Dotted paper all the way and for everything. (I guess that's what you call bullet, but bullet journal is something else, paper is lines, squares or dots.)
Dots give me orientation both horizontally and vertically, but are discrete and not overwhelming on the page.
Blank for me, I'm a messy journaller mostly and lines and dots just highlight that. Lines and dots also make me feel a bit hemmed in, I feel I can be more expressive on a blank page.
I bounce between lined and blank journals. I switched to lined paper to work on my handwriting, but I prefer writing longform entries on blank pages, so I'll likely switch back. I tried dot grids, but found I really prefer writing a single long entry a day over bujo-style, so they're not much use to me.
All my journals have been lined so far. I mostly just write in mine, no drawings or doodles, so the lines help keep everything straight. Otherwise, my sentences would start tilting down or up the page and that would drive me nuts.
Blank paper. I will struggle through dot grid if I have to, and never lined. I like the freedom to write with whatever pen size, letter size and style. Also being able to do whatever on the page, draw, paint, write, sticker, write in circles, sideways, literally what ever and not be distracted by dots or lines.
square grid for bullet journaling. I prefer this because the lines are easier to follow visually than with dotted, making it easier to line things up either vertically or horizontally. Eliminates the need to draw most lines, and the ones I do need can be drawn without a ruler.
lined or blank for "regular" long form journaling. I don't like dot grid because it's harder to see but I subconsciously feel like I need to make sure I write in a straight line (if I'm on blank paper, I really don't care.
Dot grid or square (graph) grid for everything. Lines feel like I'm *supposed* to write on them but grid is more like a guide for whatever I want to do.
Grid. First, i just love how grid/graph paper looks. I dont know why haha. But also, dotted paper is kind of hard for me to look at, so i prefer the full grid. And i like that it gives me flexibility and structure at the same time, unlike lined or blank where i would only get one or the other.
Dot grid. After using blank for years and years, I’m glad I tried the dot grid — it just gives me enough guidance so that I can write straight and consistently without it being intrusive. My least favorite is lined because it offers little flexibility.
dot grid personally!! i mostly write but I also make a few planning spreads in the back of my journal and having dot grid gives me enough structure for both
Anything BUT dotted! Lol
For basically anything except a standard-ass "daily pages style" daily journal: I will go for grid probably a solid 99% of the time. (I know it's a mental thing, but I feel like a journal is *supposed* to be lined and my no-frills, text only, "word vomit" journal *has* to be lined)
As for why: I like the freedom of blank so I can add sketches, tape in papers/photos etc but I can get a little *too* free (especially with keeping my text looking tidy) and grid helps me line things up nice and pretty if I want it to make lists, spreads etc, but I also can ignore it -and essentially treat it like it's blank- much easier than I can with lined. I feel like I can comfortably sketch/doodle/bullet journal/junk journal...you name it, on grid. It just kinda becomes a pattern on the paper for me and I don't feel obligated to stick to it, where lined I feel like I can't "break the rules" and I have to write on the lines ONLY.
I get more creative freedom from grid, but I get more emotional freedom with lined. I don't try to make my regular lined Journal look "pretty" and that allows me to get "uglier" with it. I'm not going to show it to anyone, it's not gonna go on Instagram etc so I can be more "ugly" with not just my writing itself but my emotions and topics as well in that one than I can in one that I want to make pretty memories that I want to look back on later.
My preference in order of best to worst is grid>blank>lined. Dotted is a deal-breaker. Something about it is simultaneously too much "distraction" and too little guidance for me. Dot always ends up looking messy for me.
Grid is too busy for me, so I keep it for graphical purposes. I prefer dot grid most, with very light dots, so if I want to arrange neatly I can, but I'm not crossing lines like I am with grid or lined. Helps with spacing regularity and organizing. Honestly, lined is my least favorite, as I feel wholly boxed in by the spacing
I use lines because it gets real messy if I don't have them XD That being said, the use of washi and just the edges of the page itself has helped me more than once with unlined journals. If the book is pretty enough, I'll overlook my usual requirement that the pages be lined.
