how (& why) to start a commonplace book

[@RubyGranger8]

My skillshare class goes live on Monday by the way, for people who are a little confused! 📖

[@melodie0987]

Will you post a link when it is live, Ruby? I’m new to Skillshare! I signed up for your class. I keep a book of quotations and a book of words to learn… common placing sounds like a better way to organize going forward.

[@ObstinateHeadstrongGirl]

I was wondering because I followed your link and couldn't find it.

[@m.e.3614]

Yes, please do share a link. Looking forward to it Ruby! I signed up. I just love when you add content like this, where you share your tips on how you learn, stay organized, plan, etc. So lovely how you think and work. 🙂

[@druip-u2m]

Yes a link please!

[@nightowl334]

Would love a link!

[@justanotherpiccplayer3511]

Worked out that this is why my dad has like 7 notebooks everywhere all the time. I read one of them thinking it was a diary and he’d written a date and a quote from me when I told him a fun fact and it was so wholesome 😭🥰 I have always admired how my dad is so curious and strive to be like that in my life, I refuse to let adulthood kick it out of me!!

[@RubyGranger8]

Wait that's so lovely oh my goodness! Your dad sounds like someone to learn from x

[@justanotherpiccplayer3511]

@@RubyGranger8literally just asked him if he knew what a commonplace book is and he had no idea 😂

[@elitestarquake3597]

@@justanotherpiccplayer3511Well, I hope he wrote down what a commonplace book is in one of his commonplace books. 😊

[@Shmyrk]

Why’d this almost make my cry? As a young father who also does this, I dream of my daughter and son opening one of my notebooks one day to a quote by them, or a passage about how much they mean to me

[@Shmyrk]

Also I think most people don’t know what a commonplace book is, but still keep one, nonetheless. That’s how I was, but finding out about the literal practice of it has allowed me to be more concise in the practice. Maybe you could show him a vid?

[@UmaimahX]

HER TONE IS JUST SO...calming?

[@UmaimahX]

there is beauty in it...

[@nfj72]

​@@LANCSKIDdon't watch then it's simple

[@lenaj8379]

yeah I imagine her being a super good Asmrtist hehe... :) So Ruby if you ever need anoooother side hustle :D

[@SharonTateFan67]

​@@lenaj8379I watch Ruby's channel mainly for the asmr quality of her uploads, I love the way she speaks. If memory serves she did do an asmr video a few years back.

[@euphoriaya]

@@LANCSKID why are you being such a hater man this isn't instagram reels

[@sidsm3978]

I've been doing this for ages. i didn't know it was called common place books. as an aspiring writer and book lover common place books have helped me, it's like pinterest, only analog. thanks for making these kinds of videos. your excitement is contagious.

[@RubyGranger8]

I ADORE that comparison! Analogue Pinterest! What a wonderful way of putting it!

[@agl5132]

As a writer myself I agree. I've been doing this forever. I also have separate books for quotes, book ideas etc. After my commonplace book is full I go through it and transfer the things I still love to the other books to keep in my reference section.

[@tonyblake8926]

"When I stress the importance of memorisation, it's not about rote memorisation or reciting something for the sake of reciting it. But rather, if you know it then you can apply it, and you can talk about it, and that's the value of memorisation" I'm constantly trying to express this to my students and yo express it so eloquently! This quote is going straight into my commonplace book 😃

[@mondblumenlicht736]

As a german I love hearing english people say "Leuchtturm". It's always so wrong but brightens my day.

[@larajackson239]

And it happens so often when you watch study or sketchbook vids as well :D

[@stevecarter8810]

She got the first vowel right though, right?

[@NYLeafy.V]

When I was in Germany I asked a local how to pronounce it and her daughter corrected her ! They could not agree on the pronunciation . I just thought …well , I’ll never get it !

[@toffythewitch]

​@@NYLeafy.V​Austrian here! and i think that's the magic of speaking haha. Even locals can't agree on a right pronunciation sometimes. beautiful i think, how language is so ever changing and individual

[@ronaldo_ofalia]

Loishturm? 😊

[@cjsullivan888]

I'm 65 and have found your videos have reconnected me with much of who I was when I was younger! I'm not yet retired, so this is definitely helping me balance my ongoing self-guided study and my day job! At any rate, you might be interested in reading The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen. Great history of people's use of personal notebooks. Thanks!

