Journals, Write On Both Sides Or Only One?

[burnman]

Over the weekend, my wife picked me up a Cavallini Roma Lussa journal. http://www.cavallini.com/leather.html It's gorgeous, and so far I have written one post in it.

 

I was curious, mostly due to my conflict, do people only use one side of the page in their journals, or do you use both?

 

I'm debating on only using one side, unless the entry happens to go over, then I'd use the back.

[USMCMom]

I write on both sides of each page.

[toniw]

Only one page. Otherwise it looks too "full" for my taste.

[ChelleW]

I write on both sides of each page.

 

 

+1

[dannyboy]

I write on both sides of the page. Just recently I bought a journal from Watermark Bindery in Nordland, WA and received such superb service--these are handbound journals that you are allowed to choose the paper for the cover. The paper for the journal pages is very "toothy" and has a creamy color and is available lined or unlined. I love this journal and would recommend their products highly.

[professionaldilettante]

Depends on if there is bleed through.

[CDKeth]

I like to use both sides but I don't do it all at once. I write on all of the front sides, turn the journal upside down, then write on all of the back sides. I find it more comfortable that way because my hand never has to be sitting in the gutter of the book that way.

[josefa]

Depends on if there is bleed through.

 

+1

[sparky.88]

I'm a 'both sides' guy. Unless there is significant bleed-through...

[Kimcly]

I use both sides of the page although the backs of the page has noticeably less on it. Some times I turn the notebook 90 degrees counter-clockwise to avoid the "hand in gutter" discomfort.

[steviebee]

Depends what I'm writing: serious stuff, one side only. Anything else, both sides. Extra-fine nib, I'll have a go at the edges ....

[Vulcan1066]

I send a journal to my friend and in it I write on the right side pages. When she responds she write on the left side pages. It works pretty well because she is a heretic and only writes with a ballpoint pen. :roflmho:

[inkstainedruth]

I write on both sides. On rare occasions when I turn the page, I have to worry a bit about dry times (depending on the ink). I don't worry too much about bleedthrough, though, because mine is basically what I core the daily "core dump".

I see all the posts about high-end journals, but frankly I buy whatever I think is most economical, for the most part, but still is somewhat aesthetic. I try to get ones that have a lot of pages for the money, which means I'm not necessarily getting eco-friendly ones. And every time I read the pros and cons of Moleskines I look at them and go "wow, those are thin...." :blink:

I would prefer to get ones with unlined pages, but for some reason they're harder to find at a reasonable price. When I get lined pages I tend to write two lines squeezed into one.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[andru]

I think my avatar answers this one...

 

I like to use both sides but I don't do it all at once. I write on all of the front sides, turn the journal upside down, then write on all of the back sides. I find it more comfortable that way because my hand never has to be sitting in the gutter of the book that way.

Great idea! Although I'm so used to seeing the left pages inked it might feel strange. Do you ever find yourself distracted by things written earlier on the left pages, after flipping the book over? I guess they'd be upside down. Would you say that this practise has increased your ability to read your writing upside down?

 

I've taken to Leuchtturm1917 journals (in fact I invested in something like a life supply, D.V.). These are extremely bleed-resistant, but they have more show-through than some might care to see. Personally, I like the effect. The slant is mirrored, so the show-through is kinda "orthogonal".

[TonyP1980]

I use an Earthworks Handmade Journal (wrap around leather cover one)and use both sides of the page. However, with the paper they use, there is no bleed through and very little show through, so i don't have that issue to contend with.

[pmhudepo]

Depends on if there is bleed through.

 

Same here. My Moleskine didn't like bigger or wetter nibs all that much and I would either use just one side, or paste a photograph on the back of a written page. My Quo Vadis Habana (old version, white paper) has no such issues.

 

My journal entries consist of the date (broad nib, blue ink) and a few lines noting the people I met, projects I worked on, happy things, sometimes grumpy stuff (fine nib, brown or black ink). Blank line, next entry. This way, pages are divided into sections and it doesn't feel cluttered or cramped at all.

 

If you write with a very nice hand, very deliberate, long stretches of text, then things may be different. I would imagine that form of journaling would look good in a A4-sized journal with nice margins and using one side only.

Edited July 31, 2012 by pmhudepo

[GeneralSynopsis]

Over the weekend, my wife picked me up a Cavallini Roma Lussa journal. http://www.cavallini.com/leather.html It's gorgeous, and so far I have written one post in it.

 

I was curious, mostly due to my conflict, do people only use one side of the page in their journals, or do you use both?

 

I'm debating on only using one side, unless the entry happens to go over, then I'd use the back.

 

One side and keep the facing page for subsequent comments/amplification.

 

.

[LYTH]

Both sides, even if it is bleeding. I don't mind.

Edited July 31, 2012 by LYTH

[Martini25]

Depends on if there is bleed through.

 

I agree with others who have this sentiment. Both sides is default with my writing, mostly out of habit. It reminds me a lot of books and articles I have read that have writing on both sides.

 

Because of this, one side is not so common and usually reserved for finished writing or when I draw something in my notebooks.

 

 

But the blank page still bugs me.

[Dioxazine]

Absolutely. I want the most for my money! I actually write 2 lines per ruling (if wide rule), over the headers and footers, and if college rule I write...the same size as I would in wide rule, so I guess 1.5 lines per ruling, with the lines behind my letters and all that. I like really faint lines, if any at all (I also like to sketch.) I get more than twice as much use out of a book as most people would! Rulings are just minor suggestions.

 

For minor notes, I flip the book over and write along the back.

 

Little is as lovely and satisfying as seeing a stuffed notebook full of intricate, black, uniform, handwritten text.

Edited July 31, 2012 by Dioxazine