FAQ

Really? EVERY entry/page is considered a Collection?

Yes, at least according to careful analysis of the instructions in the official Bullet Journal notebook, Ryder mentions that Collections are one of the 4 key concepts and goes on to illustrate the 3 main ones: Future Log, Monthly Log, and the Daily Log. This makes a lot of sense and brings everything together in a concise way.

What do you do if you’re out and don’t have your Bullet Journal?

I usually have a small notebook with me, a mini Leuchtturm1917 (smaller than pocket) to be exact. I use it to write down an errands list or notes while I'm out and about. I've heard of others using a notes app on their phone and then migrating that information to their Bullet Journals when they get home.

I’m a guy, and I don’t carry a bag with me, what notebook do you recommend to carry around in my pocket?

Field Notes are a common choice. Here's an awesome article full of pocket notebook recommendations.

I keep seeing all of these elaborate Bullet Journals and I’m a little overwhelmed.

The awesome thing about the Bullet Journal is that you can keep it as simple or make it as complex as you like. My biggest tip is to keep it as simple as possible, even if you make a more complex layout later on. I always, always, always, strongly recommend keeping things as simple as possible such that you'll want to continue to use the system. If you find yourself not liking something in your notebook, simply turn the page, give the other one the bird, and move on! Life is too short to fret about a notebook page.

What size and format notebook do you recommend for a beginner?

I'll echo Ryder's recommendation to make sure your notebook is big enough that it's practical and small enough that you can carry it with you. Medium/A5 is a great choice. Zequenz does have a pretty cool size (small) that is in between pocket and medium, you might look into that!

As for the format, I recommend a grid or dot grid to work with. You'll have much more flexibility. Leuchtturm1917 (Amazon ) is the favorite notebook amongst Bullet Journalists.

What do you recommend as a beginner fountain pen?

My first experience of a fountain pen was a cheap Pilot Varsity. It's disposable and there's not much of a committment if you don't end up liking it. As a starter starter fountain pen, that's the one I recommend. If you want the real experience of one without investing too much, the Pilot Metropolitan (Amazon ) is a popular choice, the fine nib in particular.

I don’t have too much going on, can I still use a Bullet Journal?

Of course you can! Maybe you'll use it to see what you do have going on and you can use the other pages for creative things or to practice your handwriting. Speaking of handwriting...

How can I improve my handwriting?

Honestly, I think everyone's handwriting is pretty awesome. That said, if you find your chicken-scratch less than enjoyable to you, a recent #bulletjournalchallenge was on improving your handwriting, check it out to get some tips. My biggest tip for improving your handwriting would have to be to slow down and/or write in caps. I like writing in caps because it forces me to really create the lines for the words and thus makes the words more legible.

Here's an article I wrote on how to improve your everyday handwriting with free handwriting guides :)

I'm afraid of 'messing up'

I'm going to stop you right there and tell you that there's no such thing as 'messing up' in a notebook, these are all things to learn about. If you do 'mess up', then use some white-out, no need to fret about it. Turn the page and move on :)

I use apps for things like my calendar, do I have to switch to full-analog?

No, you can keep using the apps you already use! I always recommend sticking to the right tool for the task at hand. If a digital calendar works for you, then keep to that! Ryder, I, and many others use Google calendar in addition to the Bullet Journal. The Bujo (short for Bullet Journal) works nicely with other tools, it's a notebook, remember? (; I use plenty of apps concurrently with the Bullet Journal because that's what works for me. Stick to what works for you!

What notebook did you use in these photos?

I used a black dot Leuchtturm1917 (Amazon ). This is my mock-up notebook, where I create ideas for the benefit of my readers when I want to share specific ideas.

What's your relationship to the Bullet Journal?

Hi, I'm Kim! I've been Bullet Journaling for nearly a year and a half now. I've written many articles about the Bullet Journal, you could say I'm obsessed. I created a #bulletjournalchallenge early 2015 to help others get more out of their Bullet Journals, to help build a community, and to share ideas. The challenge was a great success month after month and I eventually got invited by Ryder, Inventor of the Bullet Journal, to host it over at the official Bullet Journal blog every month, which I do. I am a regular contributor to the Bullet Journal site and it is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life, and I'm very honored and humbled to be able to do it :) I'm a thoughtful individual who spends a lot of her time either thinking about the Bullet Journal, working in it, making friends because of it, and giving others advice and guidance. I love it, eternally grateful to Ryder for introducing it, and enjoy the Bullet Journal community. I especially love the notebook I'm using so much, Leuchtturm1917, that I created a leather notebook cover for it that I will be selling soon for others to enjoy as well. I have a lot of articles and ideas to share and it was about time I created an introductory guide. I hope this was helpful to you. I share tons of ideas over on Instagram, so you should definitely follow me over there to stay in the loop. That's me in a nutshell, happy to meet you! :) Make sure to grab the official Bullet Journal notebook as a way to say thank you to Ryder for sharing the system and continuing to inspire us all with his top notch content! :)