[@tardigrada7093]

Already downloading!

[@fernhunter]

my commonplace book is literally a messy piece of madness with endless notes, quotes, ideas, writing and it's all just thrown into the notebook.I use it as a brain dump to help my head to let go and have this infinite source of info and inspiration. after watching your method, I am considering starting a new one for academic purposes (eng lit major) and try properly organising it! thanks a lot for the video, it's super useful, I hope more people would open a beauty of commonplacing!

[@tine272]

this sounds so fun?? i feel like this is exactly whats been missing in my life, i would just screenshot random interesting things and then never find them again in my gallery 😢 i need to start this!

[@nicomisa_1223]

Same I'd just screenshot them, then i came across this vid and thought to write those screenshots in a common place book😂

[@candiceseretin7230]

Yes this is certainly what I have been doing for years, I hope to go through my gallery soon and sort them out at least into an Album maybe called Commonplace Book

[@brandyannhunter2099]

I wonder how I could digitalize a commonplace book. Maybe google files?

[@moanouchi]

I've been doing this for a while but had no idea this was a thing. It all started with having multiple notebooks for certain topics only but I'd only fill in a few pages for each notebook. So I got tired of wasting notebooks and decided to just write my notes of varying topics into one book. I liked how my notebook became a personal reflection of me, showcasing my various interests, research, and bits of knowledge I've collected here and there.

[@kaylastarr3822]

I used your method of keeping a small commonplace book for the essay you're writing, and it worked wonderfully. I actually got the highest mark that I've ever gotten for an essay before!

[@pimmspimms5462]

This is lovely news! CONGRATULATIONS on doing so well with your essay. It sounds like commonplacing is a really helpful practice for you. I’m going to start a commonplace book. 📚 x

[@thethriftychickadee7245]

I've always loved notebooks for keeping lists of things, writing down quotes, taking notes on different subjects, Bible verses I liked, jokes I heard, all sorts of things! I started decorating and covering my composition books and somehow clicked on a video while researching that and found commonplacing. I am so excited about this. I've evidently been a common placer all my life and didn't even know it.

[@CharlotteParker-u7t]

I love how passionate you are about this. It has obviously helped you a lot.

[@RubyGranger8]

I actually adore it! :p x

[@helenmartin1092]

I started one when I had my son, he’s now 23. It’s got such random information that I often refer to from time to time. Great to look back on as well. It’s full of advice from my baby shower, my bucket list, lots of lists, how to draw things, jokes and things my son said when he was little.

[@diannerabon3524]

Thank you for such a thorough explanation. I am a mom and homemaker now for almost 30 years. My commonplace book is full of quotes and passages on motherhood and homemaking. I hope it is a keepsake for one of my children someday. ❤

[@Suzell]

"... it helps you draw connections between things" Love this - that's the missing link for me. Thank you, I will start indexing and am excited to see the ideas and insights that flow from that simple practice.

[@merrildegroot7862]

Thanks Ruby! I'm 64 years old, been doing this most of my adult life - I never knew it had a name. I just called them my notebooks. Great content, very informative.

[@astalander6061]

Me too...at 62. I paint and draw in it too. Love this.

[@causticmuse]

When I tried bullet journaling a few years ago, I found myself using it for both planner functions and the sort of things you talk about in this commonplace book video. Once the year was almost over, I realized that over half of my bujo was full of stuff I would actually like to keep around for reference, but it was mixed in with a hundred pages of single use grocery lists and past events that I no longer needed to look at ever again. 😢 That's when I sort of figured out that I needed to keep my planning and my long-term notes in separate volumes. Glad to finally have a name for my personal reference notebook!

[@erikabutterfly]

You can still write those things in your bullet journal, but once a journal is complete, you can go through and collect everything you want to keep long-term in a different, long-term notebook. That way you can sort through it again and choose what's really worth keeping.

