Commonplace Books

How to Keep a Commonplace book?
I've been keeping a commonplace book for the last 15 years and at the beginning of my journey I've made many mistakes. In this video I share some practical tips on how you can keep a commonplace book, so you can avoid making the same mistakes that I used to.
0:00 Commonplace Books
0:45 How to Choose a Common Place Notebook
3:15 The Mindset of 'Commonplacers'
5:22 How to Keep a Commonplace book (tips)
9:15 Don't Make This Mistake
10:20 Create Table of Contents
11:59 Name Your Commonplace books
12:58 Number Your Notebooks
13:56 Source of Creativity!
Here are some notebooks & pens I use:
Moleskine (standard) - amzn.to/3BeSkCj
Leuchtturm1917 (softcover) for fountain pens - amzn.to/3uv287L
Lamy fountain pen - amzn.to/3BiGwiL
Note: Choose a notebook you find pleasant to hold in your hands. I personally love Leuchtturm ones. The way they feel and how easy it is to use a fountain pen with them.
#commonplacebooks #commonplacebookideas #startingacommonplacebook #commonplacebooktips

[@VashikArmenikus]

🚨 More Journaling Advice on my Patreon 👉 patreon.com/armenikus

[@susanstinson]

I am a novelist. I've been keeping journals forever, but so disorganized. I love this! Thank you.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you Susan! :)

[@vectormuc4791]

I'm a student and it's very hard to keep my thoughts and random ideas in a safe spot so I can remember them. Thank You Vashik

[@VashikArmenikus]

I am so glad this was helpful! :) My common place books saved me when I was writing my Master's thesis at uni. What other topics / tips you would like me to explore on this channel? :)

[@jamieurbain7422]

Thank you for sharing your format instead of just saying, “it’s a personal choice.”

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank YOU for leaving a lovely comment! :) I know, some people in their posts say 'It's a personal choice' and leave the viewer/reader with no applicable tips on how to actually keep a commonplace book

[@a.katherinesuetterlin3028]

​@@VashikArmenikus I have a love/hate relationship with rules. Part of my personality and brain craves guidelines and other such boundaries, and the other part rebels like a French revolutionary about to behead the king. 😂 Just the word "commonplace" makes me think "but the way I think is so **not** commonplace." 😂 I have the same reaction to other similar phrasing/titles that describe how a particular type of journal system "should be" used. And there is the crux of it: the "shoulds," the "ought to do/must do's." I rebel like mad at those kinds of things because I've had all kinds of arbitrary rules shoved down my throat like the worst-tasting medicine ever. Buuut...my writing/journal-loving side craves being able to organize her thoughts, especially as I do have creative ideas that I can foresee being potentially lucrative ventures. I hope all that made sense. I am on the high-functioning neurodivergent side of life, and I figure there has to be others like me who might benefit from the "commonplace" concept of journaling, but their brain wiring and personality rebel like anything at the wording, rules of commonplace books, etc. Because there are times I feel like indexing and taking inventory, and there are times where I just wanna say "f*** that! Not in the mood to do all that. 🤣🤣" I can't be the only one who's like this...😅

[@roberthowe7857]

@@a.katherinesuetterlin3028 Yes, I express this by making notes, then never reading them, which of course defeats the purpose. I don't know why I do this.

[@a.katherinesuetterlin3028]

@@roberthowe7857 Maybe, as I said before, it's down to having someone else dictate how one does things, and how often we do them, to the point where your brain and soul say "Says who and what army?" We may be social creatures, but that doesn't mean we don't deserve some sense of personal agency. 😅

[@hindenburg2006]

Labeling the top of the page in that manner is an invaluable tip - thanks!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kittyvu5045]

Great pronunciation of Leuchtturm! Also, great video :)

[@VashikArmenikus]

Yay! I pronounced it correctly! haha! I practiced it several times before recording :)

[@scottjones8100]

Vashik, I found your channel quite recently and have watched about a half dozen videos. Your work is outstanding. You deserve to have 660,000 subscribers in my view! Please stay encouraged--the breadth of your reading, depth of your thoughts and quality of your work is evident in what you do!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much for your lovely and kind words Scott! :) Comments like yours motivate me enormously! Let me know if there are topics you would like me to explore on this channel!

[@heavyhorse01]

Thank you. This is the clearest presentation on Commonplace Books I have seen so far, and you helped me understand a great deal with greater clarity.

[@Yesica1993]

I am not at a point where I am ready to start a commonplace book, but I do love learning about it. I had never even heard this term until a couple of years ago. Thanks for all this information. I hope you are able to move forward with your novel as well.

