The Notebook People Project

Ever since I was a little girl and I would see someone with a notebook, I’d want to see what was inside. I never care what kind of notebook it was. I only cared about what went into it. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but I think I thought that a person’s notebook was a passageway to their soul.

In an effort to satisfy that curiosity, I began the The Notebook People Project.

The process begins with the sometimes awkward question, “Would you mind talking to me about your notebook?” To my surprise, no one has yet said no. I start by sharing a ten-question questionnaire with each person. The ten questions are the same for everyone, and they’re pretty basic. But, they lay the groundwork for my interview questions. One might wonder, how much can people talk about notebooks, but interestingly enough the conversations only begin there. The conversation always take interesting and unexpected turns. Every individual that I talk to is unique and amazing. Everyone’s notebook is a reflection of that. So, I think little Trina was right to be curious about people’s notebooks and about their stories.