The Best Notebooks for Journaling 

In a recent article, I wrote about the joys of using a favorite fountain pen for journaling, and this companion article will show you how to choose a notebook to go along with your new pen. I'll guide you in selecting a fountain pen-friendly notebook that ranks among the best notebooks for journaling in the world. You can find my article on choosing a fountain pen here. 

Fred Astair needed Ginger Rogers to create the most amazing dance routines in the world of classic movies, and your special fountain pen needs an outstanding journal to go along with it. So please exercise care in selecting a worthy journal. 

How to Use Your Journaling Notebook

woman journalingJournaling can be a relaxing and rewarding way of exploring your inner thoughts and feelings (Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash)

How to get Started Journaling 

Once you've chosen a notebook, preferably one of the best notebooks for journaling, it's easy to get started. Journaling is like talking with yourself--your inner self--and tapping into your deepest reservoirs of wisdom. I recommend writing whatever pops into your mind, without editing it, and I suggest writing in a quiet place where you can have a bit of privacy. I like to write in my study or den or a dimly lit room where it is easy to concentrate. After I eliminate distractions, I take a few deep breaths, close my eyes and relax my body from head to toe before I begin writing. 

You can use a progressive relaxation technique or anything that makes you relax and let go of the day's busy thoughts and distress. Do take a few deep breaths and let all your inner busy talk go, before you begin to write in your journal. Clear your mind, as best you can, letting go of your mental clutter and clatter.

Then, when inspiration strikes, dive in! 

Just start writing about whatever bubbles up from the unconscious, or whatever seems to be seeking your attention, or anything you want to deal with that you've been thinking about. You may write about a beautiful butterfly you saw on a walk, or you may tackle a problem or concern that is important to you. For years, I have prescribed the practice of journaling to my psychotherapy clients to help them express their deepest emotions by getting them on paper. And having a feel-good notebook to write in is most helpful.  

Fountain Pens work Great for Journaling

The pen you use for journaling can be any pen you like, but I recommend writing with a fountain pen or a roller ball because they are so much fun to use, and they allow for a great deal of creativity. Also, I suggest selecting a pen that looks and feels good in your hand--a pen that writes smoothly and easily, a pen you love to use so much, it makes you want to write even more.

And that brings us to the importance of using a suitable notebook. Yeah, it helps if you like the notebook, and the way it looks or makes you feel. 

Notebooks for Journaling

Journaling notebooks need to have paper that is suitable for fountain pens--a good quality stock for making doodles and sketches and jotting down your personal observations, thoughts and feelings. A quality paper will be of proper weight and hue to show off your fountain pen ink (I like to buy ink in my favorite colors). Now let's talk about the most important aspects of a good, solid fountain pen paper.   

A fountain pen and notebookSelect pen and paper you like, and you'll find yourself journaling more often Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

The Best Notebooks for Journaling: How to Choose

Fountain pens tend to write with a heavier line than ballpoint pens and need a heavier paper for smooth writing, so a good journaling notebook must be well constructed with reasonably thick paper. A fountain-pen friendly notebook will have a hefty weight and feel. Remember to buy one of the best notebooks for journaling so your experience turns out to be delightful and rewarding and your fountain pen glides across the paper. 

Some of my personal favorites are Leuchtturm, Mnemosyne, Paperage, and Rhodia notebooks. I like writing on Tomoe River paper, too. For a small, leatherbound notebook you can put in your pocket, I like Cross.  

You can choose among standard, ring or refillable notebooks, and there are different colors and sizes available to fit almost any taste. Do select fountain pen-friendly paper, such as Tomoe River S Paper, which showcases fountain pen ink beautifully, Rhodia or Clairefontaine paper. Try to find a texture you like, along with a paper that reduces feathering and bleedthrough. Good places to find your notebooks are Pen Savings, Pen Chalet and Amazon. 

There is some show through with the Tomoe River S Paper, but it is light (52 gsm) and silky. If you want a heavier paper, try a 75 gsm or 90 gsm paper, or go with one over 100 gsm. You'll find that selecting among the best notebooks for journaling will pay off in the end by giving you a most satisfactory journaling experience. 

A Word about Ink

What about ink? This is a big subject, but I'll keep it brief for the purposes of this article. Fountain pen ink will go into a converter that fits inside the pen, and you can use any color you want, but I'd suggest choosing among the best inks available because they will prevent clogging and other problems. My favorite is Private Reserve Infinity ink because it resists drying and makes it easier for you to use your fountain pens; it's a premium type of ink that exhibits excellent color saturation and is so vivid it just pops off the page. Other excellent inks are Parker, Sheaffer, Pilot, Ostrich, J. Herbin, Monteverde, Noodlers, Pilot Iroshizuku, Conklin, Pelikan and Diamine.

Pen and Paper 

Now you have an idea as to how to shop for a good notebook to go along with your new fountain pen. If you missed the article on choosing a fountain pen for journaling, you can find it here.

Sometimes writing in a trusty journal can help you to think more clearly, know yourself better or help you to make important decisions. It always makes me feel better, too. There is just something rewarding about sitting down and writing about your thoughts, feelings and ideas, and it's such a good way of making plans for the future, or for working through conflicting emotions or troublesome burdens. 

Investing a few dollars in a good fountain pen and notebook will get your journaling practrice off to a good start!