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March 31, 2025 12 mins

https://lestallion.com/collections/journal-notebook-for-journal-creative-writing

Have you ever lost a brilliant idea because you had nowhere to write it down? That fleeting character trait, perfect line of dialogue, or unexpected plot twist—gone forever because it wasn't captured in the moment. This fundamental challenge for creative writers forms the heart of our discussion about the power of dedicated writing journals.

We dive deep into why having a high-quality notebook specifically designed for your creative writing isn't just a nice addition to your toolkit—it's potentially transformative. From the tactile experience of writing on thick paper (ideally 120 gsm to prevent bleeding) to the psychological comfort of a soft faux leather cover that feels inviting rather than intimidating, these seemingly small details create an environment where creativity can flourish.

Beyond simply capturing ideas, we explore practical techniques for using your journal to overcome writer's block through free writing and prompts, organize complex projects with features like numbered pages and tables of contents, and develop a consistent writing practice that builds creative muscle over time. We share a powerful success story about a screenwriter who finally completed her first draft after eight months using a dedicated journal that helped her organize her overwhelming ideas into a cohesive screenplay.

The physical act of writing by hand connects you differently to your creativity than typing on a screen, potentially unlocking new ideas and perspectives. Your journal becomes not just a tool but a sanctuary—a judgment-free zone where you can experiment, take risks, and watch your ideas evolve over time. What stories are you waiting to tell? Maybe all you need is the right journal and a little dedicated time to start bringing those stories to life.

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LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.

For More Info on LeStallion, check out:
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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right.
So you know how much we alllove to just dive deep into
things and really get to thecore of how to do stuff better.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (00:08):
So today we're going to we're going to tackle
something that that's reallyfundamental, I think, for anyone
who's into creative writing,and that's that's the the good
old fashioned journal notebook.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Yeah, the classic, the essential.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
Exactly, and and we've been looking at some
really interesting stuff aboutthis Exactly, and we've been
looking at some reallyinteresting stuff about this you
know specifically how awell-designed journal can
actually like make a difference.
You know like one of thoseLestallion ones, Right.
So what we want to do today isreally dig into why having a
dedicated notebook for yourwriting is not just like a nice

(00:40):
thing to have, it's likeactually a game changer.
It can be.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh yeah For getting those ideas down, keeping them
and and really like refiningyour craft.
Yeah, and you know it's it's soimportant these days because we
are so like digitally focused,you know totally and there's
something really powerful abouthaving that, that physical space
right to put your thoughts down, especially with something like
creative writing, where it's sopersonal, it's so nuanced.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
It's like you're creating a sanctuary for your
ideas.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Exactly yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Think about it.
How many times have you hadlike this amazing line for a
poem, or this brilliant plottwist, or like a really vivid
description of a character?

Speaker 1 (01:18):
Oh, all the time.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
And then you don't write it down and it just
vanishes.
Oof gone.
Gone and it's so frustrating.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
The worst.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
So a dedicated journal.
It's right there, it's ready,it's that anchor.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
It's like your safety net.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yes, and not just any notebook.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Right the quality of the paper.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
Oh yeah, that matters .

Speaker 2 (01:38):
The durability.
You want to know that thoseideas are going to be there for
you to revisit later like a timecapsule, almost exactly and
that all feeds into a bettercreative experience you know,
you just reminded me of a friendof mine.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
He's a playwright okay and he's like overflowing
with ideas constantly, likebrilliant scenes and dialogue
just popping into his head.
I know the type right and heused to scribble them down
anywhere, like napkins receipts,I know, and of course he'd lose
half of them Of course.
It was a disaster, but then hefinally got himself a dedicated
notebook.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Good for him.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Something really nice , you know, and it was like a
turning point.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
Really.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, he started actually developing those little
sparks into full scenes andthen, you know, plays.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
I love that.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
It's amazing, and you know the thing about durability
too.
Yeah, it's like you want anotebook that feels like it can
handle your creative energy.
You know like you can toss itin your bag, take it everywhere,
fill it up, and it's stillgoing to be there years later.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
It becomes part of your journey as a writer.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
Absolutely A record of all those ideas and struggles
and triumphs.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
Speaking of struggles , yeah, what's inevitable for
every writer at some point.

