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Comment by weeb | Hacker News Reader

Do you have any recommendations for getting over the friction of starting? Like, suggestions of what to write about if you're unsure what's worth putting to paper. I'm sure I'd have plenty to write once I got started, but an empty notebook is intimidating!

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I do stream of consciousness writing and aim to fill out a page of A4 — so just whatever comes to mind, usually starting with today is x date and I am sat in y place and so on...

Fully agree with the parent comment about it being like clearing out RAM!

Firstly, do not take the notebook as something sacred. Especially if it is hardcover, you might see it as more valuable than a simple notebook you would use in school. It is not. You can buy a simple softcover with 20 sheets in it to give it a try and not feel like you are wasting "good notebook". But you will soon realize that it feels not worthy of your thoughts and time. You will want to write into something better to give it more meaning. Hence, go for something better right away. As for what to write, literally anything. What gained your attention during your day, what angered you, what was good, some philosophical topics you were pondering or some conclusions you came to during your day. Long or short, it does not matter. This is one of those things where "just do it" is the answer. After couple of days you will settle into it and start forming your own style of what to write, when, how... Personally I have added two aspects to my writing - I always put a date before I start writing if the date has changed form last entry and I draw a border round it to make it visually distinguishable. And I also highlight the main words that the entry is about by underscoring it. Like a hashtag on twitter. This allows me to browse pages and quickly see when i wrote and what i wrote about.

I have also ordered an A6 "pocket" notebook where I want to write one or two sentences or just key words per entry as condensed conclusions to my thoughts or sayings or quotes i heard or read. It should be this condensed book of knowledge and philosophy where long form is not exactly suitable for it.

PS: in my first month, i wrote a lot because there was a lot on my mind. But after a while your brains gets a bit quieter because you are doing this "exercise" and you will go through a short phase where you will be looking for something to write about. That might last a week or two until you settle into the habit and write only when you feel like it. I kinda miss writing when I have nothing to write about so sometimes i just write meaningless thoughts just for the sake of writing. Not all the time, just sometimes.

My first entry was like "Welcome to thunderrabbit's journal! Today is April 11, 1987 and I just had a fun experience that I want to remember..."

Journaling off and on since 1987, I have a few rules for myself when journaling:

1. Write the time, day of week, date, month, and year for every entry.

2. Don't worry about lapses in writing. Just write a new entry when I can.

3. Allow my topics to be spontaneous. I sometimes have a structure I'd like to use, but allow freedom in any moment.

4. Relish mistakes, smears, stains on the paper by labeling them, e.g. "tea stain while studying with Akane" (real example!)

5. Just enjoy the process of writing.

To avoid the intimidation factor, skip the notebook. Use the back sides of printed pages. Use cheap scribbler-type notebooks, if you can buy them where you live. And play with a few pens. I prefer fountain pens, and you can buy some very good ones for under $20, perhaps under $10. If you get a reloadable fountain pen, then you can save on the waste of plastic cartridges, and buy bottles of ink, which is where the fun starts.

As to what you ought to write, maybe start by transcribing some of your favourite poems, song lyrics, quotations, etc. Don't wait until you have some "big thoughts" that are "worthy" of a fancy notebook. Your first step is to see if it feels lie fun to you.

I like to date and place entries, good for todo lists, recipes, experiments, interviews or lectures (fun facts), any idea that makes you laugh for longer than a minute solid, etc. oh and doodles/sketches. Artistic talent not required for personal amusement

I keep a big notebook (12" x 9" I think) that I write quotations I like in, with a fountain pen. I try to transcribe one quotation per day, from a computer file of such quotations. This keeps my hand in with respect to handwriting, keeps my fountain pen from drying up, and doesn't take too much time.

I also keep a journal, but I do that on computer because I value being able to electronically search it.

I've written in notebooks for many years (mainly write-only, like perl). I think the key thing to remember is that no one is going to read or judge your notes, so literally write anything.

Shopping lists, random thoughts, UML-like diagrams of code, sketches of possible art pieces, knots, etc. Just anything.

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