a previous topic and want to utilize a Table of Contents.
It has a cloth reinforced pocket in the back and inside that pocket are archival stickers for when you’re done and want to label the spine and front³.
It also has a table of contents and a place for the date at the heading of every page.
Made of 80 gsm paper which makes pretty friendly to most writing implements.

All in all, it’s a great notebook that is finally receiving the recognition it deserves. My only gripe is that the grid size is a little smaller than I would like. It’s sub 5mm and that’s smaller than the general industry standard. Luckily, a fine point pen that doesn’t leave gobs of ink all over the page (I’m looking at you G2!) and the problem disappears after the first sentence.

Thanks for asking!

How Notebooking will make you a Conversational Ninja

Adventures in Notebooking, Benefits of NotebookingJason

We’ve all been on the painful end of a conversation. Whether it’s the guy who drones on about a topic you don’t give 2 figs about, or the rambling storyteller who never even gets close to having a point, or the monosyllabic responder with her “Yes.”, “Yes.”, “No.” that forces you into the role of a journalist – few things are more common than an uncomfortable conversation.

As a professional public speaker, I pay an obsessive amount of attention to people’s speaking habits (both formal and informal). What I’ve discovered is that while people are clearly aware of times they are stuck talking to a painful conversationalist, these same people are oblivious when they are the ones inducing pain.

Fact is, we are all terrible conversationalists at some points, but Notebooking can help make those times few and far between. How? Here’s 4 ways:

1) Notebooking makes you a better listener

Want to know a secret? The best conversationalists spend the least amount of time actually talking¹. Most people spend a lot of their “listening time” in a conversation thinking about what they’ll say next. So truly listening has become a lost art. But as you begin Notebooking your conversations and encounters, you’re going to want to have something to write on the page. This means you’ll ask more questions, better questions, and followup questions. Good conversationalists ask good questions. And if you’re going to Notebook about this later, you’ll be forced to come up with lots of good questions.

2) Notebooking makes you focus on often-overlooked details

The more you Notebook, the more you realize how important those seemingly trivial details are. It’s the details that will make your narratives come alive. It’s choosing 1 word over another that will transform the mundane sentence into a passionate plea. It’s when we record the details of an experience that we can re-tell it well. So as we Notebook, we train ourselves to focus in on the details. Details are huge in being an apt conversationalist. When we’re listening, that focus on the details will show that you’re truly interested and supply you with a million good questions. When we’re talking, it’s the details that will transform your story from ‘just another narcissistic rant’ into a ‘hilarious rendering of a unique story’. Which of these descriptions do you want to be known for?

3) Notebooking helps us to be better storytellers

Of course, you can have so many details that you lose any semblance of a plot. Or you can take so many tangents that a storyline disappears. Knowing what to include, what to dismiss, when to be serious, and when to be flippant is an art form that few have mastered. But every time you write down a story in your Notebook, every time you record a trip or event or even a silly annoyance, you are practicing that art. The more you Notebook, the more refined your sense of storytelling will become. After you’ve Notebooked a hundred stories (with time to think about flow, emphasis, and whatever else you want to include), it will become natural to edit yourself in a way that brings out the best and minimizes unhelpful deviations.²

4) Notebooking will give you an arsenal of well-developed stories and ideas

Okay, so you can’t think quickly on your feet? Not a problem for the Notebooker. You’ve already recorded your best stories, captured your most profound thoughts, and made some funny content, to boot. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Just recount the best of the stuff you’ve already Notebooked, and you’ll be far more interesting than the next person.

Having a conversation is easy. Having a great conversation is hard. But Notebooking helps you to have great conversations, and people love great conversationalists!

Notebooking vs. Journaling

Adventures in Notebooking, Benefits of Notebooking, The SystemJason

For years, I kept a journal. It’s a great way to express yourself and think through what’s going on in your life. I even consider Ira Progoff to be one of the people who was fundamental to my ‘adulting’ process. But when I’m Notebooking in public and someone comes up to chat and says, “Oh, you keep a journal too?”, it takes all the willpower I can muster not to give a lengthy speech of clarification.

Notebooking is different from journaling. Why? A few reasons…

Both involve “expression”, but they don’t express the same thing

A quick perusal of journaling ‘how-to’s will lead you down the path of self-expression. The goal of journaling is to take all the thoughts and emotions that are clogging up your brain, and getting them out on paper so that you can engage in reflection and self-care. It’s very therapeutic. Notebooking isn’t about therapy. It’s about creativity. The goal is still expressing yourself, but you’re expressing yourself by recording hobbies, humor, creative writing, profound thoughts and personal projects. Which leads us to the next difference between the two:

Notebooks are multi-faceted. Journals have a singular focus.

