It’s a new year and a new start. I am determined to keep my blog fresh going forward.
I have always collected sayings, interesting tidbits, phrases, riddles etc. I used to fill up scraps of paper or write things on sticky notes, but I didn’t have a proper system. Then I started a commonplace book and I have never looked back.
People have always had systems for storing information and recording excerpts from their reading material, and over the years these storage systems evolved into the commonplace book. Commonplace books grew in popularity from the time of the Renaissance until the late nineteenth century. In fact, it is probably true to say they have never gone out of fashion. Many noteable people kept commonplace books including John Milton, Thomas Jefferson, Seneca, Samuel Pepys, Lord Byron, Ralph Waldo Emmerson and W H Auden.
A commonplace book is a great way of storing all the great pieces of information you come across every day. How often have you said: “I wish I could remember where I saw this.” or “I came across something about this the other day but I can’t remember what it was.” Why not get started today? You can use a physical notebook or a digital store to do your commonplacing, or perhaps a mixture of both. I prefer to use a notebook and pen because I find the creative juices flow more readily this way, but go with whatever is easier for you.
Many people believe that writing is a good way of relieving stress. You may feel sad, lonely, worried, depressed or just bored! However you feel, write about it. The very act of putting your feelings down on paper will help ease your anxiety and eventually you may start to feel calmer. Sometimes it is difficult to know exactly why you are feeling bad, and that’s ok. Just write it down – write about your confusion and the fact you don’t even know how you feel. The act of writing can be very therapeutic and it may even help untangle your thoughts and quieten your emotions. As you start to feel less fraught, you may be able to make sense of your pent up emotions. Whatever the result, it will be interesting to go back and read your words one day!
As you read, have your commonplace book handy and jot down any interesting pieces of writing so you can refer to them later. You can also jot down interesting bits of conversation, or items you hear on the TV or radio. Make a note of your own observations, or any personal notes you want to recall later. Some people have a number of commonplace books which are categorised according to subject matter. For example, you could keep one book for personal thoughts, another for recipes and food ideas, and another for quotations or anything else that grabs your attention. Whatever piques your interest and whatever system suits you, get writing today!