I think that at one point or another, most people have wanted and/or tried to keep a journal. You probably have, too. The thing about journaling is that it’s easy to become discouraged and give up. I know because I’ve been there and done that–multiple times.
But despite my own past failures, I’ve now been keeping a journal for eight years, and what’s more, I think that you have the potential to fill that empty book sitting on your desk. As long as you are willing to persevere, journaling will become a habit in no time, and you’ll never again think that you “just can’t finish a diary.”
The most important thing to remember in getting started is the why in keeping a diary. You can google the question to find more scientific answers than mine, but for me, the reason that I keep a diary is because I want to capture memories before they have a chance to slip away. I love reading back in my diary through the years and being able to smile and remember, “Oh yes. That’s how things were back then.”
In the flood of new information that bombards us each day, it’s easy to lose touch with the past. And if writing a few vivid sentences helps us to remember how things were or what our thoughts were, what is there to lose?
So follow these ten tips and get a jump start on keeping your very first successful diary!
1. Choose your Journal Based on What Inspires You to Write
Before you can start keeping a journal, one very basic question needs answering–what do you want your journal to look like? I know it might seem like an insignificant question, but really, it’s not. To stay motivated in keeping your journal, you need to write in a place that is comfortable for you, whether that’s a plain spiral notebook or a “real” hardcover journal.
Personally, I’m all for getting the “real” thing. I first got into journaling because my Christmas gift was “too beautiful to waste,” and to this day, I love nothing more than reaching the last pages in my journal and getting to pick a new one (See more below).
2. Write Frequently, Especially at First
This is so important. Keeping a journal is a habit, not just a whim. The longer you go without writing, the harder it will be to pick your journal up next time–trust me, I know this from experience. Watching the pages fill up is also a great motivation to keep writing, but they won’t fill up unless you write regularly. Empty pages are discouraging, and the last thing you need to be feeling as you start this new adventure is discouragement.
Bonus Tip: Accountability Can Be the Key to Success
Having someone who keeps you accountable might be just the ingredient you need to stay faithful in your writing. I failed at two journals before one Christmas, my great-grandma gave journals to me, my sister, and my cousin. We promised each other that we would write every day and check in with each other in a couple months . . . and that was just what I needed to push through those boring days that came in the next months. I mean, I couldn’t let my younger sister and cousin show more perseverance than me.
3. Keep Your Journal in an Easily Accessible Place
It’s okay to leave your journal lying on top of the coffee table if it means that you’ll remember to write. Stuffing your journal at the bottom of your projects drawer is not the way to keep your journal at the top of your mind.
4. Don’t Go Back and Read
When you are first starting to journal, enjoy watching the pages of written words pile up–but whatever you do, don’t go back and read what you wrote! Reading your writing automatically turns on your inner editor, and that can be a hinderance to your productivity (Forgive me if I’m sounding too author-ish. But I really am serious about this). Go back and enjoy your work in a few months. Or a year. Or whatever point it is that you’ll be able to smile at what you wrote and not criticize yourself.
And that being said . . .
5. Don’t Scratch Out Any of Your Journal
On the day when you do go back and read what you’ve written in your journal, you may find an error. Maybe you come across a sentence that sounds ridiculous. Or too vulnerable. Or maybe you no longer agree with what you wrote, or worse, you never agreed with it and your thoughts just got tangled up as you wrote. You might feel tempted to scratch it out. Don’t.
I only took a pen to one line in all of my journals (and that was in my first one), but I really don’t know why. I can’t remember what it said exactly, but it wasn’t anything bad. At the time it made me feel too vulnerable. But let me tell you, that is the one line that I really wish I could go back and read, so take my advice and don’t scratch. If your mind is whirling with things you wish you had written instead, make your thoughts the topic of a new entry.
6. Write Honestly
Above all else, write honestly. Write exactly as you think, and don’t evade the hard places in your life. Sometimes that an be difficult, but plunge into it anyway. An entry that beats around the bush will only make you roll your eyes someday. Your journal is for your eyes alone, and you already know your own thoughts.
7. Write Naturally
Write in a way that flows for you; don’t try to copy your favorite author or anyone else, because that will only make your writing stilted. The beauty of a journal is that it’s a piece of you, so don’t go spoiling the effect!
8. Spend Time Thinking About Things
And while the words are still flowing, write them down.
Keeping a journal really does make you think about your life, and in my opinion, it heightens your senses to what is going on around you. So keeping a diary has two benefits: it helps you to store your memories on paper, and it helps you to embed the memory itself in your mind.
9. Keep the Future in Mind–It’s Great Motivation
What is the reason that we keep a journal? It’s for the future. Today goes too fast, and it’s not in our power to slow it down. However, we can pin a piece of it to paper, and while reading that diary entry will never be like living in the moment, it may be the closest you get to it.
Bonus Tip: Do You Need to Write Every Day?
You’re going to love my answer–yes, when you’re getting started, I believe you should write every day. As I said at the beginning, keeping a journal is a habit, and like any habit, it should become a part of your daily routine so that your good intentions don’t fall by the wayside.
In all honesty, I don’t write every day. I write at least once a week–but keep in mind, I’ve been at this for eight years. Writing is a habit for me. And, when I first started writing, I wrote every day for a long time.
So, now that you have the tips, it’s time to get down to the real work–the writing. Here’s my last tip for you:
10. Just Sit Down, Pull Out Your Journal, and Write!
No amount of tips I give you can rule out the fact that your success lies in your own hands. If you set your mind to making this journal a success, I am sure you will do outstandingly well.
My Journal Suggestions
All right, so here are my suggestions on the kind of journal you should pick.
- Make sure your journal is lined. That makes it so much easier to write.
- Choose a journal with a cover that’s meaningful for you. I like mine to have a Bible verse on it, and some of mine have a short Bible verse at the bottom of the page.
My last three journals have all been produced by Christian Art Gifts, and I have been very happy with them. They have good quality, and I love the artwork on their covers. They have a wide selection of journals, but you can find my latest diary here.
Otherwise, I have journals that I’ve personally designed here on my website. I was very happy with the quality of the samples I ordered, and I’m looking forward to using them myself. They have both lined pages and a verse on the cover. You can find those here.
Share Your Thoughts!
If you decide to start keeping a journal, I’d love to hear from you! Or maybe you’ve been keeping a journal for a while now and have found some tips of your own that have helped you stay motivated. Share your thoughts in the comments!