[@thymesya]

I didn't know if I can call this commonplace book, but recently i started to write information from novels i read, in order to not forgot the stories since it was a book series. And when I saw this video, i felt amazing!! Thanks ruby, i feel like i have to continue this note taking things. Consistency is hard but I'll try ❤

[@musikhamster01]

I've been doing commonplacing for years. Currently trying to digitalize the bulk of things since I wanted to keep my commonplace book on me all the time while still maintaining one in paper and it's honestly the best thing I've done over the years. Thanks for the video and I'd love to see more on this topic!

[@SeerOfTime577]

As someone with dozens of notebooks, I feel as though I have been commonplacing my whole life. Thank you for this video, Ruby! It really makes me want to commonplace more intentionally.

[@mariaGreenDay4ever]

I have been common placing my whole life with out knowing it! Thanks Ruby ,for your video and your inspirational ideas .By the way , it really helps organizing your thoughts and your life in general and helps you not to forget things.

[@RubyGranger8]

It's so funny when you find language for something you've always done - that's so cool to hear! I'd love to hear about what kinds of things you like to commonplace :)x

[@gillianmoody7822]

What a brilliant idea. A way to organise what you want to keep when you don't know what that will be yet. And so incredibly simple - number the pages and leave room for an index at the front. Then, it doesn't matter that one subject is scattered across multiple pages throughout the book. Thank you.

[@sofiapanasiuk157]

this is the first video that actually convinced me I need a commonplace book (instead of just the all-in-one journal) and how fun it can be. thank you!!

[@limeparticle]

I’ve been binging commonplace book videos and trying to chart out the best way to finally start one for myself, I think this may be my sign to just go for it and let it evolve into whatever it wants to be 😊

[@RubyGranger8]

You absolutely must! Good luck with starting one :)x

[@katyajohanna]

I've watched this video 3 times now and I am so fascinated by this concept, that I now started my own commonplace book. I am that type of person, that writes down a lot of tiny snippets in my phone, but than barely revisits them because they just dissappear into the void, I think a notebook will be a much better home for them. I already filled one page and I love the concept. I can't wait to really get into it.

[@PaulineBiene2001]

this is the first time i heard of common place books and i find myself comparing it to a book of shadows or a grimoir by practitioners of the witchcraft community, just collecting and writing stuff down that interests you at the moment, collecting thoughts, information and experiences over the time :) i like it! i also thought of my old school college blocks which were full of random information i collected through the school year, not just school related. thank you for the video

[@ReginaCopado]

This is why I'm watching videos about common place books, actually. I'm trying to find ways to improve my grimoire

[@Autumnichi]

Yes! It it like that for sure.

[@Embercant]

I came here to say this! It’s just like a grimmoire! Which I call my bespoke textbook of life (or perhaps my own bible)

[@Karyn-276a]

This is fascinating. I have lived Pinterest for years- and it’s a form of common-placing ❤

[@biancaellob]

Ruby, you are literally such a gem. I’ve been watching you for years and the things you talk about & the way you describe them so in depth… has continued to inspire me to seek out those rooted thoughts from my own brain! Always thought I was a little “too particular” in my journaling practices but through your videos, I’ve learned, that well… I am among the greats - as they once journaled with such precision, too :)) appreciate u xoxoxo 🫶🫶🔑🕯️🥲

[@RubyGranger8]

Oh this is such a lovely comment... you have me sat here smiling. Thank you for such generous words, and you can never be "too particular", I don't think ;)

[@kjmurray27]

I'm not entirely sure how this video popped up in my suggested videos, but I'm sure glad it did. I have always started notebooks for various different topics but never finished them. This inspired me to pull out an old notebook and just compile everything in it! I've started transferring my saved quotes from my screenshots and notes app into it. Much nicer to have a physical version to flip through than scrolling on a phone! Thank you for sharing about this :)

[@Twiggs2562]

I have done this for years but had no idea there was such a whimsical make for it …common-placing…I love it !!!

[@SunnyChang-xd3df]

Omg!!!!I was literally hopping Ruby would make a video about commonplacing , because I wanted to start a commonplace book, and an hour later, here it is!!!!❤❤❤ By the way love your videos so much 💞💞💞

[@RubyGranger8]

Such good timing!

[@Lisa-vq5bt]

I admire you so much for your intelligence, curiosity and wisdom and I strive to be more like you. The internet and my phone have kind of killed the side of me that loved reading as a kid and I want to get back to it - the way you are so passionate and excited about literally everything to do with books and writing and history and all those things really inspires me. Thank you!

