It stood out to me that you wrote down the money you spent. I was reminded of Northanger Abbey when Catherine’s mother gave her a book to record her expenses in Bath. I know I’ve run across this often in literature. It’s a good habit for those who don’t know where their money goes.
Thank you for the excellent advice. I have kept a "diary" for years even though I am certainly long past the lovesick teenager stage of my life. And I've always wondered why it was so boring to read it. I knew that nothing I wrote came within shouting distance of the journals I so enjoyed reading and thought it was my inability to write interestingly. The difference, as you described it between "diary" and "journal" and their different subject matters never occurred to me. I will leave off diary writing and start journal writing.
This was a great video Steve thank you! I have always loved the concept of writing a journal but found myself cringing at almost everything I attempt to say. These tips are so useful and also hard to come by. Most journal writing guides or tips online suggest lots of the opposite. Write everything you’re thinking and feeling, think deeply about your emotions, meditate, etc. All of which eventually lead to me stepping back from journaling all together. Can’t wait to pick up my journal and give it another shot!
Hi Steve. Could you give an example (without personal details of course) of how you write your entries? I have been keeping a journal for years but it tends to be written in a matter of fact way and there's so much use of I! (I got up at 8 and I logged into work. I then handled customer issues, etc).
Hi Steve! I am delighted (and not surprised) that you are a journal keeper. I am an avid journaler and have been for nearly 35 years. I love to read journals as well. I can’t wait to see what your suggestions are!
I use a Hobonichi planner daily pages for that purpose. The daily pages are divided in a similar manner as your daily pages. The advantage for me is that it also has weekly, monthly and annual pages for planning.
*YES* TO A JOURNAL WRITERS STARTER KIT! I'm absolutely fascinated by the journals and jottings of other people (they don' have to be famous, important people of note - or even people I've actually heard of). I've been looking more t biography lately and think that journals are the perfect companion to that genre.
Hello Steve !! Hello from India ! And thank you for this great video... very useful ...I tend to ramble a lot in my diaries...Henceforth will try to keep a journal instead.... did I miss that Journal starter kit video which was mentioned here ??
Anyway we can get a video of your journals? Not necessarily the inside bc that could be personal but I love journals/notebooks/planners/all stationery so it would be great to see your collection. You started at what age? Also, any specific pens that you like to use?
I like to keep my journal electronically. It's easier to sort and look stuff up and doesn't take up any space, but mainly I can type much faster than I can write. I tried to start writing on a physical journal, but I got kinda frustrated with how long it would take to get out an idea.
There are multiple advantages to keeping a journal digitally. You can search the text and even mark entries with specific tags to make them easier to find. You can (and should) make backups ensuring that it can never be lost or stolen. It is also easier to keep a digital journal private if that is important to you. Keep in mind that the data should be readable decades from now; using any special application that has its own data format can become a problem. I would recommend plain text or something like Markdown, which is based on plain text but allows some formatting and embedding of images. This also makes it possible to switch between different applications. If you encrypt your data, use a common, open-source solution for the same reasons. I am currently using Obsidian (website: obsidian.md), which is great for journaling but also has a lot more to offer for personal knowledge management or other use cases involving many connected notes.
I don’t agree with how long your journal entries should be. I have written entries that are 2,3,4 to 6 pages long. You should not make a rule on how much your entry should/should not be. It depends on how you’re feeling or what you did that day. Sometimes you might be upset about something and your entries won’t be oh.... wait I have to write a page so I shouldn’t write this !!!!!! I don’t think so. I don’t have rules about my entries.
Weather reports? No heart ache drama? A one page limit however eventful the day? Oh Steve, I am afraid your journal sounds quite dull! I use my diary these days to mostly write about events at work. I can write nothing for a long time, but when I do write I might cover the whole journey of a patient through the ward, so that could be pages and pages. That said, the most engaging diaries I have read have had shorter entries.
Hah! Weather reports, yes! Expense accounts! Quips about annoying taxi drivers! Believe it or not, the 50-year-old Tilly will find such things ANYTHING but dull!
Colored ballpoint pens?! Steve, say it isn't so. You need to discover the world of fountain pens and inks. Going now to pour out my heart in my diary.... I mean journal.
What you say about journals is simply not true. I think you're so far off that it's your journal that's a complete waste. What you say is just pure nonsense.
Brilliant video and topic Steve! I absolutely love journaling, I could fill notebooks, jotters and diaries till the cows come home.
It stood out to me that you wrote down the money you spent. I was reminded of Northanger Abbey when Catherine’s mother gave her a book to record her expenses in Bath. I know I’ve run across this often in literature. It’s a good habit for those who don’t know where their money goes.
Hello Steve. I have kept several handwritten journals. I bought a new one at Michael’s.
I wish I had kept a journal through 2020, but I just didn't have the strength to.
Thank you for the introduction to Mallon's book.
I separate my journal into one page of “quotidian” things and another 1 or 2 pages for more of a diary/emotional type writing. That works for me!!
Thankyou for doing this video. Very insightful and helpful tips.
