Comments on: What would be your ULTIMATE journal design?

By: David G

David G — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:18:56 +0000

Your specifications fit mine exactly. The only thing I’d add is that I also prefer a hard cover to make it easy to write while standing. A hard back, side bound, lined spiral notebook with an elastic band for closure and rounded edges….with Clairfontaine paper.

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 22:12:59 +0000

My ideal journal?
Before I start with ALL of my desires I need to preface that I use more than one size journal depending on the journaling that I’m doing.
*I would love for the pages to be perforated so I can remove a page now and then if I decide to include a picture, tickets, card, etc. so the journal doesn’t expand in that awkward overstuffed way …
*I desire a true 5.5 x 8.5; 8.5 x 11; 4 x 6; and 3.5 x 6 – inches sizes AFTER the page is torn out with a left-hand margin of .5-inch so I can punch holes and move pages — if I desire to a ring-bound journal/organizer/etc.
* Another desire is a journal that accomodates a year’s worth of diary/journal entries — one page BOTH sides per day if I want to use it as a yearly organizer or daily diary.
*The desire continues in that I need it to LAY FLAT — that’s important if I need to refer back to an entry as a reference. I keep track of the haikus that I write recording them by date written with a note of what spurred the poem based on what I was doing that day.
* A ribbon book marker to mark my place.
* 5/16-inch wide pale lines that don’t interfer with writing or placing items on the page.
*And VERY important is the paper. Smooth writing and paper that is thick enough to prevent fountain pen bleed through or the occasional marker. White or pale ivory would be nice as would a faint eye-easy green color.
*And, have a top-bound journal/notebook option in the above sizes would accomodate both left and right hand journalists and could allow for note-taking at a meeting and the removal of pages (top perforation) so the pages could be placed into a ring binder if I desire.
The cover is never as important as the inside content and the use-ability of it.
If the pages were faintly numbered that would be helpful.

By: kookychick

kookychick — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:48:35 +0000

I’m a little late to the party, but my dream journal/notebook would have:
* 5-6mm lined ruling, with unobtrusive lines (meaning the lines aren’t really thick or dark), small top margin only (no other margins), no logos, possibly a very small page number in the top right corner. Depending upon my needs, the line ruling can be a deal-breaker if it’s too generous. :-( I haven’t been able to find a Clairefontaine/Rhodia notebook that has 5-6mm lined (not grid) ruling larger than A6.
* Available in 2 different sizes–a compact size in the 3.5″ x 5.5″ range and a larger size around 6″ x 8″.
* Nice, hard/firm cover, in a material that’s pleasant to the touch (I have a suede journal with a divine cover), and in a variety of colors (so I can color coordinate for different subjects), with rounded corners (so I don’t jab myself when rummaging in my bag).
* Sewn signature binding, so the pages don’t fall out. I’m not a fan of spirals.
* Somewhere in the 96 – 224 page range (depending upon paper thickness)–I don’t want the notebook to be so thick that I can’t carry it easily, but not so thin that I use it up almost immediately.
* Ribbon bookmarker (I agree that it mustn’t fray) in a neutral color or the same color as the cover.
* Elastic closure is a must–otherwise, notebooks tend to get trashed when they roll around in my bag.
* And of course, excellent, fountain pen-friendly paper–that goes without saying! ;-) I’m not that picky about paper weight, as long as it doesn’t feather or bleed through. I prefer white paper (or the ever-so-slightly tinged Exacompta Forum Basics paper), so my colorful ink shows up well and true-to-color! :-)

The current large Quo Vadis Habana is very, very close to ideal, but the ruling is too wide for my taste and the cover a bit too flexible (and I’d love a ribbon bookmark). And the small Habana is almost perfect for a small journal (I only wish it had a more rigid cover and a ribbon bookmark)! I have a ton of these, because I love them so! :-)

By: skkippy

skkippy — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:37:07 +0000

Pretty clear there isn’t one perfect notebook for all. As for me, I’d like to see something simple – correct the one giant flaw in moleskine – cheap paper – and stop there. A lot of things about the moleskine are correct now: sizes, number of pages, rigid cover, cover weight, elastic, folder…

If there were an a5 blank book that was like a moleskine in every respect except that it had decent paper, I’d stock up.

By: david bogie

david bogie — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:34:00 +0000

My perfect journal is more of a notebook, a looseleaf system. It’s complicated but my consciousness flows in topics rather than along timelines. I like to be able to have tabs for several topics that are all happening in parallel universes.
I carry a pocket-size molie or clone everywhere but my tool of choice for everything that is important is my Franklin compact-size binder. Great paper, too, although not nearly as great as it was just a few years ago. I’m running out of those stocks.

david boise ID

By: Fr. Matthew Thurman

Fr. Matthew Thurman — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:39:18 +0000

It’s close with the current Webbie for me. Like hardcover, elastic closure, pocket in the back. The few “tweaks” I would do on the Webbie: pages lay flat when open, no logo on pages, would like grid paper like in Rhodia pads. Don’t need perforations.

By: Steve Kubien

Steve Kubien — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:41:02 +0000

I have a leather journal which takes 5″ x 8″ paper which I fill with card-stock. I am a fountain pen user (Well, I ought to be since I make them!) and I really like writing on card-stock. I hand-write my blog and edit it as I type it so refillable is essential for me.

