Making a Diary of your Own
June 8th 2010 12:34
Over the last month, you've learned about the benefits of writing a diary for your character. I'm sure you've heard of the benefits of journalling for yourself-but have you ever really journalled? Knowing that you can write something for your character's journal every day for a month, who's to say that you can't write a journal of your own for more than a month?
Those of you who read The Place of Poetry in Journalling will know that I personally have a poetry journal. I love this journal, both because I love the book itself and because I love the freedom of expression.
There are as many different ways to journal as there are people who journal. You can journal with art, writing, collages, whatever your heart desires. Just let your soul pour out in any way it wants. If you're curious about different types of journals, check out this article 15 Different Types of Journals to Keep. It's an old article but it's worth reading for sure.
If you need help starting your journal, take a look at this set of comments or this article.
If you still need more reasons to journal, take a look at this article.
And if you want a writing related reason to journal-or ideas for how journaling can help your writing-take a look at this article.
Do you already journal? If not, do you want to start journaling?
Those of you who read The Place of Poetry in Journalling will know that I personally have a poetry journal. I love this journal, both because I love the book itself and because I love the freedom of expression.
There are as many different ways to journal as there are people who journal. You can journal with art, writing, collages, whatever your heart desires. Just let your soul pour out in any way it wants. If you're curious about different types of journals, check out this article 15 Different Types of Journals to Keep. It's an old article but it's worth reading for sure.
If you need help starting your journal, take a look at this set of comments or this article.
If you still need more reasons to journal, take a look at this article.
And if you want a writing related reason to journal-or ideas for how journaling can help your writing-take a look at this article.
Do you already journal? If not, do you want to start journaling?
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Comment by RedParrot
I am also particular about what I write in and write with. I go two ways - total dollar store cheap with a papermate medium navy ... or a HomeSense second (leather bound) with a Cross fountain pen (my "reward" to me for winning the first SFrenzy ... use it at work and people ... erhm ... notice ... and sometimes ask). I had one particular leather one (I got two ... one is finished) that is the old fashioned tie it up with leather ties ... it just makes me feel all smart and literary. Then you read it and realize I can't spell.
I have neglected journal of late since I have been doing a long fanfic, screnzy and then the journal project.
Also - I have an on-line "journal" of sorts (and one that is just stats) on my running ... so I have a record of races, times, runs, performance, things I liked/hated, goals, good times, just things I saw in a run ... I am a fairly new runner and oddly this feels like a more private journal than the one I just "write".
: )
I am sure you have but here's the link if you haven't ... a short take on part of the Journal from another's POV.
Really Long Link
Cheers!
RP
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Do you find journaling helpful for your creativity or your mental health?
I've tried many times to keep a journal but it never lasts; I'll keep the thing and write in it regularly for about a month but they always get abandoned. The only way I ever keep any journals is if they're made up entirely of poetry, like my current poetry journal, and even then it's next to impossible for me to write in them every day.
I really love what you've shared with me and I look forward to reading more of your work.
~Dianna
Comment by RedParrot
Creativity ... yes. ish. It is sort of a compost heap. Descriptions, ideas, concepts get put down in a journal and I would call some of it "pre-draft". That is - I might have a description of something - a person, a place, and event - and put it down in the journal ... and have it re-appear later in a story. Perhaps the journal is a way of making something stick in my head? Or maybe it was already there and it just keeps coming out in different ways? Not sure.
Sometimes the journal has a quote or captured something that I will go back to (ie serves as a reference document). Sometimes I just get the words dead right and use them again.
I also record events, trips, scenery, happenings ... more fodder, more recorded memory, more practice describing things in raw clarity. I want the writing to be so sharp that I can read it and remember EXACTLY. Which means I need to get the details right.
Regarding mental health ...
I think there are differing levels of mental health (or illness) that a journal can help with. Certainly it can't cure really serious issues all on its own. Having said that - with the right care and right context and objectives - journalling can help with lots of MH issues.
For me - it is a safe place to resolve conflicts. It is sometimes the first place to admit things. I recall a pivotal admission of mine ... it was written down ...not in a journal but on a scrap of paper. I was in the car and the scrap was all I had. I think I still have it somewhere.
Writing makes things real and once they are real they can often be made less scary. It is sometimes a place for me to vent but I try to focus the venting ... if I can't eventually say somthing ascrebic and witty, I stop. There is only so much billiousness that I can write before I realize I not doing me any good.
A jourunal is also a way for me to talk to different "parts" of myself ... sometimes I will ask myself questions ... "what are you afraid of?" and then stream of conscious the answer.
I forgot to say yesterday, I also have illustrated journals - a few - that I absolutely ADORE because they are my drawings and I think there are not many things more *just so* about a hand-written water-colour illustrated journal. I do three things ... 1) every day things (google Danny Gregory), 2) flowers and 3) theatre sets / play reviews.
I also have trip journals and ... more in line with my running stuff ... I have a martial arts journal (after every class, I journalled about what happened ... did that for several years). I also have a "love the quote" journal.
I think I really love the romance of a journal.
Great questions! Hope the answers were interesting to read! Perhaps more info that you wanted ... : )
Cheers!
RP
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
That's really interesting. Especially the art journal. That sounds like a lot of fun.
I think if you take a typical journal and give it a bit of a twist, it can be really interesting; but a typical journal gets boring eventually.
~Dianna