One of the core ideas of Notebooking is that you want to start with a Content List. While it’s not against the rules to Notebook on a single subject¹, our system works best with having multiple subjects going at any one time. It’s perfectly appropriate to have a recipe on one page, followed by the first draft of a wedding toast, followed by a conversation you overheard at Starbucks that morning. Variety is the spice of life, and we like our Notebooks spicy! But journals are geared to pick a topic and stay on topic. Whether it’s working through your anxiety, recording your dreams each night, or recalling conversations and writing down what you wish you had said, journaling is designed to keep these topics separate, each in their own book.

Journaling is meant to be private. Not so with Notebooking!

Most journaling websites will encourage you to keep your journal to yourself. While you’re allowed to share it with someone you love and trust, the idea is that journals are for your eyes only! Here at NotebookingNerds, we encourage you to make your notebooks “Stranger Safe”. You’re not necessarily writing to show off, but you shouldn’t be embarrassed if someone picks up your notebook unexpectedly. Personally, I’m happy to share my notebook with anyone who asks. This wouldn’t be the case if it was filled with my deepest, darkest, most intimate thoughts.

But while journaling is inwardly focused, Notebooking is outwardly focused.

This is perhaps the most crucial difference between the two. Journaling touches on the outside world, but only enough to focus on one’s own opinions, emotions, reflections, and reactions. Notebooking touches on ourselves, but the center of the action is engagement with the world. Whether it’s describing a scene, recording an event, recalling humorous interactions, or pursuing goals, the focus of Notebooking is outside of ourselves. Journaling centers the action inside your own head.

Ultimately, this makes all the difference when it comes to the tone of your writing…

The number 1 rule of Notebooking is “No Whining!”. When you’re engaged with the outside world, and the action is centered beyond yourself, this is easy. All it takes is a bit of grace and a modicum of tact. However, journaling lends itself to whining. Because the goal of journaling is to honestly express your every thought about the world, the only way to avoid whining is to be so overwhelmingly pollyannish that nothing ever disturbs you or gets you down. That’s an unrealistic and impossible standard for anyone.

All of this isn’t to say that journaling can never be useful. If you have issues you want to work through, or find that writing your thoughts down on paper helps you to make sense of your life, then go ahead and keep a journal. But if you want to be more creative, more engaging, more social, and more interesting, then Notebooking is the avenue you should pursue.

Welcome to the world of Notebooking

The System, UncategorizedJason

Notebooking. A noun turned into a verb. Not a particularly unique thing to do. But Notebooking, as a creative endeavor, is unique.

Notebooking started as a personal project. We had repeatedly bought notebooks at the bookstore, buying into the premise that having a notebook would make us more creative. Boy, were we wrong!

Owning a notebook doesn’t make you more creative. Carrying a notebook around doesn’t make you more intelligent. Writing whiny journal entries into your notebook doesn’t make you more interesting. And so after a while, most people give up. Their hopes are left unfulfilled as they declare themselves uncreative or lacking willpower. The truth is, most people fail not because they are uncreative, but because they don’t have a system for success. At least that’s why we failed to fill our first notebooks.

And our second. And third.

But eventually, we developed a system for success. Using Content Lists, Jot Points, Page Eaters (and more), we discovered that filling a notebook with individualized, creative content is an attainable goal.

We liked our system so much that we wanted to share it with others. If you want to finally fill up those pages with entries you’ll be happy to hold onto for years to come, feel free to look around.

If you want to just dive in and learn as you go, check out our introductory article: How to Begin Notebooking

Assessing Your Notebook

The SystemJason

Congratulations! You’ve made it 21 days! Now is the time to assess your Notebooking.

Assessment is a vital part of growth. You don’t want to keep churning out the same old crap for years on end, do you? Of course not! Assessment is what helps us to emphasize our strengths and modify our weaknesses.

Here is a template to help you assess. It’s broken down into 4 categories: gear, habits, content, and writing style. You can, of course, make assessments of more than these, but these are a good start.

