My First Novel Notebook

If you've got a story burning inside you, then why not let it out on to the pages of these gorgeous My First Novel notebooks from Sukie? They evoke 60s paperbacks with their book jacket designs, combined with fabulous retro prints. Available in three different patterns, they're £5.30 from SCP.

If you're not busy compiling character profiles and plotting dramatic endings, maybe you're sketching strangers, designing dresses, concocting recipes. Whitelines notebooks claim to help you avoid getting trapped by the constraints of having to neatly encapsulate your ideas within rigid lines - gridlines are a very faint grey instead. I say what's wrong with plain paper, but this could be worth a try. A4 size is £3.09 from Amazon.

Or if you're like me, your notebooks end up being a mixture of everything including shopping lists, sketches, diary reminders and random phone numbers. They're not always easy to decipher, but fun to look back on. Basically, they're a nudge to Work Less, Play More, Enjoy Life. A5 size, £9.95 from The Paperie.