Speaker 1 (02:46):
Oh, you mean writer's block?

Speaker 2 (02:48):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
And this is where the journal becomes more than just
a place to store ideas.
It becomes a tool.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
Okay, how so?

Speaker 2 (02:55):
It can actually help you break through those blocks.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
Really.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah, there are specific techniques you can use,
like free writing.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah, have you ever tried that?

Speaker 2 (03:01):
uh, I think I've dabbled in it so you just let
your thoughts flow onto the page.
No editing, no judgment, justpure stream of consciousness
sounds kind of scary, but alsofreeing it is, it can be really
liberating.
And then there are prompts.
You can use prompts, yeah, likelittle starting points to get
your imagination going like,what kind of prompts?
Well.
We saw some examples likedescribe a moment that changed

(03:23):
your life or create a dialoguebetween two unlikely characters.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
Oh, that's cool.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yeah, and these are just random exercises.
They're designed to kind ofpush your thinking in new
directions.

Speaker 1 (03:34):
To make those unexpected connections.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
It's like having a brainstorming buddy who never
gets tired.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
That's a great way to put it and someone who never
criticizes you.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
That's key, especially when you're just
starting out with an idea.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
Right.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
It can feel so fragile.
You know you need that safespace to experiment without
feeling judged.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
Absolutely.
And the more you write, evenwhen you don't feel inspired,
the stronger you become as awriter.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
It's like working out a muscle the more you use it,
the more resilient it gets, youknow.
It makes me think about thoselistallion journals.
They have that really thickpaper right, the 120 gsm oh yeah
so you can write with like anypen you want and no bleeding
through, which is a huge plusfor me yeah, and they have those
dashed lines too.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
Oh yeah, I love that like the perfect balance of
structure without feeling toorestrictive you can just let
your thoughts flow.
And even sketch or outline plotpoints.

Speaker 1 (04:26):
It's so versatile.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
It really is.

Speaker 1 (04:28):
And you know when you're choosing a journal for
creative writing.
These little details really domatter.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
They make a big difference.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
The quality of the paper.
Like we said, it affects how itfeels to write.
Absolutely, and you can usedifferent fountain pens, you
know, without worrying about theink going everywhere.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
And it helps preserve your work in the long run.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
Right, because this is your legacy.
We're talking about.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Exactly, and the strong binding is super
important too.

Speaker 1 (04:53):
Oh yeah, you don't want it falling apart after a
few weeks.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
And a nice cover like a soft faux leather one.
It's not just about looks,though.
It makes it more comfortable tohold.

Speaker 1 (05:01):
It feels special.

Speaker 2 (05:02):
And that can actually make you more likely to want to
write.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
It's psychological, you know.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
It is, it can really enhance the whole experience.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
And what about organizational features?

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Oh yeah, those are essential for some people.

Speaker 1 (05:13):
Like a table of contents.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yes, Especially if you're working on a longer
project like a novel or ascreenplay.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
Or if you have multiple projects going at once.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
You can quickly find what you're looking for without
having to flip through 100 pages.

Speaker 1 (05:25):
Save so much time and frustration.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
And a back pocket for those loose scraps of paper.

Speaker 1 (05:29):
Oh my gosh yes.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
You know how many ideas end up on random bits of
paper.

Speaker 1 (05:34):
And then they disappear forever.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Exactly, but with a dedicated pocket you can keep
everything together.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
Inspiration clippings , research notes all in one
place.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
It's so convenient and you know, it's these kinds
of features that make journalslike the Listallion stand out.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
Yeah, they're really designed with writers in mind.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
Like even the number of pages.
Some of them have 211 numberedpages.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
That's a lot of space for ideas.

Speaker 2 (05:59):
Plenty of room to explore.

Speaker 1 (06:00):
It's really impressive when you think about
it.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
It's all about having the right tools to support the
creative process.

Speaker 1 (06:05):
Not just any old notebook.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
Right, it's about having a tool that's
specifically designed to helpyou write better.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
And sometimes it's those little details that make
all the difference.

Speaker 2 (06:14):
They really can.

Speaker 1 (06:15):
You know, it reminds me of my cousin.
She was trying to write herfirst screenplay.

