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I've been reading this book called Accidental Genius about creating ideas. The core method it talks about is writing a LOT. Sometimes quite aimlessly. So, I'm excited to start doing this. The only problem is, I'm not too keen on just burning through loads of Rhodia dotpads or any of my other expensive notebooks. Does anyone have a recommendation for a notebook that works well with fountain pens that is cheap enough to order in bulk? Also, it's not critical, but it would be nice if it could lay flat. Thanks in advance! Jordan

Hey, folks from Maine and the surrounding area! I am posting about a "new" shop that has opened recently in Portland, Maine's Old Port that is very fountain pen friendly, and getting better all the time. The shop is Sherman's Books & Stationary. It's their fifth shop in Maine's coastal region (local chain), and of the five this one has the strongest focus on the stationary side of the business. So far as pens are concerned their current stock is extremely limited. They have some Pilot Varsities in various colors, some Sheaffer calligraphy pen sets and they have a J. Herbin calligraphy dip-pen set, but beyond that it's ballpoints and Le Pen. However, they're a new store and they genuinely try to order what the customers want, so if they get requests to start carrying pens and inks then Maine could very quickly see the birth of its first such shop! Contact info will be listed at the end so that anyone interested can let the powers that be know you would be interested in shopping for these things at this place at some point in time. So far as non-pens are concerned, this place is an ever-expandning treasure trove of journals and stationary sets! Every time I've been in there's been more to choose from, and it's all good quality! Of course there's the rack of Moleskines, but they also carry some of the smaller Clairefontaine and Rhodia notebooks. They have Paper Blanks. But they also have a variety of leather bound journals, datebooks and address books. They have some Smudge Ink stationary sets that are a constant temptation to me. These are actually printed in Maine, as I understand it. They also carry cards and postcards, many of which were printed in Maine or Mass. They are the only shop in town that I have seen to carry the Clairefontaine Triomphe tablets. They also have a brand of stationary that looks a bit similar to the Crane & Co called CR Gibson. I hadn't seen that brand before, but I like their stuff. It's not as thick as Crane but it's a laid paper, so there are sort of guidelines set into the grain itself. I really liked it and found it did very well with my fountain pens. Anyway, I've been in there bugging them to get some Metropolitans or some Lamy stuff at the very least just to give some folks in this area options and a good local source to get started. But I'm just one voice. I know there's a few others, but the more the merrier. So if you're in the area and would like to see a shop starting to carry fountain pens and inks (especially inks! What I wouldn't give to not have to drive to Boston or order online for my inks!) Email at Portland@Shermans.com http: //facebook.com/shermansbooks or you can send your hand-written-in-founatin-pen letters to: Sherman's Books & Stationary 49 Exchange Street Portland, ME 04101

I was just browsing the Office Depot website and noticed they had several sugarcane notebooks and notepads (even a canary-colored paper notepad-- that's something I haven't seen in sugarcane papers). They seem to be available in-store and online. The notebooks are rather pricey. Since Staples seems to be phasing out their sugarcane notebooks in-store (at least I haven't seen them in NC), here's another possible alternative. I don't have any experience with the Office Depot paper yet, but I just thought I'd give a heads-up. Has anyone had any experience with this paper and their fountain pens? I'm assuming the performance is good. I haven't met a bad sugarcane paper yet.

Squarespace.com has revolving home pages, but there's one showing a leather notebook in the lower right hand corner. It's a pocket notebook with sleeves for three pens on the inside cover. I have asked the site reps for the brand of the notebook, but they don't know. I can't find it on eBay or Etsy. Any ideas? It's http://www.squarespace.com, but you might have to refresh the page to get the image showing the notebook.

Hey all, This is one of my first times posting so sorry if I'm doing anything annoying or wrong, but I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this notebook company called Write Notepads & Co.? They're based out of Baltimore, which seems really cool since I'm in the area. Kind of a total letterpress junkie so I'm already in love. It says on their website that they work with fountain pens, but I couldn't find any reviews except this one on Inkdepenence. The coolest thing is they have some for LEFTIES...like, what?! I'm a righty but I would so get these as gifts if they're any good. I'm just not sure if this company is legit...was thinking about ordering some if others have had any experience. I've followed Inkdependence for a while but I'm just still on the fence about it, especially because I'd probably get the larger size and would want to order a few to balance out the cost of shipping. It doesn't say what kind of paper they use so I'm a little iffy on it. Seems like the lined kind have a teensy bit of ghosting with wetter inks, but I'm mostly interested in the plain paper. So has anyone heard of this company or bought from them before? And if not, does anyone know of any other brands/suggestions for good-quality letterpressed notebooks suitable for fountain pens? I would really prefer if they were made in the US. I like spiral-bound, but I'm open to perfect-bound too. Again sorry if being a total noob! Thanks in advance!

