All Hail the Pocket Notebook

I love shiny, electronic things—particularly if they bear a certain fruit-based logo emblazoned upon them. However, there is something deeply satisfying—even visceral—about scribing (not merely jotting) my thoughts into a notebook (preferably with a decent pencil).

I’ve been a faithful adherent of the Bullet Journal Method for several years. I love the simplicity and analogue nature of the system. There is one big flaw in the method, though: you buy just one decent-sized notebook a year.

The other problem with a decent-sized notebook (something like an A5 or larger Moleskine) is that they are not wildly portable. If I’m walking the dog or at large in town moving mysteriously and heroically I’m unlikely to take it with me.

Enter the humble pocket notebook.

Pocket notebooks—unsurprisingly—fit in your pocket and you can take them literally anywhere. I suspect the only time I leave home without one is when I’m out running. Before Covid I’d made a conscious effort to get out and attend more local networking and business events. Clearly a decent pocket notebook is perfect for such events.

Enter the rather marvellous Nero’s Notes.

Nero’s Notes is a UK-based store which sells all manner of notebooks, pencils and related ephemera. I will—no doubt—bore you with my love of Blackwing pencils in the near future. But for now, lets just say that in the last 18 months I have discovered a deep and abiding love for pocket notebooks. Some are literal works of art (Field Note’s new Underland LE series or Snowy Eveningspring to mind). Others seem comprised of witchcraft and sorcery—Pebble's Tomoe River paper is simply amazing. Blackwing do a lovely line of notebooks as do Norderly.

The really great thing about a pocket notebook? I get to pick a new one each month. Each book only has 48 pages (or thereabouts) and my slightly modified bullet journal system effectively fills a notebook every month.

Hooray.

All hail the pocket notebook.

(Remember: I don’t do affiliate links; there are none in this article.)