The problem with a two-notebook system should be obvious. I have to carry both notebooks everywhere. And if the need arises for one while I'm using the other, I have to switch between notebooks. (This can be especially uncomfortable in a business meeting, when other people might wonder, "What's so important that he has to write in a separate notebook...?") Furthermore, the need for two notebooks equates to twice the cost. After taxes, I'm probably spending $35 to suit my notebook requirements.
Some weeks ago I spent a night musing over my Moleskine mess. Turning the black ruled notebook in my hands and ultimately inspecting its constituent parts, I realized that it's a fairly simple product. There is nothing particularly outstanding or unusual about the "oilcloth" cover, the paper, or even the elastic band.
That's when I realized I could make one myself.
I've spent the last several weeks perfecting design and toying with prototypes. I've gone through several types of paper, various cover options, and numerous page designs. The resulting notebook, documented below, is a single place to collect business- and writing-related information. In addition to solving my multiple notebook problem, the cost can't be beat. Total Materials cost for this notebook is about $5.
Here's the finished product. It is a 5" by 8" notebook, equal in size to the large Moleskine line. It's about 1" thick, slightly thicker than a typical Moleskine. The cover material is a dark brown vinyl with cloth backing, very similar in texture to the "oilcloth" that covers today's Moleskines. I bought the vinyl and the elastic band at a local fabric store. I used a Hamill paper called "Fore MP," which is a 20 lb. paper in cream color. It's basically the highest quality thin paper that I could find, allowing me to pack as much paper into as little space as possible. I cut the 8 1/2" x 11" paper down to size, and when they were sewn and glued I had the folks at Kwik Kopy chop the edges to make them flush. The pages' corners were rounded using a punch I bought at a craft store.
This is the calendar section. Each month takes up two pages. They are blank, so I can write in the months and dates as I go. With the Moleskine planner, I had separate planning calendars and weekly calendars that organized my work life. The single calendar is an easier system, I think. I designed this calendar in Microsoft Publisher.
As a GTD follower, I use lists to organize my day. I designed pages for each list in Microsoft Publisher. This is a picture of the To-Do section (Date/Task/Project/Wait). I also have a section for Projects (Date/Project/Code/Owner), Waiting For (Date/Waiting For/Owner), and Someday Maybe (Date/Item/Category). 
The section for creative writing is simply a bunch of lined pages. (I printed the line pages on my home inkjet printer.) I don't like hemming myself in with a creative writing journal by using forms or templates. However, I did color sections along the pages' outer edge. I have different sections for Characters, Plots, Dialogue, Titles, Lines, and general story ideas. The largest section is for story drafts.
Finally, I added nine sheets (i.e. 36 notebook pages) of high-quality (80 lb.) sketch paper in the back of the notebook. This is for scribbles and sketches. Actually, the idea for sketch paper didn't hit me until I read Mike Rohde's post about his sketchnotes. I'm going to use this section of the notebook to practice my own sketchnote technique. This paper is a bit different than the Moleskine sketchbook paper. It has more of a tooth to it.One traditional Moleskine element I have not added yet is the pocket. I ran out of cardstock, which I used for the endpapers of this notebook. So I'll be putting the pocket in later.
In closing, this do-it-yourself model allows for infinite customization. You can include any kind of paper you want and print any kind of templates on it. And it costs about 1/3 of a store-bought Moleskine.
Finally, my thanks to Michael Shannon, whose Make Your Own Moleskine-Like-Notebook blog post gave me the instructions I needed to put this notebook together. I recommend it to anyone who wants to make their own.
-Mark
Technorati tags: Moleskine, GTD, writing, notebook, moleskine hack
8 comments:
Very good job. At first I confused the picture for a real moleskine.
anonymous:
Thanks for the compliment. That first photograph is a bit deceptive. The cover hangs over the page edges a bit more than a real Moleskine. And the vinyl cover that I used is a dark brown, not black. The elastic band is also wider than on a Moleskine. Otherwise, the look and feel are quite similar.
-Mark
Mark, I'm very impressed with your book binding skills and perseverance with this. I get what a pain it is to carry two notebooks and large Moleskines are definitely pricey if you go through a lot of them. But if you consider your time to gather the materials, design the pages, print out the pages, and bind the book (plus the ink for your printer). . . are you really coming out that much ahead? (Not trying to be a smart aleck, just wondering.) Couldn't you simplify your calendar and list needs (on the go) to a few pages you could put in the pocket of the Moleskine? Best Regards. . .
bookworm,
You raise a very good point, and one that I considered regularly during this process. I did examine any and all "off the shelf" options to suit my needs. I need a large calendar to write appointments and reference throughout the day. The Moleskine calendars did not work for me, and their planners have too much useless material (conversion charts and the like). And I wanted to integrate different kinds of paper, also. In the end, a customized solution just seemed best to me.
Granted, time and printer ink should be added to the cost equation. I probably went through one-tenth of a black ink cartrigde for this notebook--a cost of probably 80 cents. (We use the generic, $8.00 cartridges.) And total investment of time is four or five hours. It's really not that involved. And I need a hobby other than scribbling words on paper... :-)
-Mark
Hi! Found this post through Molskinerie. I had given a great deal of thought to something similar - combining my calendar (2 pg per month, like yours) with my 'idea capture notebook' bound into one 5x8 volume. I don't need as much structure as you do - just blank pages that I could number and index, and a few ribbon bookmarks.
The new year came and went, and I settled for a purchased calendar and a separate notebook...did you stitch the binding yourself, or have it done at a copyshop?
Hi, Bets. I stiched the binding together myself. Just follow the link at the bottom of the post on how to make your own moleskine-like notebook. The instructions are very well written. It took some practice. And I not only recommend but insist you coat your thread with beeswax. It sounds silly, but it's the only way to do this job with such a length of string.
-Mark
It's good. Not brilliant, but good. The cover looks a little loose to me, loose as in not pulled as taught as maybe it could have been. If I was to tackle the process of making a handmade Molie, it would be soft backed and leather-bound.
For implementing GTD you might try out this web-based application:
http://www.gtdagenda.com
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A mobile version is available too.
As with the last update, now Gtdagenda has full Someday/Maybe functionality, you can easily move your tasks and projects between "Active", "Someday/Maybe" and "Archive". This will clear your mind, and will boost your productivity.
Hope you like it.
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