I traded my paper and pen for a Kindle Scribe, and I'm never going back

I never thought I'd use a digital notebook. What was wrong with pen and paper? Nothing, of course; but after using a Scribe, I can (shockingly) say that my workflow is jaw-droppingly smoother than before. If you're wondering if the Kindle Scribe is worth adopting, here's what I thought after I spent a month with it.

The switch was surprisingly easy

Expectations were low

I truly thought I was dead-set in my pen and paper ways, but swapping my analog note-taking with the Kindle Scribe was a pleasant trade-off -- even if there were some growing pains.

After I created my first notebook -- medium-ruled with no margins, naturally -- I conducted a quick text using all the letters of the alphabet: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The results were (as you can see below) less than aesthetic. I take pride in my clear, clean handwriting; cluttered, loud lettering was my main concern about using the Scribe. The stylus moving against the matte screen was buttery smooth, even if it didn't feel like paper. I hoped with all my heart that it would get better with practice -- and practice I did.

I copied almost exactly what I had written a month later, and the difference was staggering: my picture-perfect handwriting was back. All it took to bring back my natural scribbling was to slow down, write smaller, and not sprint to get every letter down. Calibration was key, of course, since it isn't actually paper. Although, the built-in templates tried to convince me otherwise -- there's a fair variety you can use for most kinds of organization. While it has everything from a blank page to a monthly planner, the only things I needed for my workflow were a Medium-ruled page, a Checklist, a Weekly planner, and a Daily planner. Once I had those in my library, I slowly pushed my stationery farther and farther across my desk.

While I didn't need more templates, I understand that the library is limited for some users. Luckily, there are independent creators on Etsy and other sites that create and sell affordable Kindle Scribe organization templates. I was shocked at some of the creative, personalized templates for every kind of organizer, agenda, and lifestyle.

Next thing you know, the notebook on the corner of my desk hadn't been touched for five days. Once I got the hang of switching between notebooks, I felt more organized than ever -- although, I wish the refresh rate was faster. When I accidentally tap into the wrong notebook during a meeting, those extra couple of seconds waiting for the screen to switch feel surprisingly disruptive. It's a short delay, but just long enough for my brain to get irritable -- especially when I'm used to the instant responsiveness of my iPhone. My fingers move faster than the Scribe does in these moments, which is really the only time the device slows down my workflow.

A huge qualm I had with paper notebooks is that if I overslept and had to move my whole day around, I typically wasted an entire page of my agenda (or the rubber of an eraser). With the Scribe, I can just circle the chunk of the day that needs changing and rewrite the rules of my schedule. I was also much more organized in meetings -- rather than flipping through my various notebooks, I could easily see which notebook I had labeled for that particular meeting and click into it. No more rustling papers or the movement of my eyes obviously sifting through document tabs on my other monitor.

I also loved that my notebooks synced across my Amazon account. When I worked from a coffee shop one day, I panicked when I realized I had forgotten the Scribe at home. I had an ideation meeting coming up, and all the ideas were back home on the tablet. In one last-ditch effort, I discovered that my notebooks synced to my Kindle app and I could access them right from my phone. Crisis averted.

Who should use the Scribe?

And what workflows it wouldn't fit

Bluntly, I think the Scribe will revolutionize your day if you specifically need it to take notes, create checklists, and use it as an agenda -- all basic things. That's typically what most people use their physical notebooks for, anyway. The Scribe has completely replaced my stationery on those fronts, and I can throw it in my bag knowing that all my necessary organization scraps are all on it.

If you're an artist, I would not suggest the Kindle Scribe. If you're someone who color-codes everything, I would also not recommend it (until they release the Colorsoft Scribe, at least). If you also itch for a lightning fast response rate or need a multitasking notebook, the Kindle Scribe isn't for you, either.

The Scribe is another perfect example of doing what Kindles do best in general: be a single-use device. The second you want to start using a Scribe for something more than basic note-taking and organization, that's when it will become complicated and clunkier in your day than it's worth. Even if it isn't a paper replacement, a digital notebook should be a notebook replacement for the sake of being a productivity tool.

On a positive note, if you double as a note-taker and reader, you get a huge bonus with the Scribe: a stunningly large display to read e-books on. I prefer my Kindle Paperwhite (7-inch display) because of the larger screen, and the Scribe's 10.2-inch display puts all the other Kindles to shame. However, while my eyes prefer the Scribe, my hands definitely prefer the other models. Still, squeezing in a quick chapter while eating lunch feels great on the Scribe.

Is writing on the Scribe as satisfying as paper?

Yes -- but in a different way

Writing is all about feel. The Scribe's matte screen isn't paper, but it's just as satisfying to the touch. The stylus is smooth and doesn't have any of the lag or calibration issues I was worried about. Granted, you are limited in your writing utensils. There's the classic default pen, and if you want something else (say, a fountain pen) you have to go into settings to change it. You can't include other tools besides the eraser and highlighter in the sidebar. I do miss being able to switch between my colored pens and highlighters, but they're a fine trade-off for the convenience of the digital notebook.

The act of writing itself became just as satisfying as writing on paper, the moment I accepted that it, indeed, wasn't a paper replacement. The Scribe is a tool that centralizes your notes, lists, and to-dos, and not something that will forever replace physical stationery in my world. And yes, I still felt the same dopamine rush every time I crossed off an item on my checklist. Turns out, that feeling isn't exclusive to pen ink and paper.

I'll say this, though: I would never write long-form content or use the Scribe as a personal journal. Writing more than a few paragraphs at a time somehow tired my hand out more than a normal pen or pencil, and I do think that there's something to be said for mental health when it comes to physically putting the pencil to paper and emptying your mind of thoughts. I intend to use the Kindle Scribe only as a productivity and organization tool.

Should you get the Kindle Scribe?

As a notebook replacement and productivity tool

I really enjoy using the Kindle Scribe -- it's been paramount in my workday organization for the last month, and completely saved me during a particularly busy work week when I needed fresh 'pages,' and fast. The moment I accepted the device was an organization tool and not a paper replacement, I was able to integrate it into my workflow and boost my productivity at my job. Not to mention, I must admit -- breaking out an E Ink tablet and taking notes at my local coffee shop felt rather posh.

For a starting $400 price tag, though, it's an expensive replacement for your $3 paper pad. However, if you're someone who travels frequently and can't find the space for several different notebooks, I think it would be a proper investment.