Dot Grid Notebooks

Back in more primitive times, notebooks were generally only available with either lined or plain paper. Times gradually moved on, and squared paper became more common, escaping being typecast as 'graph paper', thought of as only being good for lab notebooks for scientists and students. Oh, we thought we were so advanced with our square grids, but then a calculator with an LED screen was once the epitome of pocket technology, and we thought our Parka coats with furry-edged hoods were so great.

But times continued to move on. Now, we have iPhones, The North Face jackets with Gore-Tex fabric, and dot grid paper in our notebooks. It takes the best features of squared grids, but makes them less obtrusive.

• You can write in straight lines - just use a line of dots as the line to write on, and as with squared paper, you can use two or three gaps for bigger writing.
• Turn the page sideways, and just use the dots in the other direction to keep your writing straight.
• Mix in drawings and diagrams, and the dots don't get in the way too much - and you can use them to follow 45-degree diagonals, or even more angles in between.
• Because there are only dots there, instead of complete lines, they don't get in the way as much - less visual clutter to distract from your notes.
• Dot-grid notebooks are perfect for general notebooks, because they impose less structure on the page.
• They're very popular for Bullet Journaling, where they suit the informal style.
• They can even be good for sketching, with the dots acting as a subtle guide, without being in the way.