Notebooking Assessment Form

The Science of Habit-Building

Adventures in Notebooking, The System, Tips & TricksJason

New Year’s Resolutions are the worst idea ever imagined. We set up grandiose goals and arbitrarily start working on them. Whether it’s getting more exercise in the dead of winter, or fixing our finances after spending a ton on presents, January 1st is not just a bad date to turn over a new leaf – it’s one of the worst dates to start new habits. But the reason that most resolutions fail isn’t a matter of timing. It’s because most of us don’t know how to start a new habit.

The science is still out on how long it takes to build a habit. Some people say 21 days, others say 66 days, other say 6 months. Really, there’s no consistent number that’s shown up in the testing. But there are some helpful tips that have come out of the research. If you want to make Notebooking into a habit, here’s the top 7 takeaways from all that study.

#1 Habits are more successful if you know WHY you’re making a change.

Somewhere in the recesses of our minds, we have an inkling of why we want to make a change. But not all reasons are equal. If you want to start Notebooking because you want to be a better writer, a better storyteller, a better conversationalist, or just remember the important memories in your life, knowing the why will help you.¹ But unless you know which of these reasons is motivating you, when you hit a wall, the wall will probably win. First step, determine what it is that’s driving you, and OWN that reason (or reasons). It will help you to keep going when the going gets tough.

#2 Tie your new habit to an old habit

It’s easier to add something to your morning (or evening) routine than it is to create a routine from scratch. The good news is that all of us already have routines. We wake up, eat, and groom ourselves. And we do it with remarkable consistency. So pick part of your daily routine that will include your new Notebooking time. It doesn’t matter if you Notebook while you’re having your morning coffee, riding on the train to work, or chilling out after dinner. As long as it’s a regular occurrence, it’ll be easier to be consistent in doing it.²

#3 Start Small

I know…we recommend Notebooking for 20 minutes a day. And that might seem like an impossible task. (It isn’t, but it might be on Day 1). It’s okay to start with only 5 minutes. Think about it. If you view 10 minutes of writing as failure, you’ll grow discouraged and quit. But if you view 10 minutes of writing as success, you’ll be excited to keep having success. The truth is, it’s less about how much time you spend, and more about spending some time at all. You can always increase your writing time once the habit has become…well…habitual.

#4 Make it Comfortable and Convenient

We tend to engage in activities we enjoy and avoid activities we don’t. Use this to your advantage! Light some incense (or a candle), curl up in a comfy chair, and use your favorite pen (or pencil). You’ll look forward to your Notebooking time because everything that goes with it is a joy. On the other hand, if Notebooking requires you to hide away in the bathroom while your children are pounding on the door begging for your attention – it’s just not going to last. As much as possible, make your environment something that enhances your writing, rather than detracting from it.

#5 Simplify Your Task!

Studies show that the more complicated a new habit is, the less likely you are to stick to it. Think about it – if you want to start eating healthier, the first step is buying healthier food. If you had to go out and buy healthy food every day (while junk food fills your cupboards), you’d never stick to it. In the same way, if you have find a place to Notebook, find a pen to Notebook with, and figure out what you’re going to write about every day, it’s going to be that much harder to keep it up. Keeping a pen handy in your Notebooking location is the easy part, but that’s why we suggest a Content List. It simplifies the task of Notebooking daily.

#6 Overcome the Resistance

Resistance is a term coined by Steven Pressfield to talk about the things that get in your way. Whether it’s lack of focus, lack of time, life emergencies, minor crises, or simply procrastination, there will always be something to stop your new habit in its tracks.³ Studies show that we really haven’t developed a habit until we’ve overcome the resistance on 5 different occasions. (The good news is that the first time is the hardest. It gets easier every time!) So push your way through the resistance. Don’t let it beat you.

And finally, #7 – Cut yourself some slack

We’re trained to think that once we’ve failed, we’re done, and all our momentum is lost. That’s not actually the case. Missing a day here or there will not derail a habit – if we don’t let it. Say you’ve chosen to Notebook during your morning coffee, and then one day you oversleep. It doesn’t matter. As long as you get back into the routine the next day, your habit won’t be undone. It’s only when we let a habit drift for several days in a row that we start to lose it⁴. Remember, it’s not how many times we fall off the horse that matters. What counts is whether we climb back on the horse!

You can do it!

Building a new habit isn’t always easy, but if you incorporate these strategies into your life, it does get a lot easier. Whether it’s eating better, spending less, or Notebooking as a regular part of your life, being intentional about your habits will make your life more fulfilling. Why wouldn’t you want to do that? Good luck!