A common question I get about notebooks sold in the shop is “will it lie flat?” This question, apparently QUITE important to some people, is hard to answer because everyone has a different standard for what qualifies as “flat.” For purposes of this post, I will assume that “lie flat” means that the notebook will stay open on a desk without any assistance whatsoever from a clip, pen, or hand, and allow you to write on either page. Personally, I think the only true “lie flat” notebook is a spiral bound one, and that most other options require you to at least bend the spine a bit to prevent one or two pages from popping up, but I carry several in the shop that get darn close. If you’re fans of the “lie flat” design, be sure to check these out!
Editorial Grammar-nerd Note: I’ve always wondered what the proper grammatical phrasing is here. In the stationery community, many people use the expression “lay flat,” but after doing my exhaustive online research at merriam-webster.com (which also just happened to be the first google result I hit upon), I believe that notebooks actually “lie flat.” According to Merriam-Webster, you “lay” something flat when you place it in a flat position, such as setting it on a table. “Lie” refers to the act of being in a flat position on a table, which I believe better describes the situation we refer to here. I mostly try to avoid the situation entirely by talking about how notebooks “open” flat, but I’m sure someone will want to fight me on this anyway.
Midori MD Notebooks. Whether a notebook will open completely flat depends on the type of binding used, and threaded bindings such as those found in Midori MD Notebooks and the Kokuyo “PERPANEP” series (discussed below) are often your best bet, especially if you can’t live with a spiral or wire binding. The Midori MD Cotton notebooks feature this same binding, if you prefer more absorbent paper with a higher cotton content.
Midori MD Codex Day-to-a-Page Notebook. It’s rare to find a notebook this large that opens completely flat, and this day-to-a-page, jumbo-sized Midori MD can only do it because of the codex-style binding. A great value for planners, journalers, and even those who like to devote a single piece of creative writing to a day on a page.
Kokuyo PERPANEP Notebooks. Another well-known Japanese brand, Kokuyo launched it’s new PERPANEP paper this fall, and we’ve chosen to stock the textured “Zara Zara” version because we find that it handles fountain pen ink the best. The cheesecloth binding allows for versatile lie-flat use. Available in multiple rulings.
Life x Kleid Notebooks. Love micro-grid paper? I do. Japanese stationery brands Life and Kleid collaborated on these notebooks that, while not thread-bound, still do a good job of staying open. Life paper is quite fountain pen friendly, and I love the unique ruling.
Spiral-Bound Notebooks. If you don’t mind a spiral binding (and lefties, I understand this could be a deal-breaker), it’s the truly foolproof way to ensure a notebook stays flat on your desk, and even allows you the added versatility of folding the notebook over on itself to minimize the footprint without breaking the notebook’s spine. We carry a range of spiral notebooks with exceptional fountain pen friendly paper from Write Notepads, Maruman, and Clairefontaine. The great thing about spirals is that they’re generally inexpensive, with Maruman and Clairefontaine notebooks costing as little as $7.
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