Absolutely the 4-colour pens are the best. You can also get them with a graphite point in addition to the four colors of ink. Heaven!
Very good video , thanks ❤️
I’m incorporating this in my bullet journal. I really liked the structure you use.
Thank you for the excellent advice. I have kept a "diary" for years even though I am certainly long past the lovesick teenager stage of my life. And I've always wondered why it was so boring to read it. I knew that nothing I wrote came within shouting distance of the journals I so enjoyed reading and thought it was my inability to write interestingly. The difference, as you described it between "diary" and "journal" and their different subject matters never occurred to me. I will leave off diary writing and start journal writing.
This was a great video Steve thank you! I have always loved the concept of writing a journal but found myself cringing at almost everything I attempt to say. These tips are so useful and also hard to come by. Most journal writing guides or tips online suggest lots of the opposite. Write everything you’re thinking and feeling, think deeply about your emotions, meditate, etc. All of which eventually lead to me stepping back from journaling all together. Can’t wait to pick up my journal and give it another shot!
Hi Steve. Could you give an example (without personal details of course) of how you write your entries? I have been keeping a journal for years but it tends to be written in a matter of fact way and there's so much use of I! (I got up at 8 and I logged into work. I then handled customer issues, etc).
Wow I didn't know how much I needed to hear this! I've tried and failed to write a journal for years but that sounds like fun 😃
I'm forever putting my foot in my mouth 🤣
This is excellent
Hi Steve! I am delighted (and not surprised) that you are a journal keeper. I am an avid journaler and have been for nearly 35 years. I love to read journals as well. I can’t wait to see what your suggestions are!
I use a Hobonichi planner daily pages for that purpose. The daily pages are divided in a similar manner as your daily pages. The advantage for me is that it also has weekly, monthly and annual pages for planning.
*YES* TO A JOURNAL WRITERS STARTER KIT! I'm absolutely fascinated by the journals and jottings of other people (they don' have to be famous, important people of note - or even people I've actually heard of). I've been looking more t biography lately and think that journals are the perfect companion to that genre.
Hello Steve !! Hello from India ! And thank you for this great video... very useful ...I tend to ramble a lot in my diaries...Henceforth will try to keep a journal instead.... did I miss that Journal starter kit video which was mentioned here ??
I don't think I ever did a Journal Starter Kit, no -
Try writing with the new Parker 51 reissue fountain pen. It will make the task ever so more enjoyable.
How about your novel writing? Do you only do it with a computer or do you have a notebook for joting down ideas?
So is Pepys's Diary not a diary?
I was thinking Captain's Log...
Anyway we can get a video of your journals? Not necessarily the inside bc that could be personal but I love journals/notebooks/planners/all stationery so it would be great to see your collection. You started at what age? Also, any specific pens that you like to use?
I like to keep my journal electronically. It's easier to sort and look stuff up and doesn't take up any space, but mainly I can type much faster than I can write. I tried to start writing on a physical journal, but I got kinda frustrated with how long it would take to get out an idea.
Yep. I am the same way. The only issue is that the temptation to go back and edit is entirely too great..,
There are multiple advantages to keeping a journal digitally. You can search the text and even mark entries with specific tags to make them easier to find. You can (and should) make backups ensuring that it can never be lost or stolen. It is also easier to keep a digital journal private if that is important to you.
Keep in mind that the data should be readable decades from now; using any special application that has its own data format can become a problem. I would recommend plain text or something like Markdown, which is based on plain text but allows some formatting and embedding of images. This also makes it possible to switch between different applications. If you encrypt your data, use a common, open-source solution for the same reasons.
I am currently using Obsidian (website: obsidian.md), which is great for journaling but also has a lot more to offer for personal knowledge management or other use cases involving many connected notes.
I don’t agree with how long your journal entries should be. I have written entries that are 2,3,4 to 6 pages long. You should not make a rule on how much your entry should/should not be. It depends on how you’re feeling or what you did that day. Sometimes you might be upset about something and your entries won’t be oh.... wait I have to write a page so I shouldn’t write this !!!!!! I don’t think so. I don’t have rules about my entries.
These were just thoughts, not rules!
Weather reports? No heart ache drama? A one page limit however eventful the day? Oh Steve, I am afraid your journal sounds quite dull! I use my diary these days to mostly write about events at work. I can write nothing for a long time, but when I do write I might cover the whole journey of a patient through the ward, so that could be pages and pages. That said, the most engaging diaries I have read have had shorter entries.
Hah! Weather reports, yes! Expense accounts! Quips about annoying taxi drivers! Believe it or not, the 50-year-old Tilly will find such things ANYTHING but dull!
Colored ballpoint pens?! Steve, say it isn't so. You need to discover the world of fountain pens and inks. Going now to pour out my heart in my diary.... I mean journal.
Fountain pens! I might as well save some time and just dump all the ink straight on the floor, where it's inevitably going to end up anyway!
What you say about journals is simply not true. I think you're so far off that it's your journal that's a complete waste. What you say is just pure nonsense.