42 Comments
Mar 11Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

“Shelves of glass viles filled with colourful - sometimes shimmery! - elixirs for story telling magic”?! Hell yes count me in 🤩 I’ve felt the same way about my favorite journals, where I’m almost too intimidated to write in them. But one of the most valuable things I’ve learned is that I don’t need to be precious with my notebooks—I’m allowed to bring my art process as it is—messy and unfiltered and a little disjointed.

Expand full comment
author

Yes! Exactly as it is. I'm like you, the process is messy and i like it that way!

Expand full comment
Mar 13Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

Applauding! And love how you worded that: "But one of the most valuable things I’ve learned is that I don’t need to be precious with my notebooks—I’m allowed to bring my art process as it is—messy and unfiltered and a little disjointed."

Expand full comment

ahh thanks :)

Expand full comment
Mar 11Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

Those ink bottles! 😍 where did you find them?! My own ink collection has been growing this year and I totally that feeling of conjuring up entire worlds. Ink contains some sort of power in it doesn’t it?

Expand full comment
author

Ferris Wheel Press! They are a stationery company near me (I'm in Canada) and I am one of their creative ambassadors so I get their inks to test for free and its THE BEST.

Expand full comment
Mar 11Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

OMG I did not know “creative ambassador” was a thing! Did you reach out the them or did they reach out to you?

Expand full comment
author

I reached out to them! (Instagram)

Expand full comment
Mar 11Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

Congrats - that’s a sweet deal 😃

Expand full comment
author

Thank you! Its definitely the best thing to come out of instagram for me haha

Expand full comment

Really loved this post! I have always struggled to allow myself to play in my notebooks. I thought they had to be pristine for future historians 😅 but life is much better as I've learned to relax and just write. ALSO my book club is reading The Palace of Illusions, which I would recommend for you based on your fantasy request ❤

Expand full comment
author

I mean, we cant NOT consider the future historians. But i like to think they will enjoy decoding some messy chaos. :)

And thank u for the recommendation, just looked it up and this sounds excellent

Expand full comment

I use my moleskin notebooks to....actually take notes. Ha!

I'm still old school about grocery lists (written out) and keeping an actual appointment/schedule book, so I've got a pile of moleskins on hand. When I fill one up, I'll flip through it to see if there's anything I need and then I run it through the shredder.

Expand full comment
Mar 12Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

That's what I do too. I even had comments about it. Not going with the times... They work for me, so I will keep using them. Glad I'm not alone.

Expand full comment
author

I love moleskin notebooks. Lechturn is a good one too for the price

Expand full comment
author

through the shredder!? A moleskin!? Hardcover!?

Expand full comment

Paperback. We shred everything. We've had bedbugs, so we're super careful not to give the little blood suckers more hiding places.

Expand full comment
author

Oh no! That would do it for sure.

Expand full comment

That notebook flatlay is SO PRETTY!! I wantssss it precious!!! And I totally know that feeling of being too intimidated to start a pretty notebook. Now I write my favorite writing quote (We read to know that we are not alone - CS Lewis) at the top of the first page of each new notebook so it's officially been "broken in" but by someone smarter than me hehehe.

And thank you SO much for linking my post!! Seriouly, so so appreciated.

Expand full comment
author

haha broken in! Yes! You get it

Expand full comment
May 10Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

I found you through Mika's page and I'm so glad that I did. You are so insanely talented, wow. Now I want to draw some hands? I have totally felt that hesitancy to write in the too pretty notebooks, but once I did, they ended up holding some of the best memories. I have seriously slacked in my journal/notebook keeping over the last few years. Typing in notes or a draft just doesn't hit the same as pen to paper! Looking forward to enjoying more of what you have to share :)

Expand full comment
author

Oh my gosh, hi welcome! I just checked out your stack and lolled at your blurb. Thanks so much for your kind words and for reading!