I saw the announcement video pop up on my YouTube suggested videos feed on Friday: http://youtu.be/YddRA-YcSHg. Then this morning I got confirmation in the comments from Whitelines that they are indeed making Whitelines Link notebooks with Leuchtturm1917 paper! "Leuchtturm1917 notebooks with Whitelines Link inlay/functionality". I don't see any mention of this new notebook on the Whitelines blog yet. After some Googling, I found some additional info:Leuchtturm1917 2013/2014 catalogThe Paperie - search results for Leuchtturm1917 + Whitelines These new notebooks will have black covers with orange elastics. Paper options will be ruled and dotted. Available in Notebook and Academy Pad. From the little bit that I've read (newbie FB user), it sounds like Whitelines paper has gotten so-so/mixed reviews from the FP community. Perhaps this will make Whitelines Link notebooks a more viable option for FP users. This could be the ultimate digital + analog combo. Exciting!

I'm coming out with a new brand of notebooks: Furrow Books. They come in two sizes, small and large and contain 48 and 96 pages respectively. The pages are blank but include a two-sided ruled insert which provides users the option for blank, lined, or graph ruling anywhere throughout their notebook. We also selected a paper that's fountain pen friendly. I'm looking for testers to send some notebooks to once I get the mock-ups in tomorrow (Thursday) and get some feedback from. If you'd be interested in trying out the notebooks or would just like more information about them, you can check them out via this link: http://www.FurrowBooks.com I'll be accepting applications for testers through tomorrow evening, then making selections over the weekend and sending out packages early next week. This is open to people worldwide (wherever USPS ships to). Thanks!

For many of us, our appreciation of fountain pens goes hand-in-hand with our affection for journals, notebooks and sketchbooks. No newsflash there. Quick back-story (well, not-so-quick...): Last autumn, when I posted a query, seeking a really fine replacement for a functional but damaged Junior Legal Pad Portfolio, fellow FPN member Octo very kindly directed me to Oberon Design -- a source for bench-crafted leather goods. I landed on the handsome Tree of Life pattern, and placed an order. For anyone wondering, I can attest, it's an exemplary bit of craftsmanship, tooled with a keen eye to meticulous detailing, and well constructed from heavyweight materials. As a reporter, any time I haul it out during an interview it draws enthusiastic comments from others. I own one of their journals, in the handsome Bold Celtic design. Except it's a bit small for my writing style, which involves a lot of side notes and digressions. After some research I decided on Oberon's Sketchbook (9-1/8 x 11-5/8). Except unlike the Portfolio models, Oberon's Journals and Sketchbooks (both of which include a leather cord-and-pewter button closure) haven't been equipped with a pen loop. But after inquiring whether such an option could be made available, I heard from Amy of the Santa Rosa, California-based company's customer service department. Such an add-on was in the works. Now, Oberon is offering that option. For an additional $5, the made-to-order Journals and Sketchbooks can be fitted with a sewn-in pen loop. Having researched add-on loops such as the peel-and-stick Leuchtturm pen loops or the very appealing Quiver pen holders -- both of which I admire -- I'd say that Oberon's optional add-on is a functional and moderately priced supplement to an admittedly pricey piece of leather goods, An investment I happily endorse, with no prompting other than as a satisfied paying customer. (PS: My son, a budding artist, took one look at my Celtic pattern Journal and fell in love with it. He's inheriting it next month, for his 21st birthday. It's nice to be able to bestow -- and share word of -- heirloom-quality goods that are still made in America.)

Would A5 or semi-B5 paper be better for note taking? I checked out the Kokuyo Systemic refillable notebook cover and they seem really great. But they only come in 2 sizes. I feel like it would be good to get the A5 size because there are more notebooks in that size available, whereas the semi-B5 notebooks are a bit more difficult to find. But, I feel like I would go through A5 notebooks really fast. I want the Systemic because I would be able to fit 3 notebooks in it and I wouldn't have to really worry about anything getting torn up too bad, but if there is a similar product, please share!

