Commonplace Books - Part 2

Commonplace books are versatile and creative outlets that have seen a resurgence in popularity. (For a refresher on what a commonplace book is and why it has resurged, please see my March 14th post on Commonplace Books - Part 1). If you search for “commonplace books” on YouTube, you’ll find numerous videos, many with thousands or evenmillions of views.

Starting one of these can be as simple or involved as you would like. There are no hard and fast rules.

First, think about what knowledge you would like to record. Plants? Movies? Quotes? Recipes? News events? Your day? A combination of topics? Whatever grabs your attention, sparks your passion, or holds value to you can become the genesis of your commonplace book.

Then consider how you’d like to organize that information. Traditionally, you divide the book into sections, creatingheadings for different topics. For example, if you want to keep a commonplace book on plants and recipes, you would divide the book into two sections and label the start of each section with those topics. You could also create subheadings under each section—for instance, “sugar-free” or “peanut-free” as categories under recipes. Alternatively, you can organize it chronologically, dividing it by month, or use multiple notebooks, each dedicated to a specific topic.

You can also incorporate a color-coded key for your topics to help you quickly locate relevant information. Another option is to sort by medium—Facebook, Instagram, books, or articles—again using a color keying system.

When it comes to the individual pages, you can become more detailed and create a template for each page. This can include:

• Header (title/theme)

• Metadata (date, source type, author/creator)

• Content (quotes, summary of ideas, interesting information)

• Reflection (personal notes, connections)

• Tags/Keywords (use for sorting into categories)

Additionally, you can keep a few pages in the front or back of your commonplace book to develop a table of contents (tip: do this in pencil until you have a system firmly set).

Last but not least, gather the materials you need and want. Obviously, a notebook or three ring binder is among the most two popular options. This doesn't need to be expensive; it can have lines or be blank. When you are evaluating which one to use, think about its size, weight, and whether you want to carry this book every day or keep it at home. You can also add stickers, clippings, pictures, and tabs for aesthetics and to enhance the learning experience. For writing tools, pens, gel pens, Sharpies, and fine-tip markers are all great choices.

You are now ready to begin building your commonplace book:

• To avoid overwhelming yourself, start small and keep your expectations realistic. It is okay to be messy - that is part of the creative process and discovering what works for you.

• Make it part of your routine whether it is daily or weekly.Ideally, you should keep you commonplace book with you as much as possible so you can capture information on the fly. Another possibility is to take pictures or screehshots on your phone, and when you get home, transfer them to your book.

• Make it fun! Again, it is a creative, personal practice. Whether you want to work in silence, outdoors, or with your iPods in your ears, make it comfortable and make it your own.

• Get a buddy. Share your resources, whether online or physical (bookstores, videos, templates, articles), and exchange ideas and tips.

• Don't give up! Even if you miss days or weeks (life gets busy, and that happens), return to it when you can. Read what you have collected to help inspire you to keep going.

If keeping a physical commonplace book doesn't fit for you, know you can create a digital version. Pinterest, blogs, notes on your phone or creating folders that you keep in your Google drive are all options. The same methods in organizing a physical book transfer to digital easily.

As you work on your commonplace book, you will likely become more aware of your surroundings, catching words and fragments of dialogue that align with your pursuit of knowledge.

And if you’re anything like me, you may realize you’ve been keeping a commonplace book all along without ever calling it that. In my high school years and early marriage, I kept a spiral notebook filled with quotes that moved me and articles I clipped because they resonated with me. Looking back, I can see my first commonplace book is a reminder that the practice is less about perfection and more about preserving the ideas that shape us.

Pages from my commonplace book circa 1990's