I wasn’t familiar with Helen until this article, but her variety of notebooks and methods are the closest I’ve ever seen to my own. I can’t wait to read some of her writings! The point about the diaries becoming boring with the arrival of children was spot on — mine did too, and even though my boys are grown, I still find myself filtering what goes in. Thank you for the introduction to Helen’s work!
I love how so many of us gravitate towards similar patterns within the spaces of our private notebooks. I hope you enjoy Helen's writing as much as I do!
I concur with you Janice. Didn't know about Helen, but this introduction has given me some great ideas about how to enhance my own process. I too, am concerned about some of my entries being too disturbing to my daughter when I die, and she inherits all my notebooks. @Jillian Hess, I wonder if you have addressed the issue of censoring/redacting notebooks before sharing publicly ?
I've been asked this question by many friends in the +50 age group. And I don't quite have an answer yet. Or, are you talking about the famous people I write about?
Jillian, I’m talking about censoring myself. I’ve been doing “Morning Pages” Julia Cameron style for 20+ years. I find my brain/emotional dump in the morning crosses over into my note-taking and thinking. I can look back and see the arc of my mental health inter-woven through out my observations, analysis. I’ve also written about things I’ve done that my daughter and future granddaughter don’t need to know about my Wild Woman Journey. I just wonder how you’ve dealt with it personally.
Jillian, I'm talking about my writing in my notebooks in a stream of conscious kind of way. Writing out my emotional wrestlings and conflicted thinking. Do I really want anyone to know All the wounded parts of me? Should I redact myself? or just let it rip?
Is there such a thing as forensic handwriting analysis or analyzing patterns in journals, etc. ? I SHOULD KNOW THIS because I took forensics in college.....
Daniel - There are plenty of handwriting analysis systems out there. I had mine done years ago and it nailed what motivates me as well as giving clues to employers how best to utilize my skills. What kinds of things would you like to discover through "forensic" handwriting analysis?
What a fascinating system of notetaking! I love that Helen has so many different notebooks for a variety of purposes. Also very intrigued by the colorful email tracker???
I use colored sticky notes on a whiteboard and notecards when I’m outlining a story. Being able to move the sticky notes around or quickly subtract/add them to the board is so convenient and a lot of fun. I’ll always choose analog over digital when it comes to note taking/outlining! (For preservation, I’ll snap a picture as well.)
Love this exploration of how Helen uses her notebooks! Got me thinking about all the ways I use/have used mine. And I love Helen’s work so much - I teach a grad course called Writing in Graduate School and her work is a centerpiece of the class.
Brilliant. I really resonated with the discussion of self-censorship. Sometimes I worry about what I'm journaling about in case "someone else" might read it. I have to fight that notion.
Also, "Master your Notebook Envy" -- arghh, I wish I could. 😂 Every post of yours has me looking at all these wonderfully artistic notebooks with sketches and beautiful handwriting! (Having said that, the Lamy fountain pen is fantastic and has upped my pleasure of looking at my notes, especially once I paired it with a Clairefontaine notepad!)
I could not love the ways Helen plays with color any more! Her email notes are like stained glass (and such a unique concept). So many new things to try.
This is one of the best articles I've re writing. Containers of Chaos was a surprise concept that I will carry around forever. Writing, life, space,humans. That says it all. Thanks for such a great report!!
Thank you for sharing this it was so insightful. One thing I missed about my academic years is writing in so Many forms and mediums. Somedays I still feel very old school because I love writing on physical sketchbooks and processing what I wrote there before typing it up on a computer and sending it out to the world. I get so much pleasure and creativity from pen and paper that I rarely get when typing on a screen. I guess it is the nostalgia from journaling
I feel the same way about writing by hand. For me, it's less about nostalgia and more about being in the tactile world (although, of course, the digital has it's place too). I also feel much more creative with pen and paper than I do with a word document.
Loved this so much. Such a great conversation between two very inspiring women. Love the glimpses into different phases of Helen's life. Thank you to Helen for sharing these treasures and to you, Jillian, for the great questions. 💜
I wasn’t familiar with Helen until this article, but her variety of notebooks and methods are the closest I’ve ever seen to my own. I can’t wait to read some of her writings! The point about the diaries becoming boring with the arrival of children was spot on — mine did too, and even though my boys are grown, I still find myself filtering what goes in. Thank you for the introduction to Helen’s work!
I love how so many of us gravitate towards similar patterns within the spaces of our private notebooks. I hope you enjoy Helen's writing as much as I do!
I concur with you Janice. Didn't know about Helen, but this introduction has given me some great ideas about how to enhance my own process. I too, am concerned about some of my entries being too disturbing to my daughter when I die, and she inherits all my notebooks. @Jillian Hess, I wonder if you have addressed the issue of censoring/redacting notebooks before sharing publicly ?