Anyone out there own the Kokuyo Systemic Refillable Notebook Cover in the semi B5 size? What notebooks can you put in it?

Hello everyone, I'm a grad student and exclusively use fountain pens in class to take notes. I've been experimenting with cheap notebooks that work with fountain pens, and wanted to give a very simple review of three notebooks that I purchased before the semester started. Two are great for notetaking, the third is not. They're all perforated, which is great if you need a sheet of paper in class to turn in or give to a classmate. Here is a photo of the three notebooks next to each other: The first notebook is a cheap Norcom notebook that you'll find in any bookstore or Walmart. You can get it for a $1.50 or maybe $2.00. It's not worth it though; It's garbage. The cover is made of cheap cardboard that bends. The perforations hardly work, and getting a piece of paper out is a chore. Stay clear of this notebook. The second notebook is a notebook that I bought in a set of 3 from Costco for a GREAT price. It's called Top Wired. I see them individually on Amazon for about $10, which might not be worth it. They are 3-subject notebooks and have plenty of paper. They're also nicely made and the paper does surprisingly well with fountain pens. There's show through, but very little to no permeation of ink. The final notebook is the 11 and 3/4 by 8 and 1/4 Black 'n Red notebook. This one has a flexible covering and an elastic strap to keep the notebook together. It's wonderful! You can find one on amazon for about $8 for 70 sheets. Tom

I had recently stopped using my MTN because it just wasn't pocket-sized, meaning that I couldn't have it always with me. To solve this, and much to some of your dismay, I'm sure, I trimmed it down to a 3x5 inch size. I actually did it without messing anything up, and now I have a truly pocketable MTN. It was a nerve-wracking operation, and I was sure I'd mess something up (and did not), but here it is! Let me know your thoughts. Okay, it's not an absolutely perfect cut, but that slightly rustic feel suits the MTN, IMO. I made a thick notebook with 120gsm paper, printed with fine lines. I also made a storage card with paper-flap in the front and closing envelope-style pocket in the back. I am currently printing out a hipster PDA day-planner template. The beauty of choosing 3x5 size is that I can use all the popular Hipster PDA templates and fit index cards inside.

I got excited when I saw that Office Depot is starting to carry bagasse papers, too. I found a few different types of sugarcane notebooks and notepads listed on the website; and while the website stated that these items were available in-store at my nearest Office Depot, in actuality, I only found one of the items in the store. Fountain pen ink is crisp on this paper, without feathering. But the sheets are very thin and have far more show-through on the back side than the competition's (i.e. Staples Sustainable Earth), which was disappointing. (See the writing samples below.) The paper is fine for ballpoint pens, but fountain pen users might want to pass on this paper (even my extra-fine Platinum Carbon fountain pen with Platinum Black Carbon ink showed through). I'm glad Office Depot is stepping up to the plate and making sugarcane paper available. I hope they will come up with something that is a little more fountain pen-friendly, howver. Weight: 16 lbs. Item #: 692394 Notebook size: 9"x11" Fiber: 80% sugarcane and 20% recycled content (10% postconsumer recycled content) Acid-Free: Yes Package size: 100 sheets Line Color: Green Ruling: College Ruled Other details: Vinyl covers; contains a contact sheet and inner double-sided pocket page Origin: Egypt Where to buy: Office Depot (online and in-store) Price: $4.79 in-store ($4.39 online) http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3720/9552180570_513949053c_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7367/9552178908_5f9234befd_b.jpg Writing Samples: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3736/9549389213_985626ef36_b.jpg Writing Samples (back side) http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7317/9552177640_bc496fab32_b.jpg

Found this (quite by accident actually - isn't that fun?) on Brain Pickings. It is about an essay written by Joan Didion called "On keeping a Notebook" from her anthology Slouching Towards Bethlehem (1968) http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/19/joan-didion-on-keeping-a-notebook/ An excerpt: “We are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not.”

