Victoria's Guide to Journalling (part 3)
During the last two weeks, I've been talking about why you should journal and I've also given some (not so) helpful hints on how to actually do it. This week, I thought I'd talk about what tips I've learned over the years to get more out of it and have some fun along the way.
1. Throw format out the window. There was once a point where I tried to get my entries to fit on the same page so I could start each new entry at the top of a new page. Um, excuse me? Who has energy for that? And if you don't like the typical entry format, then do a calendar thing. If you don't like the calendar thing, then write lists. You're a creative person, figure out what works best for you and go do it!
2. Writing lists is boring. Write emotions instead. I woke up. I went to school. I did work. I came home. I did homework. I watched TV. I went to bed. Excuse me while I fall asleep here. How about you write about how at school your best friend accidentally dropped her lunch on your teacher's head right before going into an exam? What about how thrilled you were when you got your marks back? The direction you want to take in your novel? Not only is writing about how you feel about certain things more interesting (for both the reader and the writer) but it helps you get your thoughts out, too.
3. Make it yours. So I used to write the standard entries. Very plain. Very boring. I still enjoyed it, of course (I'm still journalling, after all) but a few months ago I started writing in French to get some more practice in. Then, I discovered bullet journals and was like hey! I can doodle! Let's go doodle! Now I use my doodling to calm down if I'm upset about something. (By the way, I'm not really an artistic person so I just started searching things on Pinterest and low and behold, more creative people than me have put tons of stuff on there for me to copy.) I also like to keep ticket stubs and brochures stuffed between the pages.
1. Throw format out the window. There was once a point where I tried to get my entries to fit on the same page so I could start each new entry at the top of a new page. Um, excuse me? Who has energy for that? And if you don't like the typical entry format, then do a calendar thing. If you don't like the calendar thing, then write lists. You're a creative person, figure out what works best for you and go do it!
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| Thanks to Littlecatdraw for the hedgehog idea. |
2. Writing lists is boring. Write emotions instead. I woke up. I went to school. I did work. I came home. I did homework. I watched TV. I went to bed. Excuse me while I fall asleep here. How about you write about how at school your best friend accidentally dropped her lunch on your teacher's head right before going into an exam? What about how thrilled you were when you got your marks back? The direction you want to take in your novel? Not only is writing about how you feel about certain things more interesting (for both the reader and the writer) but it helps you get your thoughts out, too.
What are your favourite journalling tips?
Ooh, I like your doodles! And your tips are good too - I'm kind of obsessive about following rules I set for myself (crazy, yes), so abandoning format not something I do, but one day maybe I'll get brave and try it out.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to say thank-you for doing the music tag! It was great to read your answers. :)
Thank you, Jessica! Well, what's the worst that can happen, right? You mess up a few pages, tear them out and start again :)
DeleteThanks for tagging me! I had lots of fun writing it.
So I super love your hedgehog! It's so cute! That is all. :)
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU. I'm rather fond of it :)
DeleteYour doodles are very nice! I've never really been interested in bullet journals; I like to just do the old-fashioned writing stuff, hahaha. Thanks for letting us peek into your journals!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Heather! I'd like to try bullet journalling for school so my thoughts don't derail on me. Thanks for reading!
DeleteMake it yours is definitely my favourite one. I really appreciate originality.
ReplyDeleteYou and I both, sister.
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