Digital Book of Shadows: Yay or Nay?

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Ravenna
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Digital Book of Shadows: Yay or Nay?

Post by Ravenna »

I wasn't entirely sure where to put this, so I posted it here. Mods and Admins, feel free to move it if it's not in the right section.

I've been using an app called Evernote to gather and organize all my notes for a Book of Shadows and/or a Grimoire. If I had to describe Evernote for those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's basically like a digital binder. You first create an Evernote account, which allows you access all your information from the app or their website. From there, you can create individual notebooks and note pages within the notebooks for different topics. For example, I have a notebook strictly for The Inner Temple of Witchcraft by Christopher Penczak and the note pages within that notebook are broken up by Chapters. Another great thing about Evernote is that you can add tags to the note pages to help you find specific information. Say I was looking for information on Sabbats. I could type Sabbats into the search bar and it would pull up all the notes I tagged with Sabbats and give me a thumb nail of what I wrote in that note about Sabbats. You can also attach images and files to specific note pages.

Originally I was planning on making a physical Book of Shadows/Grimoire. However, the more I use the app, the more I kind of want to keep it digital. The way I see it, if I wanted to edit or add information, and I were to have a physical book (which would most likely be a screw post bound book so I could add and move pages around), then I would have to take the whole book apart and redo the pages I was editing. But, if it was digital, it would only take me a few minutes to just add a paragraph or whatever. Plus, a physical book can get pretty big and cumbersome, while I could keep my digital book on my iPad. And because Evernote backs up all your notebooks to their sever automatically, I don't ever have to worry about losing information incase I damage or misplace my book.

I've pretty much have sold myself on going digital, but... I don't know. I feel weird about breaking the tradition of a physical book and all the history behind it. I also love the idea of making the book myself. Buying the paper, hand writing the pages, binding it together, it makes it so much more personal. Plus, I almost always buy a physical book over its digital copy. There is just something about the texture of the cover and pages and the smell of paper that is just so comforting. Not to mention actually feeling the weight of the book in your hand. There's a scene from Arthur Miller's The Crucible, where John Proctor is helping Reverend Hale carry some books and Proctor makes a comment about how heavy they are, to which Hale replies: "They must be; they are weighted with authority," which I always think of when I'm holding a book, especially ones of this caliber.

I'm completely torn on this issue. If anyone has any advice or tips, it would be greatly appreciated.

Please, Thank You, and Blessed Be.

Ravenna
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

The Old Astronomer to His Pupil by Sarah Williams
Vesca
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Re: Digital Book of Shadows: Yay or Nay?

Post by Vesca »

Technically speaking, before the physical hand-written book existed, all that information was maintained in songs, rhymes, poems, and it was entirely memorized and passed down orally.

If the digital method is working for you, I say run with it. Just make sure you create a back-up copy. Just in case.
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Ravenna
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Re: Digital Book of Shadows: Yay or Nay?

Post by Ravenna »

Valid point, Vesca. I'm still a ways away from actually making a book (want to do a little more reading first), so I've got some time to think it over.
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

The Old Astronomer to His Pupil by Sarah Williams
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DPhoenix
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Re: Digital Book of Shadows: Yay or Nay?

Post by DPhoenix »

You got me intrigued with this Evernote thing. I usually like books, something physical in my hand. I've got everything in my HUGE 3 ring binder. One of these days when I feel it's complete I'll transcribe it into a nice leather bound journal once my time here on earth begins to come to a close. If I started a digital journal it would have me go through all my information and would be a good refresher for me... so tempted....
Burn to ash we must
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ezzirah

Re: Digital Book of Shadows: Yay or Nay?

Post by ezzirah »

My one worry with keeping a digtal one is what would happen if for some reason your computer was not around?? Or you have to go without one for a while, or the evernote company goes out of business?

I like written for that reason myself...but that is just me...
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Blackthorn
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Re: Digital Book of Shadows: Yay or Nay?

Post by Blackthorn »

ezzirah wrote:My one worry with keeping a digtal one is what would happen if for some reason your computer was not around?? Or you have to go without one for a while, or the evernote company goes out of business?

I like written for that reason myself...but that is just me...
I agree that I personally like written. The good thing about these digital books though is that they are actually safer from destruction. With one single written book, if anything were to happen to it, if it gets stolen or damaged.. sadface :( But there are places like Dropbox and other cloud software, where you can store your digital book and have access to it from nearly any electronic and smart mobile device. This is one of the most compelling arguments, for me, towards a digital BoS.

That said, like you, I still prefer to have a physical book that I can make a project out of. :)
RoseRed92

Re: Digital Book of Shadows: Yay or Nay?

Post by RoseRed92 »

I'm gathering information digitally for mine, arranging them how I want them. Then, once I've decided on words, illustrations, borders, etc, I'm going to start filling my physical copies. I love the versatility and easy organization on the computer, but I feel that writing and drawing everything by hand puts my personal energies into the very pages of the journal. (Plus... it feels more "sacred" to me ) this way I have instant access out and about, as well as a tome for home. ;)
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