A common sentiment among people, Notebookers included.  I think it’s natural but I’m not so sure it’s always helpful or even sane.

I often fall into this exact sentiment when looking at notebooks.  When I look at a notebook like the Sigel Conceptum I get so excited about all the features¹ that I just about break my wrist reaching for my wallet so fast.

But should I?  Should you?  What follows is a list of features that are common to notebooks that you might want to ignore:

• Elastic closing strap For as much as I wish they weren’t, Harry Potter books are fiction.  Never have I had a book that, when left to its own devices, pops open and begins wreaking havoc all over the place.  When you throw a notebook into a bag or pocket it won’t usually open of it’s own accord.  I suppose if you throw it into a very loose bag some other things in the bag may make their way into the pages but most of the time, I find, the elastic closure is simply decorative.  A nice decoration no doubt, but a decoration none the less.
• Ribbon bookmark  Some notebooks even come with 2!  Pretty cool, huh?  Honestly, I often forget to put them in the page before I close my notebooks.  Then, of course, when I see the ribbon dangling like a tassel I decide to open back up the notebook and replace it.  I never have had a hard time finding my place.  Don’t get me wrong, I do like the bookmarks.  Especially when they add a bit of color to an otherwise monochromatic landscape.  I must admit this though, more than once I have filled or nearly filled a notebook before noticing it was ribbon-less.
• The pocket  Whoa there cowboy!  The pocket is as much a part of the identity of the notebook as the paper, you say.  Well, sure.  And I like a nice pocket in my notebook.  I even use mine.  That said, you can’t put too much in there without straining the binding and making your tome hard to close (at least your elastic closure will be useful until the spine cracks).  But not everyone uses these pockets.  Do you?  According to a recent survey I found, most people don’t use the pocket.  Some don’t even know it’s there.  If you don’t use it then there’s no reason to obsess over how it’s constructed or even whether it’s there.
• Paper  OK.  Obviously a notebook has to have paper.  Even I know that!  But… A lot of fuss is made over paper quality.  Of course, if you use a fussy pen like a roller ball or its fussier older sibling, the fountain pen, then paper quality can definitely matter.  To be sure, I LOVE the small but kind luxury writing on good paper affords even when using a pencil (my weapon of choice).  Make no mistake, however, I don’t use fussy pens so I don’t HAVE to be fussy about paper quality.  I still am sometimes.
• Lay flat construction  Now here is one feature that is VERY important to me.  I hope, for your sake, it doesn’t matter to you.  There are so many notebooks I get then immediately hate because they won’t lay flat.  If this happens to you and it doesn’t ruin your day then I’m very jealous of you.
• Pen/Pencil loop  More and more notebooks are coming with little elastic loops to hold your pen or pencil².  This is, presumably, because pens and pencils are historically so huge and heavy that they’re hard to carry around on their own!  I don’t mind a place for a pen or pencil but a lack of a loop is far from a deal breaker for me.

I’m not saying these features aren’t important or worth seeking out.  When push comes to shove, it’s your notebook and it should have the features and aesthetic you want.  But don’t be trapped by an assumption about what you “need.”  Don’t let yourself forget that your writing is what makes a notebook special and not some goofy feature that you don’t use.

Are there any features you love but never use?  Let us know in the comments!

1. Features aside, the Sigel Conceptum is an excellent notebook by all metrics.  It’s also the most feature laden notebook I can imagine without adding Bluetooth or a fire starter!
2. Lemome, Blackwing Slate and Sigel Conceptum to name 3 and Leuchtturm even offers a stick-on pen loop!