A Diary vs. a Journal

Maybe you, or someone you knew, kept a diary as a child. You probably have a pretty good idea of what they are usually made up of.

“Today I went to school. We had a fire drill. I like Billy. Jane says Dan likes me. My mom bought me ice cream after school…”

Boring, but true. A diary is simply recording facts or events. You write down what you are going to do tomorrow.

Journals are often associated with diaries because they are similar, but a journal is a lot more versatile. Ultimately, it’s only a name. You could call it a journal, a notebook, or anything you want.

As opposed to a diary, a journal can be anything you want. It’s not limited to your daily events. A journal should be used as a creative outlet. You can:

• Write what’s been happening in your life, but include your thoughts and feelings about it.
• Record your favorite songs and quotes.
• Practice writing dialogue, description, etc.
• Write from a different point of view.
• Express your feelings and frustrations.
• Include Sketches, drawings, objects and memorabilia to express yourself further.
• Write letters to people you might or might not deliver.
• Be creative!

A diary is simply structure. A journal is free. If you wanted someone to create a movie about you after finding your writing 100 years from now, would you rather them create a simple timeline of your life, or create a vivid moving story of your life capturing your feelings, emotions, and true personality?

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