I've been asked this question by many friends in the +50 age group. And I don't quite have an answer yet. Or, are you talking about the famous people I write about?
Jillian, I’m talking about censoring myself. I’ve been doing “Morning Pages” Julia Cameron style for 20+ years. I find my brain/emotional dump in the morning crosses over into my note-taking and thinking. I can look back and see the arc of my mental health inter-woven through out my observations, analysis. I’ve also written about things I’ve done that my daughter and future granddaughter don’t need to know about my Wild Woman Journey. I just wonder how you’ve dealt with it personally.
Jillian, I'm talking about my writing in my notebooks in a stream of conscious kind of way. Writing out my emotional wrestlings and conflicted thinking. Do I really want anyone to know All the wounded parts of me? Should I redact myself? or just let it rip?
Me too! I've added a few of her books to my tbr
Is there such a thing as forensic handwriting analysis or analyzing patterns in journals, etc. ? I SHOULD KNOW THIS because I took forensics in college.....
There has to be, right?! That would make such a fun research project. Also, you took forensics in college! How cool!
It was..... unusual. Cultural anthropology was interesting as well, in its own way. Both were electives.
Daniel - There are plenty of handwriting analysis systems out there. I had mine done years ago and it nailed what motivates me as well as giving clues to employers how best to utilize my skills. What kinds of things would you like to discover through "forensic" handwriting analysis?
I think it's called the psychology of handwriting or something like that
I love this insight, thank you! I'd never thought of creating my own notebook covers, what a great idea!
I thought so too!
What a fascinating system of notetaking! I love that Helen has so many different notebooks for a variety of purposes. Also very intrigued by the colorful email tracker???
I thought the email tracker idea was brilliant!
I use colored sticky notes on a whiteboard and notecards when I’m outlining a story. Being able to move the sticky notes around or quickly subtract/add them to the board is so convenient and a lot of fun. I’ll always choose analog over digital when it comes to note taking/outlining! (For preservation, I’ll snap a picture as well.)
I love knowing a bit more about how you work, Jenovia! And I really like the idea of taking pictures of analog notes as a way to preserve them.
Helen is right: you are the Notebook Queen 👑!
Aw, Sabrina, thank you!
Love this exploration of how Helen uses her notebooks! Got me thinking about all the ways I use/have used mine. And I love Helen’s work so much - I teach a grad course called Writing in Graduate School and her work is a centerpiece of the class.
Your students are so lucky to have a class like that! I wish my graduate education focused more on the nitty-gritty practice of writing.
Me too! I designed the class I wish I’d had!
Brilliant. I really resonated with the discussion of self-censorship. Sometimes I worry about what I'm journaling about in case "someone else" might read it. I have to fight that notion.
Also, "Master your Notebook Envy" -- arghh, I wish I could. 😂 Every post of yours has me looking at all these wonderfully artistic notebooks with sketches and beautiful handwriting! (Having said that, the Lamy fountain pen is fantastic and has upped my pleasure of looking at my notes, especially once I paired it with a Clairefontaine notepad!)
I resonated with the self-censorship discussion as well. I'm now shocked by the things I felt comfortable writing in my diary when I was in my 20s.
I could not love the ways Helen plays with color any more! Her email notes are like stained glass (and such a unique concept). So many new things to try.
I know! Such a visual feast.
This post sent me down many rabbit holes. And- I expect to purchase a few of Helen’s books. Thank you!
So good to hear, Kellie :)
This is one of the best articles I've re writing. Containers of Chaos was a surprise concept that I will carry around forever. Writing, life, space,humans. That says it all. Thanks for such a great report!!
Thanks, Patrick! I'm so glad you got so much out of this post.
Thank you for sharing this it was so insightful. One thing I missed about my academic years is writing in so Many forms and mediums. Somedays I still feel very old school because I love writing on physical sketchbooks and processing what I wrote there before typing it up on a computer and sending it out to the world. I get so much pleasure and creativity from pen and paper that I rarely get when typing on a screen. I guess it is the nostalgia from journaling
I feel the same way about writing by hand. For me, it's less about nostalgia and more about being in the tactile world (although, of course, the digital has it's place too). I also feel much more creative with pen and paper than I do with a word document.
Interesting. Thank you. Writing with Pleasure coming tomorrow 😉
I'm so glad! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Rick.
Loved this so much. Such a great conversation between two very inspiring women. Love the glimpses into different phases of Helen's life. Thank you to Helen for sharing these treasures and to you, Jillian, for the great questions. 💜
I'm so glad you enjoyed this post, Sophie. I had so much fun interviewing Helen and writing about her notes.
I am so happy to read this because I subscribe to you both, and it gives an extra inside look into Helen's techniques. Wonderful, thanks.