Stationery for a Writing Weekend

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

My writing projects have a habit of scattering themselves across multiple notebooks. A novella-in-progress in one notebook, short stories in another, a novel in a different notebook, brainstorming in yet another, etc. Compartmentalizing the projects has its advantages. Portability isn't one of them.

On a daily basis, I only carry the commonplace book. All my thoughts, ideas, or story bits go in there, and then that writing gets transferred to its project the next time I'm working on it. The rest of the writing ecosystem stays on my desk.

If I'm focusing on one specific project, I'll bring the brainstorm book and that project's notebook. That works well for an afternoon of writing at a coffee shop or a writing group after work. But what about a longer writing retreat?

I'm spending a long weekend in Madison this week with one of my writing friends. It's likely I'll finish my current short story writing, and I need to work on my novella, and I want to work on my novel, but I also need to work on a project that has already entered the digital realm, and before you know it, I'm packing more for a long weekend than I would for a weeklong vacation. My system that works perfectly for daily use is not perfect for longer outings. When I write at the lake, I do bring it all, because I anticipate significant progress on everything. This weekend won't just be for writing. There will also be knitting and outings involved, so it doesn't make sense to relocate my entire office.

Someone who doesn't know me very well might say that the obvious solution is to just go fully digital with my writing, but I would much rather carry my analog writing around on a pack mule than draft my stories on a screen. So we can rule that out.

Another option is to just bring the brainstorm book as if it were an afternoon out, and do all the work in there, transferring it like usual (though in much higher volume). And that's likely what I'll do. But it does raise the question: why don't I always only have one notebook, then? Why compartmentalize at all?

I suppose the answer is because I like to keep each project organized. Those full notebooks get shelved in my own personal archive, and it's nice to be able to find the original drafts of each piece.

I'll try bringing a lighter load this trip. It's possible we'll spend as much time catching up as we do writing, anyway! But I'm curious about your solutions for writing on the go. If you're going away and plan to write at least 5-10 thousand words across multiple projects in that time, what's your preferred kit?

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Life Stationery Stenographers' Notebook Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The stenographers' pad or steno book has long been a favorite of mine. It's a ubiquitous format that you can find in almost any store in the US that sells any sort of stationery or office supplies. Quality varies greatly, and most of these notebooks use cheap, thin paper that is unpleasant to use. But there a few brands that provide an excellent steno book, and I love them for it. A new option that quickly skyrocketed to the top of my "great steno books" list is the Life Stationery Stenographers' Notebook.

The Life Stationery take on the steno book is similar to all the other variants, but it excels in the area of paper quality. Most steno books are sized roughly in the realm of 8x6 inches, and the Life version sticks to the tried-and-true A5 spec at 8.2" x 5.8". According to Wikipedia, Gregg ruling is normally found in North America, and it is described as such: "Paper should be smooth and lined, dull in finish, with three lines to the inch and a line down the center." Life's version of the steno book stays true to this definition, with wide line ruling and a line down the middle of the page. The ruling and center line are repeated on both sides of the page.

Steno books normally aren't very thick, and this variant is no different. With just 50 pages, it won't last long unless you're using both sides of the pages. With cheap steno books, I've only used the front side of the page for convenience (going to the next page is a simple page turn away, as opposed to turning the page and flipping the notebook around), but I'll be using both sides of the pages in this steno book for two reasons: it isn't exactly cheap, and the paper can actually handle writing on both sides.

It feels a little odd to use a steno book that has such nice paper since these types of books usually resort to pretty cheap paper that you use and throw away. With Life's notebook, the paper is really good. It's thick, smooth, and you can hardly see any show-through on the back side of the page. It's so good — just like the paper in their other notebooks. Using the back side of the page is easy in this case. It feels smooth when writing, but isn't slippery. All the inks and pen combos I've tried have done remarkably well. I can't see any feathering or bleeding anywhere. The only ink that I've found to somewhat show through to the back side of the page is the Schmidt P812x rollerball ink, and even then it's minimal. In short, the paper is phenomenal.

