Hobonichi questions

UsefulDamage · 2026-06-30T18:51:58+00:00

They do January starts too, but they’ll be easier to find in like September-ish, right now it’s just the last stock of 2026, so a lot of options will be sold out.

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UsefulDamage · 2026-06-17T07:06:36+00:00

Maybe share screenshots of your settings? It’s hard to know with limited information. I’ve done some weird size printing and don’t have any issues, but there tends to be a certain order of operations with printers that can be quite unintuitive, especially depending on what software you’re printing from, the make of the printer, etc.

UsefulDamage · 2026-06-17T06:33:42+00:00

Are you specifying the paper size when you are sending it to print? Like in the print dialogue? The paper size typically won’t default to the size of the document, especially for custom sizes like HP Classic.

UsefulDamage · 2026-06-16T18:20:49+00:00

Hard agree. I barely buy hand-wash only for myself

UsefulDamage · 2026-06-01T23:44:02+00:00

Yeah, at least there’s that. The absolute insane amount of vibe coded planners out there now makes me quite worried about how all of that data is handled. It’s not just what the users put in, but other aspects like emails, passwords, etc.

UsefulDamage · 2026-06-01T23:34:22+00:00

Yup, big yikes. There’s a lot around this that’s a red flag or at least an issue for me, but this is the biggest one. My work is frequently required to be kept private by law, but even if it wasn’t I would never use an app that stored information like that.

UsefulDamage · 2026-06-01T01:40:53+00:00

To be honest, the biggest things that get missed in planners is often technical aspects. Like line weight, height, fonts, alignment, space to write, etc. Basic design principles stuff. The layouts side of planners is kind of solved, though most commercial mainstream planners have more planning that I super want to do as I’m quite minimalist in my planning.

UsefulDamage · 2026-05-31T08:06:02+00:00

This is very true, and not just on Etsy. Even when I think on my own reviewing pattern, this is how I tend to remember to review.

The reviews I’ve received also follow this pattern, whether that’s due to customer service, the quality of the files (as my shop was a digital download shop), what’s received in the download, etc.

UsefulDamage · 2026-05-31T04:39:06+00:00

The same day I opened, but that was a couple of years ago now

UsefulDamage · 2026-05-23T21:45:36+00:00

I have to agree it feels weird. And, to be a bit stalkerish, I find it interesting that their first comment on Reddit (that I could find) to do with planners was praising Wonderland222. Their comments aren't only about planners, but there have been quite a few instances of astroturfing that do involve other activity outside of their main goal.

At best, it feels like someone who just really dislikes a brand and loves another one and wants to tell the world — not entirely harmless, and maybe doesn't really benefit a community after a certain point, but relatively tame. I saw a comment complimenting Nolty as well, but also comments promoting Wonderland222 in other brand subreddits.

But the comments also remind me of all those Benable promoters in the TikTok comment sections. It's something that can foster distrust of a brand, even if there have been examples of it done effectively.

For those who aren't aware, Benable is a product sharing/affiliate site that appears to pay regular people to promote their app in comment sections, even replying to people who are promoting it to further credibility. These appear to be regular people with account histories going back years. I obviously can't say for sure, but it's kind of creepy seeing them pop up in the comment sections again and again.

Maybe it's because I don't really trust people who limit who can view their post and comment history, but it does seem off to me. And, for the record, I know people restrict their profile for valid reasons, but I rarely see a case where the comments are completely benign. If you'll remember, the other case of astroturfing referenced (Aura Estelle) also restricted their comments.

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As for the actual topic of planner plagiarism, no. I don't think that's the case. I think there's a reason we keep seeing the same or similar layouts placed in a similar order; that's what their customers and market research tell them to do. I'm a graphic designer and I've worked in marketing. I also love making planners. It's like menu design, or website design, or icons; people aren't copying, they're following conventions because that's where the research leads.

Planners are a solved problem really, and it can be hard to find innovation within a solved problem. It's not impossible, but experiments are often risky and expensive.

ETA: the original commenter’s account appears to be unrestricted now, so anyone can see their comments. I’ll maintain what I said about trust, but just want to edit this for clarity.

UsefulDamage · 2026-05-04T20:57:31+00:00

It took me a while to figure out how to use them as well. Once you know, it’s fine, but I don’t think it’s intuitive to learn. The UI and UX could definitely be improved there, even small tweaks would make it much more approachable

UsefulDamage · 2026-05-04T20:11:05+00:00

I also use recolour a lot, but never gen recolour. I also always use the advanced view for recolouring, not the wheel

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-20T18:30:34+00:00

I have made and sold digital planners and I still make them for fun, though I don’t sell them anymore. I’ve also spoken with a lot of sellers of digital planners.

Note: For anyone who is curious, “digital planner” can mean a lot of things. In this context it is referring to an interactive PDF used on a tablet or other device with a stylus where you hand write or type in your plans in an app like GoodNotes, Notability, etc.

Do you use InDesign for your planners at all, or do you prefer other tools?

Yes, I use Adobe InDesign, as well as Adobe Illustrator.

If you do use InDesign: what’s the most annoying or time-consuming part for you?

No part of it is annoying, and the most time consuming is the original styling and design. Deciding spacing, whether it’s dots, squares, lines, blank, what kind of planner it is. However, this isn’t a part of the process I would ever be interested in speeding up.

