| Writing is a way to keep one's life alive years | | | | Bible the Lord calls upon men to write of their |
| after it's lived; learning to write well and concisely | | | | 'spiritual lives' which we know as books of the |
| will help you put your thoughts down in such a | | | | Bible. For religious people, it is a commandment |
| way the others will enjoy reading about them. | | | | that they keep 'spiritual records' for the benefit of |
| Journal keeping is a time-honored way to record | | | | the generations who follow. |
| for posterity your thoughts, dreams and daily | | | | - Write about what you learn; if you take a class, |
| occurrences; a diary is a very brief written | | | | write what you've learned by study and |
| account. | | | | application. Stay away from generalities, but follow |
| - Your aim is to write every day. At the least, | | | | your feelings. Strive to give honest facts and |
| take notes daily or record some notes at least | | | | accurate details. You don't have to use fancy |
| twice a week or more. Writing down impressions, | | | | words, but do use words which describe your |
| thoughts and hopes are one way to see how | | | | thoughts creatively, making a more scholarly |
| your life is being formed. It will show you how | | | | entry, especially if you are planning to submit your |
| you are progressing and where you might want | | | | writing as an essay or short story.Most details of |
| to make some changes to your goals. | | | | our lives will be important to our posterity after |
| - Type, hand write, or dictate into a tape | | | | we are gone. Remember, writing can be |
| recorder, transcribing later. I have found that using | | | | theraputic and helpful to us as we see the |
| a tape recorder is a very easy method of | | | | eventual outcome of events. Write as you would |
| recording daily happenings for easy transcribing | | | | talk, and read more. "Fish" as you read, take |
| later, and a mini-recorder fits almost anywhere. | | | | notes; try to look at your event from a different |
| Consider keeping a photo journal or scrapbook; | | | | perspective. |
| they can serve as a 'picture journey' of the | | | | - Having writer's block? Take notes; keep a jar to |
| subjects in the pictures. Be sure to label your | | | | put the notes in. Keep a pocket-sized notebook |
| photos! There is nothing worse than looking | | | | where you can record thoughts and ideas; date |
| through an album and trying to guess who is in | | | | your entries and number your pages. Don't let the |
| the pictures and what year and day it was. I | | | | idea of someone else reading your work scare |
| prefer to keep both; a journal along with pictures | | | | you or stop you from writing. Remember: "What |
| in albums and scrapbooks. My friends and I think | | | | other people think of me is none of my business" |
| of journaling as 'spiritual' in a sense, that is, in the | | | | .... |