(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Write Notepads have always impressed me with their build quality and value over the years, and the Meeting Notebook is no slouch.
A relative newcomer to the lineup, the Meeting Notebook is not a novel concept, but Write's execution is impeccable. You've probably seen similar notebooks at your local office supply stores, Amazon, and from Rhodia and Japanese stationery companies. The "meeting notebook" usually contains formatting paper that is conducive to taking notes during a meeting or discussion. There's an area for contextual information like date, location, attendees, etc. as well as a reserved space for action items and notes. The Write Meeting Notebook follows these cues, but adds a bit of the classic Write style that we know and love.
As the name implies, these kinds of books can be a lifesaver during meetings. There's ample room for notes, a sliver of margin reserved for recording actions, and minimal amount of space up top for context. It's a great format, and one that I wish I could use more often. I love using this book when attending a meeting as a participant or stakeholder, but I normally fall back to my faster digital notebook (Bear) for recording minutes and actions for calls that I'm leading so that I can record all the details as they happen.
Just take one look at a picture of the paper format and you'll know if this can help you in your job or personal life. It provides enough structure to keep your notes and actions organized, but it's also subtle enough to disappear if you want to use a sheet as an impromptu sketch or doodle during a meeting.
Once you finish a Meeting Notebook, you have a convenient record of your meetings — along with the notes, decisions, and actions that took place. It's a great analog reference tool.
Like I said at the beginning, I'm always impressed by Write Notepads, and this notebook is no exception. The quality of materials is fantastic, and that translates to delight whenever you get a chance to hold or use the book.
I have the black cover version, but they also sell a Pistachio (off-white cover) version that is identical inside.
The twin ring binding is rugged and sleek. When turning pages, I haven't had any issues or hangs along the binding. Being tossed in a busy bag and bouncing around on the commute is an easy task for the binding, and I'm sure it will outlast the notebook. The sheets aren't meant to be torn out of the notebook, and (as such) feel very secure when turning pages back and forth. It does not feel like a page will accidentally tear or start to fall out with heavy use.
The covers are a thick and durable chipboard material. I'm a big fan of the look and feel, and the minimal branding just makes my day. There's a small space on the front cover to indicate a year, project, subject, or other detail, but there is no "This book belongs to..." page on the inside. The first page of this notebook is all business — just like all the other pages. There's no fluff, and I really appreciate.
The format of the paper is something I really enjoy, but now it's time to look at the quality of that paper and how it performs with different types of pens and inks.
In the past, I've had mixed experiences with Write Notepads when it comes to juicy fountain pens, so I was expecting similar results with this notebook.
I was pleasantly surprised after doing several pen/ink samples to find that there was practically no bleeding, show-through, or any other negative reactions. This paper is fantastic! Write Notepads lists the paper as 70# stock, but it performs better than I expected. Fountain pens, gel pens, liquid ink rollerballs, and pencils all performed with aplomb. Not only can you bring this notebook to your meetings, but you can be confident that you favorite pen can also come with you to help document the meeting.
Every time I try out a new Write Notepads product, I'm always happy I did. While the idea of a "meeting notebook" isn't new, I appreciate the unique take that Write took with this book.
The Meeting Notebook sells for $22 and is available in Black or Pistachio covers.
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