[@ChloeVincent-gt1nk]

its actually crazy that you make a video on this bc i have to make a commonplace book for one of my architecture classes!

[@sophiew2316]

The way I went out & bought a pocket notebook right after finishing this video

[@laurennorthern8353]

Same! 😂 grateful for Ruby’s good influence in my life, encouraging me to strive towards always learning 💓

[@ash.pace24]

I have seen so many videos about commonplacing and this is the only one that's actually explained it in such a way that I am now convinced I need to incorporate it into my life! Thank you, Ruby!

[@uglyducky7]

I never realized it, but I've been common-placing for some time now! I would always take pictures of quotes or screenshot images I find interesting but I never got to putting them together because I felt overwhelmed by all the content and didn't know where to start and how to sort it all. Thank you for your video Ruby, it really helped and motivated me ❤

[@RubyGranger8]

This is so lovely to read! I definitely agree it can be overwhelming - especially when you fall behind with adding to your book - but I hope you fall into it this autumn!

[@druip-u2m]

I just finish the skillshare common place class and its amazing! 😊 It feels like an old friend is telling you a lot interesting and useful things, the one that served me a lot was the method of "ask 5 times" :)

[@sjwells04]

Can you tell what the ask five times method is? ❤

[@Nate1975]

It’s sort of like journalling for me. Have always done it, but thank you for the video. For me it was useful to hear how to do the Index, as I always end up with post it notes everywhere and book marks so I can find relevant sections.

[@crussell216]

I’ve been keeping a common place book for a couple of years now without realising it! I’m delighted to discover through your video, that this is a thing! I will definitely implement an indexing system when I start my next one. Thank you for a great video.

[@filip.alimpic]

Already went through the class on Skillshare yesterday, it is great! Started my commonplace book last night. Thanks, Ruby!

[@changnesia1044]

i love your channel, it's like you came out right of a dark academia book, just period vibes all over. Will start common placing so I'm taking notes right now from you.

[@Blumbumbee]

I have been watching you for years now and i literally can't tell u how much u inspire me each time to try something new and make me motivated....your study vlogs and study with mes always helped me and i just wanted to say that keep posting...✨

[@sophyO-r7r]

Literally just started my 1st common place book a couple of weeks ago, after hearing you mention it in several videos😊 Didn't realise how much I needed to do this. Thank you for this video it's given me a much clearer idea of how I want my book to be structured ❤

[@RubyGranger8]

Oh that's so exciting! I really hope you like keeping one!

[@ifeelstars]

i was totally convinced by you, now my main journal is a common place book and since i've started i've been writing so much more

[@user-qt5ui3ep2t]

your own encyclopedia sounds amazing

[@Autumnichi]

I’ve been doing this since the 80’s and it’s one of the easiest, effective, enjoyable way to keep a journal/notebook! 😊

[@rhosymedra6628]

I've been keeping commonplace books since around 2004! they're so useful and then also fun as an archival object to look back on my life (in addition to my journals).

[@PeloB]

..watching from Botswana...🇧🇼🇧🇼🇧🇼 Came right on time!!.. Came right on time!!!.. U are amazing & very hardworking!!!..🥰😘♥️♥️

[@victoriaprice3441]

We have a collection of Common Place books at my work (I work with Special Collections) from the 18th and 19th centuries. They became very popular with women later on - they are created by a variety of middle class women of the time and they are full of artwork, quotations and musings. I love them!

[@shreyaverma7871]

I've been literally waiting for this video for soo long And am sooo glad its finally here Am so excited to start my own commonplace book , thankyou ruby , lots of love from India❤

[@RubyGranger8]

I can't wait for you to start one too :)x

[@spookysznnx]

The modern version of a commonplace book is a girls note app🙂‍↕️

[@starry_skies]

Literally 😂 my notes app is miles long and I have categories and everything

[@AshleymAdams21]

I definitely do the vocab thing. When I was younger I used to carry around a dictionary and high light the new words I have learned.