When it comes to ruling, I'm a fan of dot grid, then grid, then either lined (narrow or college rule) or blank depending on my mood or what I'm using the paper for. Wide rule is one of my least favorite rulings, but I don't mind it in this case because it's part of the specification for a stenographer notebook. Something about the line going down the middle of the page makes a little easier for me to use. I don't feel bad splitting my notes or scribbles into two sections across the page. It doesn't really make sense, but it's how my brain works in this case.

I didn't realize this at the time, but Life also offers a grid ruling version of their Stenographers' Notebook. Where the Gregg Ruled version has a green cover, the grid version has a beige cover and also costs $2 more.

The green cover on the notebook I have is a very close shade to light brown in the right light, but does a great job of looking retro and clean. It's thick enough to provide plenty of protection for the paper inside, and is thicker than most steno books. The back cover is completely blank, a lighter color, and equal in thickness and rigidity. The top-bound spiral ring is robust and just the right size for easy page turning. The wire is coated in a nice off-white finish that goes well with the cream paper and green/brown covers. Aside from the front, there is zero markings on the inside front and back covers. The corners are square, and I've noticed that the beginning and ending pages have already started curling a little bit from use. Not a big deal, but something that could easily be avoided by rounding off the corners.

For me, the steno book is equal parts utilitarian and nostalgic. It's fun to see a product from Life that nails both of these traits while also delivering a vastly superior product. Sure, you pay for that quality, but it's amazing. The Gregg ruled version of this notebook is $13, while the grid ruled version is $15. Not the cheapest options, but I'd argue it's correct pricing due to the quality of the materials used. If you just want a cheap steno book that you can use as a scratchpad, this isn't the product for you. But, if you like the aesthetic and form factor of a top-bound A5 notebook with creamy, excellent paper, and retro-branded covers, then this is a great notebook for the money.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Midori Knitted Book Band Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

The Midori Knitted Book Band takes the concept of a notebook cozy to the next level. The books have never been cozier! It looks cute and serves several functions, an achievement I can only aspire to on my best days.

The stretchy sleeve is made from a soft knitted elastic fabric that slides over your notebook like a leg warmer. Both the top and bottom edge are cuffed, creating a capped pocket where you can stash pens, stickers, or even more notebooks. Because the sleeve spans the width of the notebook, and because the fabric is so stretchy, you can fit all kinds of tools in the pocket. On one side, a pen sleeve pocket is stitched into the fabric. Which did not stop me from putting more pens into the rest of the space as well.

The sleeve also serves to hold the notebook shut with the contents safely inside. It's a beefed-up version of the elastic closure bands so many notebooks use, but with much added security. It would be perfect for keeping a writing kit assembled for travel, where the notebook and its pens and accessories are all secure in its cute little sleeping bag.

On the downside, it's secure enough that it's not very convenient to get into the notebook quickly. I wouldn't recommend it for a planner or commonplace book, where you might want to quickly look something up or jot something down. It's much better suited to a project notebook where you'd settle in, unpack your cute little bundle, and work for a while before packing it all back up again. I can see it working well for a reading or gardening journal, or something similar. For me, I've found that adding barriers to using my notebooks often results in me not using the notebook, so it may not be the right tool for me.

The stretchy band is designed to fit A6 to B6 notebooks. I was able to get mine onto an A5 notebook, too, though this would likely permanently stretch out the fabric and it does limit the amount of items that can fit into the pocket when it's at its maximum expansion.

The Midori Knitted Book Band comes in a variety of colors, each with a different ribbed pattern to the fabric, and costs $36.50. I do think that's a little expensive for what you get. It's a very simple design made with fairly basic materials. But it is very cute, and it carries the hallowed Midori brand name, which explains some of the extra cost. In any case, it's still an accessible price and a versatile product.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!