Editing The Pen Addict 22/transcript (section)

== Paper Items ==


'''Brad Dowdy:''' Well, I've never said it's the best. I've said it's the best for me. Right, okay. That's a big difference. Yes. Right. So what's important to me when I'm writing is that I don't have to think about the paper that I'm writing on. And whether that's, you know, with the paper, whether that's something that's aesthetically pleasing or performs well with the types of pens I use. You know, those are the types of things. You know, I want the paper to get out of the way. And what's funny about the Doan paper, it's got more going on on the page than just about any other paper I've ever used, right? I mean, for those not familiar, it's got a grid system and with lines, horizontal lines, thicker lines going across it. So it's a grid plus line system. And you would think, and to people that aren't, are used to a blank page or a standard line page that, oh my God, I don't know where to write on this paper. You know, there's so much going on. I can't figure it out. To me, it's almost like a calming, it's like a calming influence, mainly because I've used, I use grid paper my entire life. You know, when I was in school and things like that, I've always bought grid paper. And with the Doan, it gave me that little extra option of having the thicker lines every third grid. And with this, you know, we talked about having, buying things and using things that fit your style. Well, I don't write, you know, novels, okay? You know, I don't sit down at a desk, grab a pen and write for two hours. You know, this isn't that type of paper, at least for me. I mean, I, you know, someone may use Doan paper for that. For me, you know, I write notes in short bursts with diagrams, with check boxes, with all different types of things going on on the page. And shockingly, this type of paper works better for me than a blank type of paper. You know, I want some structure to where I have some guidelines. I think that's where the grid comes in, right? There's some structure to the page. But it's even more freeing than blank paper to me because when I'm writing on blank paper, I have to think about where my lines are going to go or where my boxes are going to go. And it's almost more pressure for me to use a blank page. Whereas with the Doan paper, I just don't, I don't feel any pressure to write when I use that paper. It fits me, it fits me, you know, it fits my eye looking at it. And it also, the quality of the page works well with the mostly gel ink pens that I use to write notes with. And, you know, on top of that, you know, things like specifically to the idea journal that you have, the construction of that notebook really stands out to me with the thick chipboard covers.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' You know, we're doing this podcast right now. I was not expecting this question, obviously. You just dropped it on me.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I did.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I'm using the, sitting on my desk right now, there's two pads. And for my notes today, for today's podcast, I'm using the, the Doan, the large flap jotter, which is the, one of the newer items that Chad's created. Um, and then to the left of me is the Doan paper, um, the large, the, the legal pad that I use to do all the reviews, my, most of my reviews on penaddict.com on.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' That's, that's, that's the, those are the two paper items on my desk right now. So, I mean, I, I practice what I preach. I'm not, I'll never say, you know, that this is the best paper for someone else, but it's, it's the best for me because it, it, it, it feels right when I write. I don't have to think, I never have to think about anything when I write on this paper. It just, you know, it just works for me, works for my style.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Cool. I just wanted to, yeah.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. So that, that reminds me, and I don't know if Chad Doan listens to the podcast or not, but we got to get him on for a, for an interview. I'm going to work on that.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah, do that. I would like to, to hear from him. That'd be really cool from somebody who creates the products that you use.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' That'd be great. Yep. So, so what do you think about the, what do you think about it? I sense a little hesitancy.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I don't think I've used it enough yet. I've only, I've only used it a couple of times. Um, spiral bound is an issue for me because I'm left-handed. Yes, very much so. Um, so spiral bound can be a bit of a problem. Um, I mean, yes, it's inferior problem for left and right-handed people because it's down the center of the page, but most people write on the right page and then, you know, predominantly, um, I think anyway. Um, yeah.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' And I don't, I don't, I never write on the, the backup page. There you go. So I never, a lot of people don't.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Or, you know, what I do is I always start on that right page. So sometimes I miss pages out, you know, or whatever. Um, so that can be an issue for me, but I, I really like the, the style of it. I like the ruggedness. Um, it looks so different to the rest of like my Moleskine sitting up there. Right. You know, they're all like prim and proper in their black, um, finish with the little elastic round. And then you've got the hunky, like, you know, just big idea journal sitting there with its like rustic chipboard and all that sort of stuff. I like that about it. You know, it's cool. Um, I'm not a hundred percent sure what, how I feel about the grid paper. I like it, but I don't know if I prefer it to plain because I don't like lined.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yes. That's, that's my number one least favorite.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I feel constricted by lined, but with grid, because there's lines all over the place, it feels less constrictive. Does that make any sense?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' No, that's a good note. Cause I feel the exact same way.