Starting a journal or diary can be a rewarding experience. There are no set rules for how you want to write your journal—it is your own creative process and whatever you want to do, goes. The following tips are just recommendations and can add to the enjoyment of starting a diary.
1. Pick out the right tools. Whether you prefer writing in a black-and-white composition book, or love splurging on an Italian leather notebook, it is important to have the right materials that bring inspiration. Notebooks come in a variety of designs and you can easily pick one up at Target or Wal-Mart, as well as your local bookstore. Or you can make your own. Some people even love journaling online. There are many journaling programs available to make diary writing possible for even the busiest person. Make sure you have a pen that writes well and does not wear off. You want to save your words—it’s best to stay away from erasable pens, which can rub off over time.
2. Allow yourself to do whatever you want. Feel like writing a poem? Go for it—pen it down with a flourish in your diary. Feel like doodling or saving a photo of your best friend? A journal is an excellent place to store memories and unleash your creative side. Journal writing is a way to learn how to write with your own personal style. You own your creativity. You don’t necessarily need to simply write like you would in a classroom. Let yourself be free to express yourself—not only will it be therapeutic, your journal will become more interesting and will be a better reflection of you.
3. Be sure to date your journal. Okay, besides there being really no set rules to journal writing, writing down the date might be a good rule to follow. Doing so can be helpful in the future. As you write in your journal over time, you will come up with epiphanies and will begin to see patterns in your experiences and the way you think. Having dates handy enables you to look back and see how long experiences last and to realize how much you have grown as a person.
4. You don’t have to write every day! Many people begin journals or diaries and end up tossing them aside in a few days, frustrated because they cannot find the time or willpower to pen down a page or so every night before bed. Don’t worry about writing every day—you can go an hour to a year between journal entries. One journal entry every three months is better than a few journal entries in a row that were disregarded because of the reality of life. Many people have that clichéd image of sitting down with a fancy leather-bound notebook and fountain pen, preparing to make the day’s journal entry. But that image does not fit many journal keepers. Think of your diary writing as a snapshot of your life and not your total experience…unless, of course, you want it to be.
5. Make your journal writing a time for you. Writing requires you to reflect and become introspective. Take this opportunity and drink a cup of coffee and unwind. Listen to music. Go to the park or a coffee shop and take in the atmosphere. Realize that by writing in your diary you are doing what many writers do—expressing themselves in words and having a wonderful time with the creative process of writing.
For more ideas, read Creative Journal Writing Tips and Tricks
To start an online journal, read Should You Start an Online Journal?