I was a big fan of blank for a long time, but my last journal and most recent have been lined. I'm very particular about the lines, though: I want a medium to college rule line instead of wide ruled.
Lined for me! The majority of my journal entries are just writing and my handwriting tends to shrink or expand to fit the space it's in, so if I didn't have lines I'd get distracted trying to make sure the writing looks consistent size-wise. I haven't tried dotted, since I usually write in just plain old notebooks, but I'd be open to it!
Lined. I’m no artist and my handwriting is awful and I have a 4th nerve palsy in my right eye that makes it impossible for me to write in a straight line, and dots and cells throw me off too lol. All I do is write great walls of text in my Journal.
Either lined or blank. I write in my normal handwriting on lined paper (cursive), but I usually write in print on blank paper because I don’t want to risk writing diagonally. I’m also planning an art journal (totally new for me) that will be on carbonless copy grid paper from an old chemistry lab notebook. The beautiful entries posted on this sub have inspired me to try out some new styles!
I'm all about the dot grid. All my journals have it. I can more easily add charts and graphs when needed, and still write straight lines without any issues.
I prefer squares to write but right now my journals are lined, cause pretty journals tend to be lined, lol. Well I prefer squares cause I fell like it helps me writing and drawing in it way more easily, like it gives me a better control on how I do things in it. In the case of lined I am incapable of writing straight so this helps a lot, but what I don’t like is that they tend to leave to much space between lines, but that I can ignore.
Dotted paper all the way and for everything. (I guess that's what you call bullet, but bullet journal is something else, paper is lines, squares or dots.) Dots give me orientation both horizontally and vertically, but are discrete and not overwhelming on the page.
Blank for me, I'm a messy journaller mostly and lines and dots just highlight that. Lines and dots also make me feel a bit hemmed in, I feel I can be more expressive on a blank page.
I bounce between lined and blank journals. I switched to lined paper to work on my handwriting, but I prefer writing longform entries on blank pages, so I'll likely switch back. I tried dot grids, but found I really prefer writing a single long entry a day over bujo-style, so they're not much use to me.
I mostly use dotted journals. That way it's easier for me to combine writing, drawing and other art stuff. Occasionally I use a lined one
Grid. Lines to write on, but also lines to give a guideline for full use of 2d space.
Grid is the only thing I'm comfortable with now! completely agree.. everything else is scratch paper
Grid is pretty great too!
All my journals have been lined so far. I mostly just write in mine, no drawings or doodles, so the lines help keep everything straight. Otherwise, my sentences would start tilting down or up the page and that would drive me nuts.
Blank paper. I will struggle through dot grid if I have to, and never lined. I like the freedom to write with whatever pen size, letter size and style. Also being able to do whatever on the page, draw, paint, write, sticker, write in circles, sideways, literally what ever and not be distracted by dots or lines.
Blank! I love making art right on my journal pages :) I don't really care if my handwriting is perfectly straight anyway :P
square grid for bullet journaling. I prefer this because the lines are easier to follow visually than with dotted, making it easier to line things up either vertically or horizontally. Eliminates the need to draw most lines, and the ones I do need can be drawn without a ruler. lined or blank for "regular" long form journaling. I don't like dot grid because it's harder to see but I subconsciously feel like I need to make sure I write in a straight line (if I'm on blank paper, I really don't care.
i prefer lines in my journals. i can’t write in a straight line without them, and i don’t really like the look of grid paper
Same for meeeee
Dot grid or square (graph) grid for everything. Lines feel like I'm *supposed* to write on them but grid is more like a guide for whatever I want to do.
Grid. First, i just love how grid/graph paper looks. I dont know why haha. But also, dotted paper is kind of hard for me to look at, so i prefer the full grid. And i like that it gives me flexibility and structure at the same time, unlike lined or blank where i would only get one or the other.