[@mpk_666]

10:22 I'd also add page numbers and a "continued from" and "continued to attribute". For even easier foolproof reference. If you name your books with acronyms, like Common Placr Book - CPB 1, JOURNAL - J1, etc, you can refer any page on any of your books in other books. Edit: Oh man. You have already said that in your video

[@1967dragonaxe]

If you have a page numbered notebook, you could use the bujo method of page threading, to aid finding a single topic across dispersed pages

[@3jhe]

Your video is so well done! I love the lighting. I love your voice and elocution. I love the absence of music. And most of all, I love your ideas. Please please continue!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much for you warm and kind words! It's so inspiring to read comments like this :)

[@annharper8342]

I keep mine in a clear zip loc or silicon bag. Protected ,dry from weather and easy to put in larger ,eg knapsack or purse etc, or just carry in your hand. Good presentation. Thank you😊

[@californianorma876]

Nice!

[@cccc7098]

smart

[@elizabethwalker2051]

For those who like using fountain pens, you may want to try this ink: Noodler’s Ink. I have found it to be quite good even on many poor quality papers.

[@carolewatkins1171]

I just found your videos. I’m so grateful because even though I’ve journaled for many years, I’ve recently been resisting writing. I now see my style of journaling is in need of a change, a boost! Your videos are offering me many new ideas to explore. I’m excited to write again.

[@JosephDickson]

I use threading in my daily log. Some weeks I'll not pick up a book. Next to my notes on a book I'll place the page number of the preceding notes for that book. Then add the next number to the previous set. Google Bullet Journal threading. 😉

[@angieful]

Really love the idea of having a dual mindset! Helpful tip to filter what is important enough to you to capture in your commonplace book versus having a reference pocketbook.

[@untitled_paintings]

This was really lovely and informative. I use my Traveler’s Notebook as a commonplace book and have been tagging my entries based on the topic with a system of coloured sticker dots, which has really helped keeping things neat, organised and easy to refer back to! It’s always interesting to see how others use they own books ^^

[@hezvandermeij]

This is a very good idea! I was struggling a little with how to index, but this is smart

[@fmccuu]

Excellent and insightful. Thank you for this lecture.

[@khalilkhalifa1853]

Great ideas to be considered . I still have difficulties how to organize my reading activities 👍

[@davemrgrumpypants]

Thank you for showing us your system. I appreciate your time to create your video!

[@guillermoarvizu1723]

Just started my Commonplace book today! thank you for this! Regards from Phoenix AZ

[@debojyotibanerjee2832]

Can you please make a video on how to write notes from novels ?

[@VashikArmenikus]

Hi, I do have this video where I epxlore the topic - kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2WwfJ2peZZ8qLc But it's a good suggestion, I might record a video about that :)

[@catalinav4930]

Loved the video, not too long, interesting and on the subject. You’ve got a new subscriber! :)

[@CeliaAWhite]

Great video. I am really glad I found your channel.

[@chrislanders9163]

This is a great video! Looking forward to watching the rest.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much! :)

[@RachelleinTheory]

I love what you have to say about organizing the page so that it's quick to reference afterwards. Thank you for the vid!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you Rachelle! :) You've got a lovely channel!

[@RachelleinTheory]

@@VashikArmenikus Thank you!!!!!

[@rochelledel74]

Brilliant video. I want to start doing this in 2023. I have been making notes in a very disorganized way but your system seems simple and easy way to keep everything organized. I have seen people set up a notecard system which seems way to complicated. Thanks for the video✌

[@VashikArmenikus]

Yes, notecard system was complicated for me as well. I've tried practicing them, but ... never worked. Created even more chaos. :) That's when I turned to Commonplace books :)

[@se7en952]

thank you for being so in-depth about this topic 🤍

[@VashikArmenikus]

You're very welcome! So glad this was helpful! :) Let me know if there is anything in particular you would like me to cover in the future videos!

[@RafaelToscano]

You answered all my questions in the exact order they came in my mind 😂 first, I thought: ok, what if I read more than one book? You answer it at 09:14. Then, how to navigate (ie. Find/recall things), 10:47. Very good!

[@TheGreatestHeroEver]

amazing video! Thank you!

[@a2hackboy]

Thanks for the video, I was looking for something like this

[@LoverCandy02]

THank you for this, i'm starting one for the first time and it kind of daunting.

[@VashikArmenikus]

I am so glad this video was useful! ❤️let me know if you have other questions you would like me to cover on my channel?

[@candacehardy100]

A great explanation of what a common place notebook is, and how and why to use one. Thank you.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you Candace, I am so glad it was helpful. :)

[@hannahmathilda7101]

This information is splendid. Thank you, Vashik

[@VashikArmenikus]

You're very welcome Hannah! Welcome to my channel :) Excited to ahve you here!

[@californianorma876]

I have a lot of random thoughts, and I've been struggling with buying notebooks and using them and remembering which one has what in it. I really really like this system and I can see how I might modify it for myself too. Thank you so much! Great THINKING 🫵🏽👍🏽😎😁👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@marinawilkinson5840]

Excellent advice. Thanks so much.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you for your kind comment! I am so glad it was useful :)

[@flowergirl52]

This was excellent thank you!

