Tera Lopez Vannoy

The heated debate is on whether a writer should use a spiral notebook or a composition book. I am just one voice in the din of many, but I thought I would share my two cents on different notebook styles and what I have found to be my personal preference. 

What I need in a notebook:

Practicality

As a writer, I want something I can easily find, not something I can only find in a specialty store or online. I also need a notebook that actually functions. It cannot just look and feel nice. This notebook will go into my bag, be folded down, and be tossed onto cafe tables, park benches, and desks. I need it to work.

Economical 

If I feel limited by the number of pages I can write, that hesitation will stunt my creativity and potentially my story as a whole. I need to be able to write with abandon, cross out, add to the margins, and even rip out pages if I need to. 

Inspiring

The look and feel of a notebook should excite some creativity and inspire me to write. If the notebook is something from grade school or looks just like everyone else’s notebooks, then there is little motivation to create something new.

Composition Notebooks

Those handy, roughly 5×8 notebooks that bring back memories of old-school days. The marble covers were an inexpressive way to mimic the traditional paper techniques of Europe. The notebooks are easily recognizable by their center-sewn spine reinforced with black tape. 

Spiral Notebooks

What first comes to mind are the Five Star or Mead prime color notebooks, typically 8.5 x 11. Now there are lots of different sizes and colors to choose from. Small or large, a spiral notebook typically has a metal wire binding wound through the pages to act as the spine. The pages inside are often perforated near the binding for easy removal.

I have tried both composition and spiral notebooks, but I have discovered that one serves me better than the other. I prefer composition notebooks and the reasons why were more numerous than I had thought. It is true that they do not lay flat, which means I cannot write on the back pages easily. Even so, the positives outweighed any slight negatives.

1. Economical – I find these notebooks on sale for $.50/each and buy a stack of them
2. Longevity – The sewn binding provides confidence I will not lose any of my pages
3. Size – Consistent and can easily be carted around and later organized on my shelf
4. The Feel – It feels more like a book, which brings me joy
5. Inspiration – I found a way to change the covers to my liking and style

I do use spiral notebooks on occasion, but the composition notebooks have won me over, especially after I found a way to alter the covers. I found that contact paper was an easy way to customize my notebooks. I tried different styles and brands, but what I needed was consistency.

In the end, I found what works for me. With a little decorating and keeping an eye out for sales, I now know which notebook works for me.

What is your preference, spiral or composition notebook, and why? Do you have any decorating tips that you would like to share?