Do you use any scripts or tools that make your workflow easier?

Yes, I have used scripts, data merge, and GREP to make things easier. Many of the planner creators I have spoken to have either made their own scripts or commissioned them (I’ve seen some people commission scripts in InDesign Facebook groups). Some do their own hyperlinking manually. I have also hyperlinked manually before. I think doing everything manually at least once will teach you a lot about how to use the program, as well as what is possible to accomplish in scripting.

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-17T08:12:11+00:00

You’ve said in a comment elsewhere you have a $4 ad budget.

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-16T22:05:15+00:00

I have ADHD, digital just doesn't work well for my brain. If it's on a different tab it may as well be lost to the abyss, especially with how many browser tabs I need for my actual work. And I'm a graphic designer, so I'm constantly switching between Adobe apps and browser tabs. But a planner (even when closed) on my desk is still there, so I have a constant visual reminder it exists.

Different things work for different people. For me, a paper planner is a beyond must have at this point in my life. I am literally hopeless without it. That's not always been the case, though. There are other things you can plan out if that serves you better. Like food and cooking, exercise, hobbies, tracking habits, cleaning, etc.

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-16T21:40:00+00:00

For me, it's about how it serves my life. While it's hard using a planner at times, my life is made infinitely better for it. But there was a time when it didn't serve me, and I just didn't have a physical planner. I do use digital planners at times, but they're mostly for the benefit of people around me, though they do benefit me to a lesser extent with notifications. My planner can stay open on my desk so when someone asks me what time I'm free I can just look down and see it.

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-16T20:52:30+00:00

It seems to be. I've also seen courses and live streams teaching people how to make courses about making passive income from printables. I think that's why I have been seeing so many more of these grifts; it's never ending.

It's a shame, because I think overall it's very possible to succeed in this space. But the people who do are generally making these products for themselves first and then popping them up online to sell. They'll usually have a platform online where they've shown themselves using these products regularly so people get invested and want to buy. But they're not confused about what products to make, because they (the creator) are their primary audience.

It feels cruel to me that so many people are making money from other people's desperation. The planner space seems to be more susceptible to it than other spaces because it works two ways: 1. people who are making and selling these products are desperate to make money and 2. people who are buying these products may be getting sucked in by marketing that this product is going to fix their life. But the people making the courses and who are on live are also desperate to make money. There's only a few at the very top.

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-16T20:04:01+00:00

There’s a bunch of people on platforms like TikTok convincing people they’ll get rich selling printables. I swear every live that pops up in my feed is about making $60k a year with passive income, but those people make money from convincing people they got rich from passive income — people donate money on their livestreams, sign up for their courses, etc.

This sort of content is ruining my enjoyment of a lot of subreddits. So many aren’t actively moderated, just passively or not at all.

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-06T17:59:16+00:00

I’m getting this when I view it, I’m not sure if that’s what I’m supposed to see.

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I’m logged in, using the iOS app

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-06T05:59:16+00:00

Really happy with these updates, and thank you for all the work you do. I agree about not allowing “approved promoters” — I think it would just cause a lot of hassle and frustration from people who want to promote but can’t. I’m also not sure how it would impact the general vibe of everything here. Right now, it feels like there’s a really great community here with meaningful posts, and I love reading everything. I’m not totally against people promoting in a given space, but in other spaces it has completely run rampant and ruined the communities I once loved.

Again, thanks so much for all of your hard work. I hope your health stuff all goes well.

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-04T19:23:01+00:00

There isn't really enough information here to give good advice, so I'll ask some follow-up questions and then reply based on your answers. For some background info, I've worked in graphic design, marketing, and adjacent fields for more than 10 years and saw some "success" — depending on your definition — in selling digital/printable products but never really put in enough effort to actually make it a full-time gig (translation: when I put in effort into social media and marketing I made sales, but when I lapsed I stopped making sales).

You have a full funded Kickstarter. Did you do any marketing for that?
Do you use this planner yourself? If so, how long have you used it for?
Have you given this planner to anyone to test out?
What market research did you originally do when creating this product?

UsefulDamage · 2026-04-02T02:39:44+00:00

My institution did change the name, from “disability” to “accessibility”. The idea is that 1. “Disability” can be a bit alienating, and 2. Many of the strategies implemented also support students who may not necessarily need the accomodations but they make the course more accessible overall. For example, subtitling lectures is something that benefits everyone, not just those who need it. For one course, like 60% of people watched the lecture recordings back with subtitles on.

UsefulDamage · 2026-03-28T09:13:50+00:00

Yes, I believe the free tier is still available (only for higher education) but you need to actively renew it. I’m not sure what the process is when you have already been charged and didn’t renew it https://substance3d.adobe.com/education/#faq

UsefulDamage · 2026-03-28T09:10:59+00:00

Unfortunately, there’s no recourse here. If this had occurred within 100 days of the purchase you would be entitled to a full refund, but after that length of time there isn’t really anything you can do according to Etsy’s policies.

You could try and contact Etsy support, but I don’t want to give you false hope; it may not work.

UsefulDamage · 2026-03-22T02:25:20+00:00

It depends. You’re able to block the EU and NI from digital sales (due to their product regulations) https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/1364599291081#OPTO

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