When it comes to keeping a journal, with or without meaning to, you are in fact writing your life. You may want to do this in a formal way by writing full information about the people you mention, such as family names, names of towns, etc. Or like most of us, you can simply write as you feel you want to, adding important facts later.

Decide if you want to write so your work will be read when you have passed on. If so, it’s important to choose the right tools. Select paper and pens with archival quality. Usually this simply means looking for the words acid free on whatever it is you’re buying to use in your journal. Even if you only expect to keep your journals long enough to read them again, you should consider using acid free products. It’s amazing just how quickly lesser quality products will deteriorate.

I’ve found that writing full names is better. On rereading, I often realise how many people I know with that first name and need to think to remember who I was actually writing about. Being vague is probably the worst thing you can be when writing your journal. Write clear and precise details, especially when it comes to descriptions, names of people, places and dates. Not only will you be glad on rereading, but so will whoever reads your journals when you’re no longer with us. These kinds of details can make all the difference.

If this is the reason you write, for posterity, make sure you include all the important information in each journal. You never know the journals may become separated and if one is read without the others, your messages may not be as clear as you hoped. You might like to build this into your starting ritual, by writing a page filled with all this relevant information.

If you write only for the immediate benefit you gain right at this moment, perhaps it would be good to look at your older entries and see what you can learn about yourself. I know I found rereading my journals a valuable way to write my life in a much more meaningful way. We all have stories to tell. Those stories should be written and shared, even if only with ourselves.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Stock.xchng

Post from: Blisstree

Writing Your Life

I had both hubby and my little boy with me this time, so I didn’t actually write in my journal. I took mental notes instead. I love to note such details in my journal. Most often entries where I have simply observed my surroundings are the most interesting to reread. There’s something about waiting, though, that makes you more observant than usual. Next time you’re stuck somewhere waiting just take a look around and write what you observe.

Heather
Journaling Tools – Go deeper and reach higher with hundreds of journal writing resources.

Life Journal Software

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Waiting & Observation

I’ve written about Keeping a Design Journal before, but feel Paula’s article is worth reading. The part I’m pointing out is the second page of a two page article. Be sure to read the entire article for more inspiration on this topic. Remember to use details to help recall the image or moment.

Heather
Journaling Tools – Go deeper and reach higher with hundreds of journal writing resources.

Life Journal Software

Post from: Blisstree

Keeping a Beading Journal

While the need for detail is necessary for great journal writing, a certain amount of boring detail finds its way into any journal. A good publisher should hire an equally good editor to present the more relevant and interesting entries to the public. The fact remains, though, if you write boring entries there’s not much any editor can do, no matter how skilled they are.

Catherine Jones might demand wit and deep wisdom, but the best thing she wrote was how much detail can enrich journal entries. The exact details might have been more than the public wanted in this case, though. The article is another reminder to add the details and meanings for your life as you write in your journal.

Post from: Blisstree

All the Details