[@VashikArmenikus]

You're very welcome! :)

[@BethTheAdorkable]

This is so very helpful! Thank you!!!

[@VashikArmenikus]

I am so glad! :) Thank you for your kind comment!

[@outoftheforest7652]

I have been doing Bullet Journaling sinc aroune 2015?? thereabouts? but I have ADHD and while I still record stuff there.. I recently discovered OBSIDIAN and noticed I wrote a LOT more electronically . I did journal by hand but recently I wanted to capture stuff to write a memoir.. so OBSIDIAN honestly helps me more with tracking that stuff. I believe in ANALOG a lot but ADHD can make that challenging.

[@VashikArmenikus]

That's interesting to hear! I tried using Obsidian but it seemed a bit complicated for me to start with, but I tried Remnote and it seems perfect for my habits. Would love to see your Obsidian set up!

[@cinereo_argento]

Am using Obsidian as well!

[@CharlotteRKO1]

Fantastic video and great tips. Thank you 🙏

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you :)

[@Talkin-fr0g]

Definitely wouldn’t work for mine personally, as my book/reading notes are separate my from commonplace- my commonplace stores facts and quotes I find randomly. With the age of the internet you can find all kinds of interesting stuff

[@vermiliontyrant6366]

Such a great indepth overview of common place books, I've been researching videos and this one had it all, thanks.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you much for your kind words! I am so glad this video was helpful! Have you already started keeping one? :)

[@johnnyboy2674]

Thank you for the video. I will try my first commonplace notebook asap. I hope your Novel ram more smoothly. I will be visiting more of your videos

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much Johny! Keeping a commonplace book changed my life (in a extraordinarily good way).

[@xerosolar307]

This was incredibly useful, good luck with your novel! :)

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much :) The novel is taking a break haha, waiting for my Muse to come back.

[@pablodavidtumaxmorales2926]

thank you sr. you are really a gentleman

[@guillermoarvizu1723]

For index, I'm thinking in using John Locke’s Method, but not sure that in future, I will be able to remember how I named the content, that's why I think that just using a normal index could be less confusing

[@VashikArmenikus]

Could you, please, send me a link to John Locke method? Would love to check it out?

[@johndeem1978]

Thanks!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you John! ❤️

[@maryh2237]

Thank you vashik.

[@VashikArmenikus]

You’re welcome Mary! I am glad it was helpful!

[@peterbylindrums]

Great video ! Thanks ! I’m going to start journaling and I really can’t decide to go with a blanc notebook or one with lines for notes or if I need to sketch something..What’s your preference..? Thanks again ! /P.

[@VashikArmenikus]

I prefer ruled notebooks for my journals and plain ones for my common place books. Ruled notebooks are perfect for organising thoughts, while plain ones are good at giving you freedom to be creative with how your organise them. :) Hope this helps and thank you for your warm words Peter!

[@Geemeel1]

thank you so much , very helpful , greeting from Europe ✨

[@VashikArmenikus]

You're very welcome, let me know what topics you would like me to make videos on, would love to cover them on my channel :)

[@Geemeel1]

@@VashikArmenikus maybe you can consider making a vid on how to apply some of your favorites on modern day life , how will we hold on to this knowledge while ChatGPT is bombarding us with AI.... thanks you 💞

[@Veronika.1]

That´s perfect! Can you follow up on this video or maybe share your commonplace book journey! 🙏🍀 I am getting in, out and back and I have problem to find the things I recordwd few years ago…

[@Veronika.1]

I mean I do record where are the excerpts from. But sometimes really interesting idea is burried in the book you did not imagine it to be in. And then when I am looking for the idea I do not know where to look 🫣.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thanks for tip! Will do a video like that! Thank you Veronika, if you have more suggestions feel free to drop me a message on Instagram I am there @armenikus

[@KG-dn4xh]

your channel is very inspiring!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much and welcome to this little corner! :) what are some of your favourite books? Would love to know!

[@user-te7zz8mv3x]

thanks for your ideas … i have tried so many different methods but have not found a good way to track my notes! one thing though … if trying to collect evidence as a lawyer, then the source is critical, so the author and the published year are important. i suppose those facts could be added once at the first entry!

[@VashikArmenikus]

I agree! I think each commonplace book is different from one another. Plus, each entry requires a slightly different navigation points. Being flexible, following some rules but being prepared to bend them when necessary is also important. :)

[@lanalanablx]

loved the video, the part about Erasmus of Rotterdam was a fun little fact, makes me wonder if it is the same Erasmus that enspired the creation of the Erasmus+ grant etc

[@VashikArmenikus]

You’re absolutely correct! It’s the same Erasmus of Rotterdam :) I wanted to mention that but then thought it would be too digressive 😊

[@douloureux.]

