(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)
Even when writing starts to feel like work, which can happen sometimes when the deadlines weigh heavy, the right tools can make it feel like play again. The Paper Mind Cosmo Air Light Notebook is one of those notebooks that is so pleasant to use that it makes you want to write even when you don't want to write. I need those in my life, because I have to want to write even when I don't want to write, know what I mean? This is an essential, and I'm so grateful for tools like this.
This notebook tics a lot of boxes for me. It's elegant and minimal, with a grey woven linen cover. There's minimal branding, with just the Paper Mind name in silver debossing on the lower back cover. The front and spine are completely clean. There's nothing printed inside except for the unimposing light grey 7mm lines.
The cover is hard, which protects the pages nicely and it holds up well after being dragged around in a backpack. The lovely linen color does pick up dirt and smudges, so if you like your notebooks to stay looking pristine, you might want to go for the navy colored blank page option. I like it when my notebooks take on the character of their experiences, so it doesn't bother me when it starts to look used.
There are 176 pages in this book, which means I can write for days, which is good, because I need to be doing exactly that. The Cosmo Air Light paper is fantastic. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you don't like CAL, I do question your taste. Lovingly, but, I don't understand you. The coated paper is the best I've used since we lost our OG Tomoe River. Nothing feathers on it, not even my aggressively juicy Monoc nib, and nothing bleeds through it, not even Sharpie. My pens glide over it, which reduces hand fatigue. It does have a long dry time, but this notebook comes with a crisp sheet of blotting paper, so problem solved. It shows off ink colors and sheen better than any other paper in my current collection.
If you REALLY don't like Cosmo Air Light paper, Paper Mind also makes notebooks with Tomoe River paper and Bank paper -- so you can still get the same elegant look and excellent construction with great paper that's to your preference.
This notebook sells for $29, which is reasonable. I can daydream about the good old days when I could get 400 pages of bound old-school Tomoe River paper for $25 all I want--but those days are years behind us. For this many pages of good quality paper in a great cover, this notebook is now a staple in my pantry.
(The Paper Mind provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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