Speaker 2 (06:19):
Oh, wow.

Speaker 1 (06:19):
And she had all these ideas, but she was struggling
to organize them.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
That could be overwhelming.

Speaker 1 (06:24):
It totally was for her.
She felt like she was drowningin her own ideas.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
I can relate to that.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
So she decided to try using a listallion journal.
Oh and she said, the firstthing she noticed was how nice
the cover felt.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
That soft faux leather.

Speaker 1 (06:37):
Yeah, it felt less intimidating than the sketchbook
she had been using, interesting, and she started just jotting
down scenes and character ideason those dashed lines and she
said the lines helped her keepher writing neat but without
feeling restricted.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
It's that perfect balance.

Speaker 1 (06:53):
Right, and because the paper was so thick, she
could even make notes in themargins.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
Without it showing through on the other side.

Speaker 1 (06:58):
Exactly which can be so distracting?

Speaker 2 (07:00):
Totally.
And then, as her screenplaystarted coming together, she
said the table of contents was alifesaver.

Speaker 1 (07:06):
For keeping track of everything.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
Yeah, all the plot lines and character arcs.

Speaker 1 (07:09):
And the back pocket became her research hub, all her
notes and articles and stuff.

Speaker 2 (07:14):
It's like having a built-in filing system.

Speaker 1 (07:16):
It is, and she actually finished a draft in
like eight months.

Speaker 2 (07:20):
That's amazing.

Speaker 1 (07:21):
I know and she credits a lot of that to having
that organized, writer-friendlyjournal.

Speaker 2 (07:26):
It helped her stay focused and feel less
overwhelmed.

Speaker 1 (07:29):
It's such a good example of how the right tools
can empower you.

Speaker 2 (07:33):
Absolutely.
They can make the whole processso much smoother.
And you know it makes me thinkabout some practical advice for
our listeners.
Yeah, how can people actuallyuse a creative writing journal
to get the most out of it?

Speaker 1 (07:46):
Well, I think having a consistent writing routine is
key.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
I agree, even if it's just for a few minutes each day
.

Speaker 1 (07:52):
It makes a huge difference over time.

Speaker 2 (07:54):
It's like making a date with your creativity.

Speaker 1 (07:57):
I love that, and don't forget about prompts.

Speaker 2 (07:59):
Oh yeah, those are so useful.

Speaker 1 (08:01):
They can help you overcome writer's block, but
they can also just be a fun wayto spark new ideas.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
We mentioned a few earlier, like writing a letter
to your future self or imagininga world without gravity.

Speaker 1 (08:14):
Oh yeah, those are good ones.

Speaker 2 (08:15):
They really get you thinking outside the box.

Speaker 1 (08:17):
And I think it's important to experiment with
different writing styles in yourjournal too.
Don't feel like you have tostick to just prose.

Speaker 2 (08:25):
You can write poetry, you can sketch, you can do
whatever feels right in themoment.

Speaker 1 (08:29):
It's all part of the creative process.

Speaker 2 (08:31):
And having a comfortable writing environment
is so important too.

Speaker 1 (08:33):
Oh yeah, like a cozy corner with good lighting.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
Or your favorite music playing.

Speaker 1 (08:38):
Maybe a cup of tea.

Speaker 2 (08:40):
Those little rituals can really help you get into the
writing mindset.

Speaker 1 (08:43):
They signal to your brain that it's time to create.

Speaker 2 (08:46):
Exactly, and don't forget to go back and reread
your old entries.

Speaker 1 (08:49):
That's something I need to do more often.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
It's so valuable.
You can see how your ideas haveevolved.

Speaker 1 (08:55):
And you might even get inspired by something you
wrote months or years ago.

Speaker 2 (08:59):
It's like having a conversation with your past self
.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
My grandmother used to say that she kept journals
her whole life.
Oh wow, and she would always goback and reread them.

Speaker 2 (09:08):
And she would find new ideas.

Speaker 1 (09:09):
Yeah, it was like a treasure trove of inspiration.

Speaker 2 (09:13):
That's beautiful and you know when you really commit
to these practices.

Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (09:18):
The benefits of journaling for creative writing
become so clear.

Speaker 1 (09:22):
You start to see the results.