Yes, it’s all the same Erasmus. Also of the bridge

[@corinvalir7020]

New subscriber here. Thanks so much for this idea!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Hello Corin! Welcome to my channel and to a community of curious nerds! I am so glad you've found this video helpful! Let me know if there are other topics you would like me to explore here :)

[@mohammadkamelan1047]

Thanks for the video. What size is your commonplace books?

[@VashikArmenikus]

Hello Mohammad! Thank you for lovely words! Currently, I use ruled A5 Leuchtturm 1917 notebook. 😊

[@Paacrodrigues]

amei seu video :)

[@nrickson]

very helpful? Thanks for sharing.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you Ann! :)

[@INDIANXxhgpp9907]

aug/25/2023- 10:30 index pointing sep/8)2023/-- 3:40english poet john donne 8:00 header , index 10:20 how you navigate in the forest . with a compass, table of content

[@laurenm3148]

I'm also currently reading Super-Infinite!

[@VashikArmenikus]

How are you finding it? I think Katherine Rundell is such a great writer!

[@laurenm3148]

@@VashikArmenikus I think it is fantastic and the writing is so beautiful and brings everything to life so vividly. Love!

[@takobeyz]

thank you for this video! It helped me a lot! I'm 28 years old and unfortunately I've just discovered commonplace books and began keeping it. What do you think about writing down the things on a digital medium?

[@VashikArmenikus]

It depends on a person. I spend so much time on my laptop and phone, that I prefer keeping my notes in a notebook. Although, for some of my projects (including my KZbin channel videos) I use RemNote. I also started digitazing my old notebooks which I wrote 10 years ago. In sum: if you're just beginning and want to remember what you read analogue notebook is the best, but if you've already 10 notebooks on the shelf then it is worth digitzing them

[@californianorma876]

I heard recently, in support of my rabbid 🙄 notetaking habits, that the brain processes the information when you write the note, so it's more likely to stick in your memory. If that's not an issue, then digital might be your choice. I know I can remember something once I write it down with my hand. 😇

[@army_dreamer_8088]

Hi Vashik, how can you use completed commonplace notebooks as a source of inspiration?

[@andreiadetavora8471]

Great video!! We have a similar system :)

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you for your kind words! What your system is like? :) Any additional tips that I might have missed?:)

[@kandywestmoreland5164]

Great video. Thanks. The Leuchtturm1917 labels included but I can’t get them to stick, even with a glue stick. Does anyone know how to use them?

[@VashikArmenikus]

I'm still using primitive pen eraser fluid :)

[@singingsanja167]

I secure the labels on the spines of my notebooks with cellotape or a bit of clear adhesive foil. ;-) Not stylish, but functional - and when you use the matte tapes like Scotch, it's practically invisible. 🤗

[@kandywestmoreland5164]

@@VashikArmenikus thank you

[@kandywestmoreland5164]

@@singingsanja167 thank you

[@manorta9919]

OMG , I read needed this … thank you so much Do you think it’s too late for me now as 24 yo ?

[@VashikArmenikus]

Absolutely not! There are no age limits to this. Imagine starting it now, at the age of 24, by 27 you will have enormous amount of references, let alone by the age of 30! So, it's time to begin!. You might have heard this: The fist best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago, the second best time is now. :)

[@JB-mm4jp]

Leuchtturm does bleed through a bit and it does ghost. I use them a lot but they also have their failings.

[@rahulthakur-vs5vt]

Which size notebook is best in your opinion?

[@VashikArmenikus]

Mine is A5. I prefer that one mainly because it's hardcover, but some of my friends prefer larger formats :)

[@Marizeye]

I wish I had ideas worth writing down, as I find the concept fascinating, but I just don't!

[@carmenM-ey6qy]

Same, I have a Bible study journal, but I’d like to put something different into a common place a book. Not sure what.

[@cthoadmin7458]

Are there any Commonplace book computer applications you would recommend, or wouldn't you go down this path?

[@VashikArmenikus]

I personally also use RemNote. I think nothing can compare with keeping a notebook, but in certain cases digital common place book can be helpful too.

[@_pernille_]

Notion or OneNote. 😊

[@arethovisky]

I had a leuchtrum and the pages dismantled in 3 months of use 😭

[@VashikArmenikus]

I've been lucky so far with mine :) What have you switched to? Is it Moleskine or some other brand? :) I am a stationery nerd :D haha

[@singingsanja167]

That must have been really bad luck. I have been using them for more than 8 years now, use 4 to 5 per year, and they last beautifully. So sorry yours fell apart, they are quite expensive, and that should be reflected in the quality. 😑

[@bluestar.8938]

I thought 'commonplace books' went back to Aristotle?