Paw Prints — writing

"Laid paper"? Some of you might be wondering: what on earth is "Laid paper"? Luckily for you, I covered this a while back! Have a look at my post "Laid... or wove?" The Crown Mill writing paper is, as Scrib has also noted, laid paper. Which makes it excellent for graphite lovers, but not so much fun for fountain pen users. The very reason laid paper can be a pain (literally) to write on using a fountain pen is the very reason other pens (and pencils) work so well: it has a texture or 'toothiness' to it. As many of...

I'm know I'm not alone in having my mental health affected by lock down, but in many ways it's surprised me. I'm not known for being a party animal. In fact, my "lock down life" is incredibly similar to my "pre-lock down life". The only differences are not being able to see my Dad in his care home, and missing my knitting group. I maybe had one coffee-date with a friend a month, pre-lock down. You'd think I would be able to take this pandemic in my stride.

I'm trying to write my way out of it. Not my books... they currently lie outside my grasp and trying to write them is more frustrating than healing. No, I'm trying to journal, or write to process my thoughts and feelings.

I'm always in the midst of one or more of: planning a book; writing a book; editing a book. So which notebook would I recommend for any writer, whether they're planning their first book or their twentieth?

To be perfectly honest, probably any notebook could be used to plan and write a book. Well, maybe not pocket-sized ones, unless you're prepared to go through a lot of them! But whether you're at the 'planner' end of the spectrum (a writer who has everything sorted out to the last scene before they start writing) or at the 'pantser' end (the "let's just write it and see where it goes" kind of writer), a notebook with a bit of structure will be an enormous help.

Enter the Page One notebook.

"Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company" - Lord Byron

Should you get the yen for letter-writing in these challenging times (please do! It's a dying art. And it would be good to have less ephemeral records of this time than emails and text messages), Nero's Notes has a selection of great paper for you.