Speaker 2 (09:23):
You notice that your thinking is clearer.

Speaker 1 (09:26):
Your writing is more focused.

Speaker 2 (09:27):
You're more present in the moment.

Speaker 1 (09:28):
More connected to your creativity.

Speaker 2 (09:30):
And, of course, your creativity flourishes.

Speaker 1 (09:32):
Because you have that safe space to explore without
judgment.

Speaker 2 (09:36):
Exactly, and it can even help you solve problems.

Speaker 1 (09:38):
Really.

Speaker 2 (09:39):
Yeah, when you're stuck on something in your
writing.

Speaker 1 (09:41):
Like a plot point or a character motivation.

Speaker 2 (09:44):
Sometimes just writing it out in your journal
can help you see things from anew perspective.

Speaker 1 (09:49):
It can unlock those creative blocks.

Speaker 2 (09:51):
And, of course, having a well-designed journal
like the Listallion can make thewhole experience even better.

Speaker 1 (09:56):
Yeah, it's all about having the right tools.

Speaker 2 (09:58):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (09:58):
You know, it's interesting to think about all
the different types of notebooksout there.

Speaker 2 (10:02):
Yeah, there are so many options.

Speaker 1 (10:05):
You have Mlaskins, which are classic and portable,
but paper can be a little thin.
Yeah, some people don't likethat.

Speaker 2 (10:13):
And then you have bullet journals which are super
flexible.

Speaker 1 (10:16):
But they're more for organization than creative
writing.

Speaker 2 (10:19):
And then there are those fancy planners like Aaron
Condren.
Which are beautiful, but again,not really designed for
freeform writing.

Speaker 1 (10:28):
So what makes a journal?

Speaker 2 (10:29):
like the Lestallion, stand out.
What's the attention to detail?

Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yeah, they really thought about what writers need.

Speaker 2 (10:34):
The thick paper, the comfortable cover.

Speaker 1 (10:36):
The table of contents .

Speaker 2 (10:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (10:38):
The back pocket.

Speaker 2 (10:39):
It's all there.

Speaker 1 (10:39):
So for someone who's listening to this and thinking,
I want to start journaling.

Speaker 2 (10:43):
Or maybe they used to journal and they want to get
back into it.

Speaker 1 (10:46):
What advice would you give them?

Speaker 2 (10:47):
Well, first of all, choose a high quality journal
that feels good to you.
And based on what we've beentalking about, a listallion
would be a great option.
It really would Then set somerealistic goals for yourself.

Speaker 1 (10:57):
Don't try to do too much at once.

Speaker 2 (10:59):
Maybe start with 15 minutes of writing each day.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
Or focus on developing one new character
idea each week.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
The key is to be consistent.

Speaker 1 (11:07):
Make it a habit.

Speaker 2 (11:08):
And don't be afraid to experiment.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
Try different prompts , different writing styles.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
Just let your creativity flow.

Speaker 1 (11:15):
And, most importantly , celebrate your progress.

Speaker 2 (11:19):
Look back at how far you've come.

Speaker 1 (11:20):
And give yourself credit for all the effort you're
putting in.

Speaker 2 (11:23):
Because you're doing great.

Speaker 1 (11:25):
You know, at the end of the day, what we've really
learned today is that adedicated journal, it's not just
a blank book.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
It's so much more than that.

Speaker 1 (11:35):
It's a tool that can help you unlock your creative
potential.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
It can help you overcome challenges.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
It can help you build a consistent writing practice.

Speaker 2 (11:42):
It can change your life.

Speaker 1 (11:44):
So I want you to think about this what stories
are you waiting to tell?

Speaker 2 (11:48):
What ideas are you holding back?

Speaker 1 (11:50):
Maybe all you need is a journal.

Speaker 2 (11:52):
And a little bit of time.

Speaker 1 (11:53):
To start bringing those stories to life.

Speaker 2 (11:55):
To unleash your creativity.

Speaker 1 (11:57):
That's something to think about.

Speaker 2 (11:59):
It is food for thought.

Speaker 1 (12:00):
And until next time, keep exploring those creative
depths.

Speaker 2 (12:03):
Happy writing.

Speaker 1 (12:05):
See you later.
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