The World's Best Notebook?

[@michelgolabaigne595]

Thank you so much Michael for this introduction! I'm sure I'll never buy this notebook.... But another thing makes me happy, I now know that I am not the only one who needs to improve his handwriting…

[@writerlywitterings]

Haha! My handwriting looks bad - but it's a lot worse with a ball-point!

[@michelgolabaigne595]

@@writerlywitterings This kind of self-deprecation and modesty should be emulated…!

[@Richard_Barnes]

Something about that simple set up there was just so brilliant Mike.🙂 Read this next bit with David Attenborough accent - "....and here we are, this is the English Author, a rare breed of man, sat in his natural habitat surrounded by the things he loves. No one should interrupt such a man for he is liable to lose his rag, or spill ink or his fine English tea, all are scenarios we don't want to see here. And now, the book opening ceremony begins......" 😉 Love the idea of those notebooks. Thanks Mike and good to see ya 😃 Writer's Blood is an everyday ink for me. Love it. Very wet as well which works for the pen I have it in apart from the wider lines that come from it being wet. Still, superb colour ink.

[@writerlywitterings]

Cheers, Richard - and I quite agree about Writer's Blood. Although I prefer to have neat writing with it, rather than burped blotches!

[@jennieashmore]

missed your tea today! might have gotten ink in it! Hope you and your family are well!

[@writerlywitterings]

Haha, apologies, Jennie. I did record with tea - it took a half hour, and when I went to edit, I realised I'd had the aperture completely wrong and had to ditch the entire film and rerecord this one instead! I was past making tea at that point!

[@battybibliophile-Clare]

I have ordered one, and can't wait for it to come. I wish Exeter, Plymouth or Torquay (fat chance of the latter) had a Blackwell's.

[@writerlywitterings]

Hope you really enjoy it, Clare. I'm hugely happy with my own, although I'm learning that some inks (like KWZ Baltic Memories) do go straight through some of the pages. But I don't care! I just think the notebook is so different and appealing!

[@battybibliophile-Clare]

@@writerlywitterings I'll bear that in mind, Michael. I use fine point or extra fine in my fountain pens as my writing is small. Anyway, that's part of the fun, finding out if it works. I sometimes take notes with an automatic pencil, for speed. Surprisingly some fountain pen paper has too little "tooth" for pencil. A few papers work for both.

[@Goob_G3]

I've also had an issue with my Pilot Metropolitan leaking a bit of ink when uncapping but never that much ink haha. Love the vid

[@writerlywitterings]

No, this was definitely the problem of change in pressure - possibly carrying it in my pocket and over-warming the ink reservoir too. Not had it happen before, but twice in one month, with different pens, but travelling the same roads. Odd!

[@JBFire97]

The bottom of the page looked like it’s own murder scene, with the remains of the writer’s blood! The joy of fountain pens. Thank you as always for sharing the note book.

[@writerlywitterings]

Many thanks, Paul! It was rather a bloody mess, wasn't it?!

[@johngrubb007]

What a wonderful use of old book covers. If I ever get to Oxford, Blackwells is on my bucket list.

[@writerlywitterings]

A worthwhile trip - alternatively, you can contact about-blanks.com, who are the manufacturers, apparently.

[@archivist17]

😄 I like that notebook. Made me laugh when you did the reveal. My parents both loved Simenon, and so I got to read some as a teenager. I liked his prose more than Christie's in the very many volumes we had on the shelves.

[@writerlywitterings]

That's awesome! I liked Simenon too - I felt a bit guilty buying a book that meant his work had been trashed!

[@blazel462]

Looking forward to this.

[@writerlywitterings]

Sorry I wasn't there to talk at the time!

[@Musicienne-DAB1995]

I would grab that kind of notebook straight off the shelf, no questions asked. It has everything I want: hardcover, plain pages, and it probably smells like old paper as well. Great for random notes and doodling. Had to laugh at the ink mishap! At least in a book of that colour, it looks somewhat picturesque!

[@writerlywitterings]

Thanks for that. I believe you can contact them via about-blanks.com. Blackwell's in Oxford would be delighted to sell you one, too!

[@charleslyall5400]

brillant, thank you micheal, i would love that for my birthday pressent, if you give chris the link . ps, love watching your vlogs

[@writerlywitterings]

I'll see what I can do, matey. Hope all's well.

[@randyselleck6703]

Mike, thank you for both an informative and entertaining video.

[@writerlywitterings]

Cheers, Randy, and many thanks!

[@angbane]

A lovely notebook. Good to know it’s not just me creating ink carnage.

[@writerlywitterings]

Nope, girl, I'm with you there! I can wreck any number of notebooks with my clumsiness!

[@lindahawke7953]

Of all your videos, I think I love this one the best! Love those unique notebooks, that "bloody" pen! (I have several Metropolitans that love me back; but my brand new TWSBI urped on me the first time I used it.) I have loved Tomoe River's 52gsm notebook paper and bought as many as I could before their formula change... any recommendations for a comparable journal with thin slightly-crackly fountain pen paper with little ghosting and no bleed-through? I just don't know WHAT I'll do when my Tomoe Rivers run out. How is your hand doing now?

[@writerlywitterings]

Hi, Linda - and as you can see, I can type again (short sections - still dictating the next book). I am looking into papers. The ones that I really like just now are the Endless notebooks, but they are 68 gsm, so not quite your perfect version. However the 52 should be returning soon, I believe. It'll be interesting to see how well they work. Best - Mike

[@jamesaritchie1]

I suspect every fountain pen user who sees this will both laugh and groan with you when the burp of ink comes out because we've all had that happen at one time or another. Wonderful idea for notebooks. I'll have to look into that.

[@archivist17]

I haven't had a pen burp for...oooohhh, must be nigh on two days! 😆

[@writerlywitterings]

I had two pens burp in October. First time in ages - and then this too!

[@writerlywitterings]

Ugh. At least you didn't do it on film!

[@sunnycharacter]

Ahh, it was a dark stormy night. The evidence was clear by the blood red ink splatter on some book pages that a crime had been committed there in the study. The writer managed to attempt a coverup but his method was kind of sloppy. The detective did give him extra points for burping and having a great attitude. 🤭🥸

[@writerlywitterings]

The first time I've been offered points for burping!

[@sunnycharacter]

@@writerlywitterings 😂🤭🥰