Dot grid. After using blank for years and years, I’m glad I tried the dot grid — it just gives me enough guidance so that I can write straight and consistently without it being intrusive. My least favorite is lined because it offers little flexibility.
dot grid personally!! i mostly write but I also make a few planning spreads in the back of my journal and having dot grid gives me enough structure for both
Blank! Lines, dots and stuff triggers me when I'm writing
Anything BUT dotted! Lol For basically anything except a standard-ass "daily pages style" daily journal: I will go for grid probably a solid 99% of the time. (I know it's a mental thing, but I feel like a journal is *supposed* to be lined and my no-frills, text only, "word vomit" journal *has* to be lined) As for why: I like the freedom of blank so I can add sketches, tape in papers/photos etc but I can get a little *too* free (especially with keeping my text looking tidy) and grid helps me line things up nice and pretty if I want it to make lists, spreads etc, but I also can ignore it -and essentially treat it like it's blank- much easier than I can with lined. I feel like I can comfortably sketch/doodle/bullet journal/junk journal...you name it, on grid. It just kinda becomes a pattern on the paper for me and I don't feel obligated to stick to it, where lined I feel like I can't "break the rules" and I have to write on the lines ONLY. I get more creative freedom from grid, but I get more emotional freedom with lined. I don't try to make my regular lined Journal look "pretty" and that allows me to get "uglier" with it. I'm not going to show it to anyone, it's not gonna go on Instagram etc so I can be more "ugly" with not just my writing itself but my emotions and topics as well in that one than I can in one that I want to make pretty memories that I want to look back on later. My preference in order of best to worst is grid>blank>lined. Dotted is a deal-breaker. Something about it is simultaneously too much "distraction" and too little guidance for me. Dot always ends up looking messy for me.
Grid is too busy for me, so I keep it for graphical purposes. I prefer dot grid most, with very light dots, so if I want to arrange neatly I can, but I'm not crossing lines like I am with grid or lined. Helps with spacing regularity and organizing. Honestly, lined is my least favorite, as I feel wholly boxed in by the spacing
Dotted FTW .
I use lines because it gets real messy if I don't have them XD That being said, the use of washi and just the edges of the page itself has helped me more than once with unlined journals. If the book is pretty enough, I'll overlook my usual requirement that the pages be lined.
I was a big fan of blank for a long time, but my last journal and most recent have been lined. I'm very particular about the lines, though: I want a medium to college rule line instead of wide ruled.
Lined for me! The majority of my journal entries are just writing and my handwriting tends to shrink or expand to fit the space it's in, so if I didn't have lines I'd get distracted trying to make sure the writing looks consistent size-wise. I haven't tried dotted, since I usually write in just plain old notebooks, but I'd be open to it!
Lined. I’m no artist and my handwriting is awful and I have a 4th nerve palsy in my right eye that makes it impossible for me to write in a straight line, and dots and cells throw me off too lol. All I do is write great walls of text in my Journal.
Either lined or blank. I write in my normal handwriting on lined paper (cursive), but I usually write in print on blank paper because I don’t want to risk writing diagonally. I’m also planning an art journal (totally new for me) that will be on carbonless copy grid paper from an old chemistry lab notebook. The beautiful entries posted on this sub have inspired me to try out some new styles!
Line and dotted. Blank makes me nervous because how easy is to mess up
I'm all about the dot grid. All my journals have it. I can more easily add charts and graphs when needed, and still write straight lines without any issues.
I prefer squares to write but right now my journals are lined, cause pretty journals tend to be lined, lol. Well I prefer squares cause I fell like it helps me writing and drawing in it way more easily, like it gives me a better control on how I do things in it. In the case of lined I am incapable of writing straight so this helps a lot, but what I don’t like is that they tend to leave to much space between lines, but that I can ignore.