How to Start a Commonplace Book (2024)

[@Carsonial]

What ideas do you have for a commonplace book? Leave a comment and let me know!

[@plantrackjournall2437]

I like keeping new vocabulary words, their definitions, and where I saw the word (book, article, tv, etc.) in my commonplace book. Also, cleaning hacks and recommended articles and books for current interests.

[@Carsonial]

That’s cool!

[@kathyfannon7563]

My dad was always an underliner and highlighter, and wrote notes in the margins of his books. I have a few of them and treasure them so I can see what was important to him as he read. I don't think he ever thought of a commonplace book, but what a treasure that would be to have a book like that filled with his handwriting!

[@Carsonial]

Glad you have those books! Very special indeed.

[@jseymour84]

I like to keep topical commonplace books, for example, a commonplace book dealing with stock option trading, one with Bible verses, and one with Christian topics. I also keep pocket notebooks as catchall notebooks, which I then transfer into the appropriate commonplace book. The only struggle I have with commonplace books is that I worry about being able to find a particular quote especially once the book gets close to full.

[@Carsonial]

Ya, I've thought about that too. I usually put a little star next to the quotes I know I'll want to reference in the future within the commonplace book.

[@abbaschild2499]

Great post. Your legacy is your written history in the commonplace book and in your journals. You know, I was thinking, it would also be a useful resource to have a 3rd book, which would be a timeline of important world and personal events so that I wouldn't have to dig through all of my journals to recall when something happened. This could be one page per month with a 1-2 line entry for each day. This book would stay with me every year going forward, even though I've packed all of my bullet journals away. Think I'll give it a try. TFS!

[@Carsonial]

Hey that’s a pretty nice idea!

[@CM-ey6qy]

You convinced me! I always underline in my books, now I need a notebook!😀 I wish I’d done this sooner, I’m almost 60, a little late to start.

[@Carsonial]

Never too late!

[@debreale5236]

Great idea, and I really like how you execute it!

[@Carsonial]

Thanks!

[@adrianocosta2112]

Nice ideas. Currently I am using a composition notebook as a commonplace book. However, in addition to notes from books like the Bible and others, I also write my medical school notes. In the next CPB, I'm thinking of using a larger Moleskine (400pgs) as a commonplace book. But maybe only with notes from books that are not related to College. What about your commonplace book index? I make mine by dates and subjects on the last pages of the notebook. Quite different from the index used in bullet journaling. 🇧🇷👍🏻

[@Carsonial]

Nice! Yes, index in front with book/page reference.

[@terryphillips3548]

I began my CPB in 1992, in an ordinary notebook. As time went by I found I needed an INDEX, so I created another in a very small notebook, linking in the pages. (e.g. Shakespeare Julius Caesar, pp 8, 10.). Then along came Microsoft WORD. So, quotation by quotation, I copied all my entries into a WORD document. This made indexing redundant because now I can use the search facility to find the entry I am looking for. I am still keeping my CPB going.

[@Carsonial]

Awesome!

[@smarien]

Great idea! I need to start one!

[@Carsonial]

Go for it!

[@rmangold]

Hey brother - dig what I've seen so far and have been on a quest to maintain a journal of my own daily thoughts and I have been interspersing others thought along side mine. The explosion of common place books has been something I want to begin for the reasons you state. The only things I'd add are an index (like a Bujo) at the beginning, add page numbers along with the quotes so you can go back and perhaps reference in the book for further details. Another thing I've seen is creating keywords or highlight colors for quick visual on quotes that may revolve around certain subjects. Thanks for the content and for the insight! Blessings!

[@Carsonial]

thanks! yessir I added an index at the front with the books and page numbers since the leuchtturm had it built in, forgot to show on video. I like the highlight idea!

[@ToyaWindsor]

Wow this is awesome, so many times i underline thinking i will remember this ,,NOPE, thank you for sharing!!!!!

[@Carsonial]

You are so welcome!

[@aronbodoh6139]

Thanks, you are an inspiration!

[@Carsonial]

Wow, thank you!

[@autumnisntavailable4009]

This was very interesting, thank you!

[@Carsonial]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Hannah-cm7zt]

Cool!

[@Carsonial]

Thanks!

[@thepostgradyear]

I'm very impressed by your dedication! but if it's simply 100 books in one and you want to pass them on: I'm surprised you handwrite the stuff twice rather than typing it out and then printing the second version as this will allow you to print it multiple times and also give both a digital and a physical copy to your kids as they get older or you aren't around anymore although of course the same goal can be achieved by simply taking a picture of each page of the commonplace book you just finished so I'm basically just here to cause problems lol great job keeping the video short and easily accessible!

[@Carsonial]

Thank you! Yes I'm pretty old school, love pen & paper, just something about it...

[@thepostgradyear]

@@Carsonial a reply in under 20 minutes? you're on another level haha the permanence feels great! the pressure the pen puts on the page, that over time will affect the other side of the page as well, and add an additional physical alteration to reality, all done under your own power... one of my favorites is the noise of the old used pages as they get flipped through like a deck of playing cards but that's not as good as the texture of a page heavily written on and altered time and time again which ends up having a familiar feeling of a place rarely visited and yet part of both past and present memory I hope your son gets to experience the feeling of navigating such a space, even if he somehow doesn't take on your learned experience or distillations best of luck with creating and passing on generational knowledge!