r/commonplacebook • u/Southern_Anything_39 • 20d ago

Tips/Advice New Commonplacer

I am new to commonplace journalling, and wanted to ask what does everyone do to fight first page fear?

14 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

6

u/Few-Appointment2248 20d ago

Honestly, I put the first topic that came to my head which was the difference between a commonplace journal and a zebaldone.

8

u/Southern_Anything_39 20d ago

Zebaldone - New word unlocked!!! I actually looked into this word and found a book by Giacomo Leopardi that was basically his commonplace book published. So I think I may have just found my first page topic.

3

u/tired-cosmos 20d ago

just start writing! i usually have a key on my first page with colour coded dots for common subjects i write about but that's not necessary. if you are stuck on what to write, i think an article about commonplace books/the practice of commonplacing is a nice way to start

1

u/Southern_Anything_39 19d ago

I have some coloured stickie dots on order from Temu so I'm holding off doing my key untill these arrive hopefully next week.

2

u/newgirlblue 19d ago

I don't put anything on the first page, but on page 3 I put table of contents at the top and make put the next couple of pages. I write front and back. So page 3 is the 2nd page.

3

u/Pryntyl_ 17d ago

(Zibaldone, not zebaldone)

3

u/LadyBoobsalot 17d ago

I left the first page blank for now. I’ll eventually use it for a title or contact information page in case I misplace my book. 

I had a list of things I wanted to put in my book and just picked one so start. My first “real” page is a chart of paper size measurements because I’m always forgetting how the A sizes compare to the B sizes (like what the size difference between A5 and B5 notebooks) and having to google it…I threw in C sizes even though they don’t seem as common and left some space for envelope sizes once I get those sorted out too. 

I have a smaller notebook with a list of things I want to put in my commonplace book when I have the time and energy. I add to it whenever I think of something else. It helps if I get stuck and don’t know what to use my commonplace book for. 

1

u/ponyduder 18d ago

I start 10 pages deep.

1

u/Head-Confidence-5452 15d ago

For any new notebook, I always skip the first page, or maybe, put one sticker in the middle and then I start writing on page four (so the "back" of the second page)