This entry is to help those who have tried on numerous occasions to keep a journal, and have also failed on numerous occasions to keep a journal.

Traditional Notebooks

Writer's Notebook

The traditional writer's notebook is, in essence, a written journal of one's thoughts. You can write stuff on poetry, journalism, fiction, nonfiction, or anything else that is literary, but by some unspoken rule you are restricted to writing. Some people are able to write in this journal daily. The recommendation of doing so is found in almost all "how to write" books.

However, most people have kept the journal for a few days, then skipped a day,
_{then skipped another day, and then another day,and then another day, and then another day,}
and so forth, for as many times as it takes them to perceive the pattern.

This, then, is the problem with the traditional writer's notebook: ONLY writing one's thoughts is, to some people, a restrictive act that grates on their nerves.

Artist's Notebook

Writers are not the only people who keep journals for professional purposes. Another branch of notebook-keeping people are artists. I have read quite a few books on the subject of "how to draw," and all of them recommend keeping an artist's notebook, in which one draws one's thoughts. This notebook contains only visual illustrations. Some people are able to keep up with this notebook as well.

This type of notebook also restricts thought for some people.

Other Notebooks

• Musician's Notebook: Ditties, Songs, and Full Fledged Operas and Orchestral Pieces
• Scientist's Journal: Physics, Geography, Cartography, Biology, Physiology, Mathematics, Inventing, Psychology, Medicine, Astronomy
• Lawyer's Notebook:¹ Court Notes, Interview Records, Relevant Newspaper/Magazine/Etc. Clippings

All of these journals restrict thought.

The Hybrid Journal

When the problem is phrased this way, the solution becomes clear: a hybrid journal. This journal would contain anything you like: sketches, mathematical ideas, ditties, poems, clippings, stories, articles, photos, inventions, or whatever YOU think will best adapt to YOUR thoughts.²

The purpose of a journal is to solidify your thoughts and feelings so that you can convert it to the medium in which you specialize. It doesn't make sense to painstakingly formalize your thoughts and feelings while they are slowly slipping away. That is like, when living on the fish that you catch in a place where there is a limited time of day during which fish bite, cooking a newly caught fish during the time you can catch the fish. It doesn't work for most people.³

Due to the fact that it is hard to draw on lined paper, you should use blank-paged paper for your journal. It would be best to use a clamp-binder for this, as then you don't have to bring it around with you; you just have to bring paper and pencil.⁴

If you spend a while in a bus or train, you should probably use a small laptop/ hand-held computer with sketch and some form of word processor, with a keyboard, as then you will be able to read what you write. ⁵

Not only did this hybrid journal help one of this entry's researcher's productivity, it also helped Leonardo da Vinci's.