I have kept a commonplace book for many years. If you aren't familiar with the term, a commonplace book is a notebook where you write down things you hear or read that inspire you and you want to keep in one "common" place. 

They have been used by some of the greatest minds since the mid-1500s by the term "commonplace," but the idea goes all the way back to the time of Plato and Aristotle. Some people have extensive systems of cataloging in their commonplace books so they can later find specific information; however, I like to keep a no-rules approach to mine, and reading back through it is a wonderful experience. 

If you have never had a commonplace book, I cannot recommend it enough. One of my favorite things to include in mine are the quotes of authors about their books, their characters, or their lives. It gives me so much inspiration!

Whether you are an author, an avid reader, or just a child at heart, here are some beautiful examples of something you can include in your own commonplace book.

Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! 

 “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”

A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh 

 “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Roald Dahl, Matilda 

 “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web 

 “It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.”

C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia 

 “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.”

Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are 

 “Let the wild rumpus start!”

Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time 

 “Believing takes practice.”

Beverly Cleary, Ramona the Pest 

 “I wanted to show a real little girl, one who is sometimes mischievous, sometimes obstinate, and who is always herself.”

Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux 

 “There is nothing sweeter in this sad world than the sound of someone you love calling your name.”

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 

 “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”