Hi! I was just wondering which style of notebook binding people prefer. I thought of 3 categories: wirebound, composition, and loose. Here is my view of the weakness and strength of each: Wirebound: Often perforated so sheets can be removed if needed. Could be flipped over on itself (you can make the back touch the front when writing), useful if you don't have a huge desk. The "wires" can get in your way when writing on the left page (or vice versa if you're a leftie) Composition: What happens in the book stays in the book. (pages aren't perforated and if you rips 1 page, the connecting page will also fall out) Generally speaking, no annoying 3 holes on the book. Both front and back are 1 piece (sturdiness). If you accidentally rip the binding connecting the pages and the cover, the book is trashed (the whole thing will come loose) Extraordinarily annoying rise in the center when writing, attempts to squash the pages flat will make the cover come loose or awkwardly hanging open when trying to close it. Loose: No paper underneath, so good for those who prefer the hard desk feeling. Probably the only paper recommended for the "turn-in-business" No annoying bumps in the middle like the other two. Can be lost quite easily Without something to hold the page in place, your other hand will have to accept the job of holding the paper down while writing. I personally is biased toward the wirebound method. What do you like and why?

One of the great disappointments is finding a properly bound notebook as well as loose blank paper to suit my needs, with the following specifications: Notebook Properly bound and NOT spiral spineA4 size (8.3in × 11.7in.)Completely resistant to wet flex nibsNo showthrough, bleeding or feathering (I use flex pens!)Maximum sheets, ideally 192 sheets, or I will settle for the largest available size realisticallyAvailable and widely available, especially in Australia - but willing to buy from abroad if costs are reasonableCost-effective, but will compromise a little if worth itPaper A4 size (8.3in × 11.7in.)Competitively priced against regular printing paperCan serve well as printing paper as well as writing paperAvailable and widely available, especially in Australia In these regards I have been disappointed time and time again. Currently, a clothbound Clairefontaine is the best solution I have and an obscure paper called Nature which has gone off the market in Australia. That is where I am from; I am willing to buy stuff over the internet from overseas but within reason you know what I mean (i.e., not at a ridiculous disproportionate expense to ship)? I have been contemplating Apica but have read disappointing reviews in the regards above. See https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/106072-apica-notebooks-review/?p=2226925. jetpens.com has a variety of Japanese notebook brands with which I am unfamiliar and many are not available in A4 (8.3in × 11.7in.) size. Please advise.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281089063455?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 I read some good reviews of Muji notebooks being fountain pen friendly so I ordered a couple different Muji notebooks. The spiral bound Muji notebooks will be coming in soon. Details: selling price is about $7, $3 shipping (you can haggle for a slightly cheaper price)about 5.8" by 4.1"144 sheets, not pages, of cream colored paperPro's: very smooth creamy colored paperbeautiful minimalist appearanceresists bleedthroughcould probably withstand very wet and broad nibs, but the feathering might make writing with wide nibs unbearableCons: Some inks will feather on this paper, the feathering I noticed was bearable but slightly noticeable.Showthrough occurs, but isn't noticable if you write on both sides of the page. Recommended? It's not a terrible notebook. I'm looking forward to finding a use for it (I misjudged the size of the book upon ordering, I was looking for a slightly larger book for class notes. ). It's competitively priced against Black n Red, Rhodia, and Clairefontaine notebooks which have amazing reviews and quality control (I haven't tried those brands yet). To be honest I'd recommend notebooks from the previously mentioned brands, the pictures of ink performance on those papers show much better fp friendliness than this paper. http://24.media.tumblr.com/bd576b69df00613736e2390777c6bc5a/tumblr_mnmta3AbRP1r4c920o1_500.jpg http://25.media.tumblr.com/22ef75b0155f601c3aa1205bdbc8077f/tumblr_mnmta3AbRP1r4c920o2_1280.jpg http://25.media.tumblr.com/de3c75e9c6da34d111df0e00966071a9/tumblr_mnmta3AbRP1r4c920o3_1280.jpg http://24.media.tumblr.com/7aa118a191952dafec0854dd439aa712/tumblr_mnmta3AbRP1r4c920o4_1280.jpg http://24.media.tumblr.com/033164c46627b340742d7dd7bf68307b/tumblr_mnmta3AbRP1r4c920o5_1280.jpg

Hi all, After a long search, I got my Penmanship notebooks at Kinokuniya @ Takashimaya, $3 a piece, 30 pages, double sided. They've got different line widths as well, No. 8 (wide) to No. 15.(thin). I'm not sure how well the paper holds for dip pens, but they're certainly good enough for pencils. Figured I'd share this, for those who are looking to develop their cursive!