Expand full comment
Mar 20Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

Hiiiiiii, I loved the part about your journaling!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for reading!

Expand full comment
Mar 13Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

You're such a talented artist. I love the style of your picture of yourself (I think?) making the sort of shrug face, and the mermaid-style Oscars dress!

Expand full comment
author

haha yeah she's become sort of my avatar - not exactly like me but she stands in for me :)

Expand full comment
Mar 13Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

Meaghan, applauding your points about a notebook being the writer's place to write what they'd like. I recently bought a beautifully bound Nota notebook that feels like a full manuscript, and I thought, I'm going to let myself write whatever I feel like in this notebook. And it's wonderful! I write with a pen and sometimes with brightly coloured markers; I write what I feel or what I think, and a lot about the people I love. I'm really enjoying the creative freedom.

As always, great post!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks Marisa! So glad to hear your enjoying your notebook!

Expand full comment

I've always hesitated to write on my pretty notebook because, like, what if I ruin it with half-baked ideas and cringy dialogue? But the whole point of notebooks is to keep our inspirations without judgment.

You've convinced me - it's time to put my notebooks to use!

Expand full comment
author

Yes!!! So happy to hear it! Mark that beautiful notebook up!

Expand full comment
Mar 11·edited Mar 11Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

My notebook is my bear app (ipad) I just drop everything there and when there comes a moment to structure and finish something like my current Novellas, all I need is to drag and drop.

I think it was a drawtober video from Vonnart in which one of the tips to improve your art was just to “add hands” and that is why in my little webcomic the characters are no longer with their hands inside their hoodies pockets lol

Have a wonderful day!

Expand full comment
author

haha that's exactly like me, I always tried to hide the hands!

Expand full comment
Mar 11Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

Love this!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks Jillian!

Expand full comment
Mar 11·edited Mar 11Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

Thanks so much for the mention! It was a blast seeing your red carpet drawing come together.

Notebooks have always been a struggle for me. I was given a classic Moleskin for Christmas and I decided that I was going to make myself use it. I started carrying it everywhere. Keeping it handy. At first all I used it for was typography layout sketches and marginalia that exceeded the limits of a book page. Now it's also where I write down songs I want to include in my Collage Paper Playlist series. Ideas for things I want to try in my work. Small collages made from vintage issues of ife magazine I found at an antique mall.

At that same anitique mall I bought an old portable typewriter and it is the best art supply I've ever purchased. I love using it and I look for excuses to type up anything. I've started typing out passages from things I'm reading and taping them in my notebook becuase I don't know what else to do with them. It serves no practical purpose, but every time I flip through my notebook and I see bits of cut out paper with that gorgeous typewriter font, it makes me happy. I'm starting to realize that, in itself, is enough of a reason.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for keeping me company! haha

I love this about the typewriter, and I'm also a little jealous. I really want an antique typewriter, for not other reason than I would like to have it haha For you it makes practical sense! I imagine you can use it for some amazing creations!

Expand full comment
Mar 11Liked by Meaghan McIsaac

I've never been a fan of the Oscars so thank you for making it fun!

Every one should have a vintage typewriter! I never knew pressing keys could make me so happy.

I've definitely been incorporating it into designs and collages. But even just the sight of that type in my notebook, bliss!

Expand full comment

Good luck with your new project, I hope the clients love it! Such a great point to describe a notebook as your own space, like a diary it holds our innermost thoughts.

Expand full comment
author

Oh thanks so much! I don't have clients - just readers! haha

It really does. Diaries are your mind just spilled out on a page! So personal to everyone

Expand full comment

Oops sorry, I read "agent" and thought you were pitching to a new client - my head is all over the place, I need to write things down in a notebook, I guess! I enjoyed your post.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks so much for reading!

Expand full comment
deletedMay 11
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
author

Ack! Thanks so much for checking out Authorstrator. And yes! Dont let those beautiful notebooks gather dust!

Expand full comment