One of the new habits I've been trying to adopt in 2021 is keeping a commonplace book, which, to me, is a notebook that serves as a repository of notes, quotes, and clippings from books and articles I've read. There are many different ways “to commonplace,” in terms of how you organize your notes and index the information. Personally, I'm still experimenting with different techniques and plan to write more on this in the future, as it's become a bigger part of my everyday life and writing setup.
One thing I have thought a lot about (unsurprisingly) is which notebook works best for my style of notetaking and commonplacing. There are a range of different factors to take into account, but for me the key considerations are (1) paper versatility, meaning that the paper works well with a wide range of writing instruments; (2) portability, meaning that the notebook can move with me, not only when I travel but also when I change work locations; and (3) archival options, meaning that the notebook will hold up to long term storage and can easily be organized for posterity - after all, one reason to organize reading notes in this manner is to be able to go back and look things up later. I don’t feel like this is mere “gear obsession.” Rather, by finding a system that works for me on the front end, I will have a consistent set of notes that will be easy to reference for years to come.
Write Notepads Hardcover Notebook. My current commonplace book lives in one of these lined A5 hardcover notebooks from Write Notepads. Lined paper typically isn't my preferred ruling, but ultimately (1) the paper quality and (2) the ability to store a durable hardcover notebook over the long-term won out. I can't emphasize how great these notebooks look on a shelf, and the sturdy binding will ensure they last a long time. While I’m happy with this notebook, the downside is size, as you end up having to carry an extra hardcover book with you - not a minor thing if you’re like me and prefer to read physical books as opposed to using e-readers.
Traveler's Notebook. Though I’ve enjoyed the Write Notepads Hardcover Notebook, I'm considering moving my commonplace book inside my Traveler's Notebook, likely to a 128-page, "Lightweight Paper" refill. The paper quality on this refill is excellent, and while it's not labeled as such, I assume it is Tomoe River paper. Why move to a Traveler's Notebook? Portability and the ease of having all of my various notes, planners, and journals under one cover, but separated into different refills. I also use one of the PVC zippered pouches to carry some Book Darts linemarkers, and if you use sticky notes, there's even an insert for that! The downside to Traveler's Notebook inserts would appear to be the ability to archive them, but the availability of refill binders, each of which holds five used Traveler’s Notebook inserts, may solve this issue.
Nanami Paper Seven Seas Writer or Crossfield. If you exclusively use fountain pens, and/or want a notebook with as many pages as you can cram into it, Nanami Paper’s Seven Seas series offers nearly 500 pages of Tomoe River Paper. This A5 notebook also fits many standard leather covers, including those sold directly by Nanami, and the stand-alone notebook is durable enough to withstand a long "shelf life" after it's filled. You'll want to keep up on your indexing as you go, however, as 500 pages will hold a LOT of notes.
Index Cards, or Alternatively, Pocket Notebooks. Ryan Holiday, who writes The Daily Stoic website and has published several books, is a big proponent of commonplacing, and he also uses an index card system that's incredibly versatile, especially if you plan to use your reading notes as research for a book or another larger writing project. (Obviously, index cards are much easier to organize by topic than notes in a notebook.) The downside to this system, at least for me, is storage, since it requires a large box (or boxes) to store and index the cards. I also see how one could utilize this system with pocket notebooks, if you don't fancy the idea of carrying loose cards with you on the go. Field Notes pocket notebooks are relatively inexpensive, and you can file them away by topic using the Archival Box with included dividers.
And finally, something different...
Day One Journaling App. I’ve actually started to use two tools for commonplacing: a physical notebook and the Day One app on my phone and computer. Basically, I use a notebook if I'm taking notes on a book or magazine article that I'm reading in physical form, and I use Day One to collect links, book recommendations, and quotations from articles that I'm reading on my phone, tablet, or computer. If you haven't used Day One, it was originally designed as a journaling app but can also serve as a flexible notetaking or commonplacing tool for organizing information using dates and tags. While I don’t necessarily encourage anyone to go entirely paperless because I believe there are concrete benefits to thinking “offline” and writing things out by hand, this app is very deep, with lots of functionality.
UPDATE: A Late Addition….
I don’t recall exactly where I picked this tip up, but sometime during 2020 I started sticking “library pockets” in the back of my books, that I would use to hold index cards for notetaking while I was traveling or reading. I’d later transcribe my notes from the notecards into my commonplace book. The habit has stuck (especially for books I can’t or don’t want to annotate or mark up), but I WAY over-purchased library pockets, and accidentally ordered more than a hundred of them. I don’t want to just throw them out, so I’m giving them away. If you order a notebook from the Curated Shop (hopefully for commonplacing but it’s not necessary), I’ll throw in a couple of these pockets, free of charge. The promotion will last until I’ve exhausted my excess supply. (Just to be clear, you’ll receive two pockets per person, per order, not two pockets per notebook.)
Disclaimer: This post does not contain affiliate links, though I have chosen to stock many of my favorite items in the T.G.S. Curated Shop so that I can sell them directly. Sales through the Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program are how I support the site.
