To Keep A Diary Or Not

Have a question? Agree, disagree,
with me? Leave me your opinion.

Purpose Of A Diary

The purpose of a diary is to
scribble about routines,
experiences, events and
issues that happen in life.

Certain books are sold as
diaries, journals, but
there are other ways to
record. Notebooks, lined
8 1/2 X 11 pads, index
cards and an online
file/blog, for example,
can serve as diaries.

There's no age limit
for recording in a diary.

A diary, for writers,
holds bits of writing
ideas, later to be painted
into word pictures.

Diaries are tools to keep
writer's block away too.
Jotting down bits of
writing ideas keeps a
ready supply to draw from.

Some think of a diary as
listing the day's events
before retiring, which is
fine. Write daily, weekly
or monthly. How often you
write in it is up to you.

The bits of writing within
a writer's diary must have
substance. Take a look at
the following.

-- had lunch with my mother,
talked about kids

--it's hot, humid, today- uh.

--shopping day, remember to make
a list and stick with it

The above entries wouldn't make
exciting writing projects. Would
they? Most likely, the diary
would be shoved into a draw
and ignored.

Sometimes, you're not in a place
to write long, detailed, writing
ideas. Get into the habit of
writing words, phrases, that
will ignite exactly what, when,
where, how and why of an incident.
Provide yourself key-words.

Practice to find-out the method
to best help you create writing
projects. Do you know of a
better method? If yes, stick
to it. Let me know about it.

A possible writing idea.

It's another day of busy activity
at work, lots of whispering among
Research and Development(R & D).

Key people, in R & D, are the only
ones privy to certain information
about the new project.

You go back to answering the
telephones.

The day dragged near the end, but
finally closed.

You popped-up, rushed to the parking
garage and noticed Ted from R & D
conversing with a man.

"Where's the device?" The hooded
man said.

You ducked down between two parked
cars.

"I can't just walk-out with it, takes
planning."

"Your problem..."

What notes do you write about the
conversation? Do you take any notes?
Tell someone at work? Call the
police?

Let's identify key-words.

What was talked about?

R & D's device.

When?

Shortly after work.

Where?

Work's parking garage.

How?

Change the name. Bill instead of Ted.
Bill exchanged information with a
hooded man.

Why?

A good question. Espionage? A joke?
Misunderstanding? Something to
investigate?

The point is that each person has
a unique reason to scribble in a
diary. A diary's purpose depends
on the owner, but a writer's diary
must record bits of writing ideas
with substance.

Source: http://hubpages.com/t/269e33