Eiji Tunsinagi

I wont call it a diary, but thats beside the point. Does anyone just write in a journal little scenes from stories or ideas they like? Not just stuff thats happening in there life? Like in my journal, I write comedy scenes and 1st/3rd person description and stuff. I think its good to do when I'm bored with a story I'm working on, ya?

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"nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished."

"how will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?"

SallytheRagDoll

I do that constantly!! It's a very good idea! A wonderful excerise.

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"Farewell my shadow, you who stand at the end of the path I chose not to follow."

gabriella

Nope. I've given up on any kind of practice writing. I get enough working on my novel, writing phrases that come to me in the margins of my notebook, or other random notes on the novel. But my diary is strictly about me, me, and me. Furthermore, I don't throw out my writing anyway. Even if I'm missing pages to the story, I still won't throw out what I have. Recently I found a letter to an author I had written in like 3rd grade (it was terrible, and the paper was torn, bent, and stained -- but I'm gonna get it framed when I can.)

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

A_MacLaren

I always thought that journals were kind of...egocentric.

moonandsun

I never kept a diary, but I've recently started to keep a notebook where I can jot down ideas and some facts I need to keep straight on my novel. Like which charecter loves highways or what color the villain's cat is, plus scenes from other stories I'd like to work on later.

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"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. "
-Groucho Marx

Nbiz

I've been writing in a journal on and off for many years. I don't really use my journal as a diary of what happened to me during that day. I find that most of the stuff I put in has to do with my perceptions and feelings about things around me. Some of it is just random thoughts. Some of it is sample fiction that I've put down. It's kind of a catch all for any writing that I want to do.

The way I see it, I could start up a great story from a simple journal entry. Also, there may be a lot of material loaded in there that may help me in a future piece of work.

It also helps just to write. Sometimes I get blocked because I'm thinking to hard about one piece of writing. Bleeding my mind of about a dozen paragraphs on something totally unrelated can help.

Nelson.

die_daily

Diaries are for girls.

I have a shoebox of post-it notes and business papers that I've written thoughts on, mostly lines of poetry, sh!t like that.

Nbiz

You talk about diaries are for girls, then you mention your shoebox of poetry. Dude, if your going to be chauvinistic, keep it consistent.

Nelson.

Eiji Tunsinagi

Its not a diary (those ARE for girls, PRIMARILY) its a "journal." I dont write about the girls I like and my day, I write excerpts for stories I want to do and personal essays on films and current events. Its like a----err, anthology? I dunno if thats the write word....

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"nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished."

"how will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?"

daniela

I think the best way to describe your "journal that is not a diary" is a working journal. Many people in different professions use them. I myself keep many notebooks or "working journals" to jot down ideas, work out scenes, etc. Even though I am a girl, there is nothing “girly” about keeping such a journal.

--DM--

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"When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them—then the rest will be valuable." - Mark Twain

Eiji Tunsinagi

Ah HAH! The working journal, the perfect term. But now I wanna call it a diary anyway.

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"nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished."

"how will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?"

Tori

hehe Nbiz you made laugh.

I have always kept a journal and it is egocentric but what in this life isn't. You'd be amazed how cool it is to think to yourself...what was I thinking on October 15, 1989 and be able to look it up in your journal. Then you think to yourself...wow I wish I didn't keep a journal so I could forget about day-glo and dancing to Girls Just Want to Have Fun.

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xayaxos

I have a couple of online journals, one of them for thoughts and my perceptions about stuff, but I stay well away from political debate or the current trend of "I'm a wannabe journalist - have a look at my blog!" Mostly it's some sort of insight I've had or noting down the little peculiarities of life and human behaviour for future reference. (I also get a little philosophical at times, or just self-analysing to the point of narcissism).

The other is a writing journal where I do everything, including warm-up exercises, random scenes, character and plot development, post my story progress, research, or even just any idea that's come to mind which might make a good story. I write like I have an audience, but I probably don't and that's okay by me (I actually prefer it that way).

Unfortunately I'm still trying to find decent blogs to read. The inane ones that talk about what happened during the day but actually give little thought to the events bore me. Then there's those by people who think that linking to a news article and summarising it in a paragraph are actually worthwhile (must be for people who are too lazy to use Google to find the same information).

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"This is where a random meaningless quote goes!."

gabriella

I kept a few online diaries... but then I hate them and moved back to offline. True, diaries are egocentric, but that's the point of one. A diary is probably the only thing in the world (or journal if you want to call it that) where someone can be completely self-oriented. Although I really need to start writing there on a regular basis. *sigh* I have writing notebooks, which is probably what you're calling a working journal, except I like to keep it about one topic. I have ones for poetry (not that I write them anymore) and ones for my novels (and other novels, but I don't use them anymore since I'm focusing on this one.)

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

Talia_Brie

A "working journal", or a "writing journal", can really be an invaluable tool. It's just a booklet where you write down every idea you get. It's something most creative writing lecturers insist on as an essential tool if you want to be a writer.

That being said I've only used one occassionally. While I don't think I get enough practice writing my book, with two children, wife and full time job, I don't have time to write in a journal. The few hours a day I can apply to writing need to be spent working on the book or it will never be finished.

But they are good if you want something to help you keep track of ideas and things.

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