By: The Archer

The Archer — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:42:23 +0000

I used Moleskine notebooks before, but after the shift to fountain pen use I had to find other products that will be friendly to my favorite medium nibs. Until I got a Habana from Karen… I forgot all the other products I’ve tested before. The Habana is the perfect journal for me. I love to write on ruled pages, sometimes I go on writing 2-3 pages of text. If there are some items I feel I can paste on my Journal pages, I do that using an acid-free glue/paste. I also draw on my Journal if I feel like doing it. :)

By: Cheryl Fuller

Cheryl Fuller — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:42:03 +0000

I want hard or good soft cover — I have a refillable Excompta where the refills slide into the leather cover. I have come to prefer the medium sized 5X7 or so. Cream paper and definitely no lines. And 100-160 leaves so I have lots of pages to write on.

By: Inkophile

Inkophile — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:31:08 +0000

Off-white or pale gray, hard back, 7 mm lined, no margins, FP friendly, 90 gsm, 7 x 10, top spiral bound with perforations. Rounded corners nice but not required. 100 pages would be good. Could make 8.5 x 11 size work since many folios are of that size. Smaller than 7 x 10 does not work well with my large handwriting.

By: B Irwin

B Irwin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:54:23 +0000

Webbies and Habanas are almost perfect and I’m with you on absolutely EVERYTHING you said except spiral bindings. [For manuscripts, I use staple or cloth bound Clairefontaine notebooks because they fold back on themselves and stack neatly, but that's another thread.]

I would lose the logos on the pages, put the lines a hair closer together even tho’ I use BB and OBB and 1.3 stub nibs. I’d like the solid colors to come in a wider variety of shades and intensities. I lean more toward the white paper than the cream, as I want my ink color to stay true, but I’m not obsessive about it.

Otherwise, absolutely everything you said except for spiral bound applies to me. If you’re going to do cream paper, I have a fantasy of light shades, like the Lalo writing paper, but I’d still buy more in white.

By: Lanzman

Lanzman — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:21:50 +0000

Since you specifically said *journal* . . .

It’s got to be larger than the usual 5×7 “journals” sold by outfits like Paperblanks. I prefer something at least 7×9 or ideally 8.5×11. Hardbound, but opens flat. Creamy off-white paper, or even light gray, with faint lines so that my writing stays straight. Paper of sufficient quality that nothing less than a Sharpie will bleed thru, and give me at least 160 leaves (320 pages). Ribbon marker is handy, but not essential. Don’t need an elastic band to hold it closed, but again, that’s handy to have. Cover should be sturdy enough to write on my knee if I have to and a solid color with no silly logo or cutesy picture printed on it.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:19:49 +0000

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By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:18:58 +0000

I agree with you almost entirely, but I have a few preferences as well. I love leather wrapped journal, whether refillable or permanently bound. Hard or soft is acceptable, but I favor the soft, flexible covers because they feel more organic and I like being able to bend them. Soft covers are much more comfortable in my back pocket, too, as are rounded corners.

Leather color is not the most important issue, but in a perfect world, I would choose a tobacco brown that develops a patina with age. I love handling these after a few months of service. They almost develop a life of their own.

Wet ink-friendly paper is important to me, too. I hate bleed through, but on some of my notebooks, it simply doesn’t matter because I use pencils or ballpoint pens. I love the look of a pale ivory page with just the slightest hint of a line, and if the paper is opaque, I love it even more.

I detest spiral notebooks because I don’t like handling hard, metal objects for notes and the spiral always seems to get in the way. While they are functional for sketchbooks, I won’t use one unless the notebook is very large and the spiral can be placed out of the way when I work. I just don’t like touching the cold, hard metal when I work.

As for ribbon bookmarks, I can take them or leave them as I almost always have something stashed inside my notebook to keep my place. But a closure of some sort is a must, or all of the little things I stash inside will fall out, leaving a trail of litter behind me.

Wow, I guess I never really put these thoughts together in one place before. I never realized I was so picky. Perhaps we should put our heads together to see if we can create the world’sbest journal.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:41:14 +0000

I think I became picky once I started doing reviews and seeing all the available options…

By: Charles Barilleaux

Charles Barilleaux — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:05:48 +0000

I like ISO paper sizes, as they have a geeky basis that appeals to me.

http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/iso-paper.html

For work note taking, I have a Rhodia A4 spiral bound notebook. It replaces a Clairfontaine one that was not spiralbound. I need to have something that can fold back over on itself, to allow for writing while standing, minimize my desk footprint, etc. the paper needs to have lines.

For journals, I perfer A5. Right now, I have a roughly A5ish Moleskine. I like the hard back and the pocket in the back for random objects. I’m thinking about just getting one of their books’o'pockets. Its replacement might be spiral bound, to facilitate writing in odd places (on the bus, etc.). I’m torn on lines–I like having to guide writing, but sometimes they get in the way for drawing, etc.

For the paper, it has to be fountain pen friendly (unlike Moleskine paper). I’m like you–I’d prefer an off-white to a true white (like my Rhodia), but place the highest value on fountain pen compatibility. In any case, I’d prefer the paper not to be perforated. My Rhodia notebook is, and it seems to want to tear out for almost no reason.

By: Gail Young

Gail Young — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:39:18 +0000

Wow! And I thought I was picky!
My perfect journal lies flat; has a hard back cover, paper that never displays bleed from any fountain-pen ink, perforated pages for removing pages that don’t belong in the journal (e.g., a spontaneous grocery list), and a size that’s easy to grab and carry or stash in a bag. All it took was some changes to the Rhodia Reverse Book; see my Flickr photo, “My Dorky Rhodia Reverse Mod” (http://www.flickr.com/photos/19225243@N03/4229219337/).