[@AbyssalKitten]

You have such a lovely, calming voice! Ive just started keeping a commonplace book recently and really enjoyed this

[@KimmyChi5]

I enjoy journaling but I have never heard of commomplacing before until now! I have a small Robin notebook that I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it but now I think I’ll use it for commonplacing! I enjoy learning new things but sometimes I forget them, so writing them down in a book is perfect! Thank you for the video Ruby!

[@lararose3653]

i am about to start my undergraduate English degree at Cambridge so i will definitely start doing this, i have a journal where i put everything including diary entries, and quotes and to do lists etc so i think i will start a commonplace! to organise this!

[@sustainableliving8461]

This is such an awaited video and I was so happy to watch it. Your enthusiasm and love for everything you do shines through in every video but especially this one. And that really makes it a joy to watch

[@elizabethparkhouse4877]

I've been doing this for years, but didn't realise it was commonplacing! Definitely going to add the index to my notebooks - it would really help to sort out which topics are where 😊

[@jacquelinehammersley6516]

So happy to have found your channel. This will make my note system SO much more efficient! Many thanks.

[@rose_699]

This video is such a gift ... Thank you so much!! I was planning to start my commonplace book today ... I just wanted to write to say how calming, helpful, and enheartening your videos are. I hope that you are doing well, and know that you are truly making a difference - one of lightness. Again, thank you so much! From all of us. Sending the best wishes, and much warmth.

[@sparky4786]

I love this. I love seeing that this idea probably came about from the Middle Ages. That tie to the past is somehow comforting to know that human continuity is a thing. Thanks for the video.

[@PurpleistheIris]

i had some of these notebooks done over the years but today is the first time I learn this term.

[@virginiec425]

thank you ! as a journal writer I was lost keeping a commonplace notebook, now I know how to use it 😊

[@syddlinden8966]

I use the colorcode method for categories vs an index. Looking for a color as i flip through is much easier for me to process than trying to read and parse a title in an index.

[@nellygoescrazy]

Omg I just stumbled across the term commonplace book in one of your shorts and was wondering if you would do a separate video on it and now I see you actually did 😍😍😍

[@69nisab]

Great video. I think I’ve been doing this already without realising. Totally agree that noting things engages you more with the text. Thanks for this.

[@aliciap.f.7390]

I have notebooks for everything but your method with an index and having everything in one place sounds so fun. I'm going to look for a small notebook and start doing this!

[@djshiva]

I found this randomly and I love it! Going to start doing my own Common Place book!

[@RubyGranger8]

Oh you must!

[@stephanieejoyce]

This is such a great idea! I wish I’d known about it because there’s been so many times I read something that I wanted to remember! I do have a thousand tabs open but this would be much more efficient and would also withstand the sands of time a bit more as well!

[@ioanagrancea6091]

Thank you so much for this, Ruby. Having an index is so helpful.

[@natasham4184]

I can always rely on Ruby to teach me something completely new. Perhaps I'll finally find a use for the tiny notebooks people sometimes buy me.

[@katscozycorner]

Thank you Ruby! From hearing you talk about commonplace books in your vlogs I realised I’ve kind of being keeping a version of that in my google notes on my phone. But I want to try and transfer it into a physical format and your video was very insightful in getting a fuller understanding of the uses and meaning behind it (I already had a Skillshare account and have added your course to my favourites 😉). Love your vlogs!

[@carolaustin3785]

Thanks, Ruby for the lesson! You've explained everything so well, and with great enthusiasm.

[@renee_angelica]

Indexing always seemed difficult to me, but this video was very helpful!

[@kayeatoast]

being recommended your video such a serendipitous discovery! Inspired by the Quagmires from A Series of Unfortunate events, since primary school I had been keeping my own version of a common place book (later evolved into what my current reading journal, personal journal, and notes app are) just yesterday I was going through my old stuff and found these books!!! Now after watching your video I'm so inspired to now properly start a Common place book and compile my screenshot folder and mess of a notes app. As someone who likes to keep things organised, i love the idea of having information I've been exposed to all in one place and can easily bring around with me to reread/reference

[@aleneappleton130]

Thank you Ruby. This video has been so helpful to me, and how you explained commonplacing is excellent. You connected the dots for me. Best wishes to you in all your endeavors.

[@eire02]

I saw a TikTok where you shared a commonplace entry and have been waiting for this video!! I’ve been commonplacing more actively recently, so it’s nice to see how others approach it :)

[@stitchingandstuff3930]

I'm happy to have found this video, thankyou! My commonplace book is my own little book of chaotic thinking where anything that interests me such as facts, history, quotes, recipes....anything geta wrote down. I don't have an index or a key though which makes is chaotic but having said that I knkw roughly where in the book I wrote a recipe for chicken and ham pie 😅 I have also let go of perfection recently and I like how on some pages my handwriting is neat but then it looks like a drunk spider has fallen out of an inkwell on the page and scuttled around xxxx

[@Th3odore72]

this is so interesting to me! i have been keeping a bigger version of a commonplace book for two years and i hadn't even realised.

[@KerenBengigi]

You are amazing and so inspiring. Keep making videos about the things you are passionate about.

[@anapereiraatriz]

I used to do it when I was a teenager… such a delighfull exercise ❤

[@Odd_Bunny]

This has made me realize i've been doing this, but with sooooo many lists on my phone! Using a notebook will save me a lot of phone storage

[@nohmidesign]

I'm just getting into starting my own common place book and I found that it makes you also more actively watching youtube videos, because I wanted to start my common place book with definitions, reasons and so on about common place books :D I got much more informations out of the videos when I'm thinking about what can I transfer into my book? Thanks for your video and sharing your thoughts and methods. I will definitely check out your skillshare class.

[@VictoriaJohnsonHarp]

This is one of the best overview of commonplace book I’ve watched. Thank you!

[@ohdrey89]

Anne Lister is a great example of this. If anyone is interested. She literally kept a notebook with her at all times and one of the things she did in it was record all of the barometer readings each year. Her notebooks are fascinating.

[@lydiaschicklin5978]

Hello dear Ruby, I did not know I have been " commonplacing " for decades ! Thank you for the information!Bisous from Alsace

[@snapdragonhollow]

Thank you for this wonderful discussion and tutorial on keeping a commonplace journal. I have my notebook but have been hesitant to start because I didn’t have a great system. After hearing your thoughts I feel like I have a good idea of how to get started. I’ll be glad to have more order to my book notes!😀

[@mrandisg]

I have boxes full of random scraps of paper and torn-out notebook pages with all kinds of random notes on them. I've been meaning to go through them and organize those notes into a commonplace book. Tbh, as much information as I have here, it might end up being several books! Or some of it might go into my Notion, OneNote, or some other digital format. However I do it, I just want to thank you for the inspiration! 😊💖

[@wearenotdoinggethelp3333]

This is really fantastic timing as i'm just getting into commonplacing! right now it's mostly writing snippets and recipes

[@liau5612]

I'm a fan of commonplacing and i love seeing your enthusiasm about it !!

[@turdusobscurus]

I've done this since I was young and never knew it was a thing until now! 👏

[@wolfieverse]

Such a lovely video! So making the effort to use my commonplace journal more!

[@jellocubez7]

Great video, i just got into journaling and learned about commonplacing. I think it's a perfect way to journal for myself because i cant ever keep track of things! Side note, Get some conditioner on that red leather chair :)

[@MrsSiri-ts4fd]

I have overwhelming information. You're uploaded this content just in time thank you so much ruby❤

[@PauperDan]

Really cool video. Have you thought about putting the index at the back? That way you don't need to leave space for it, the content and the index will naturally meet when you fill the book.

[@nxreu]

Love the braids! You should style your hair more often, it looks gorgeous xx

[@hananebouslahi1433]

My Gosh Ruby!! I m so proud of you as I see you developing each time and trying new journeys. Good job dear and good luck.

[@3yebeams]

There are also 2 exceptionally useful apps if you wished to backup/ archive in digital form. 1) Handwriting Recogniser 2) Scrivener. Useful to pull plums out for printing / editing at a later stage.

[@klauslispector]

Lol my favourite author kept a commonplace book, so I have also had one since 2018. They really are neat tools. I remember a lot of their contents by heart now! Great video ❤

[@kevinwright8431]

I started notebooks using academic diaries from 2013 - they started as lists of books or particular author bibliographies. I now use notebooks more thematically because of the influence of Bruce Chatwin and other travel writers such as Stevenson. I sort of gave up my OU degree in 2010 in Humanities under pressure from work