notebookism

The Difference between Journal and Diary

 

I knew there was a difference but never bothered to check. A friend just shared a link that finally answered my question and probably many of you out there, too.

"A journal is much more personal than a diary. A journal contains feelings, emotions, problems, assurances and is pretty much used to examine one’s life. Diary writing is a daily activity whereas journal writing can be done whenever the writer feels the need to write."

Gratified to note that I keep both, though the journal contains more sketches and graphics than text.

Read the full article 

A sponsor shoutout to our friends at Rhodia Drive.

Feel free to leave a comment here or send your links and suggestions to my email: notebookism@gmail.com. Have a safe and restful weekend everyone! - Armand

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How Twitter made handwriting cool

The report of handwriting's imminent demise is exaggerated. 

"Wohlgefühl: it’s one of those enigmatic words the German language excels in constructing. It can mean ‘wellbeing’ or ‘good feeling’, but it is the word Meike Wander, owner of Berlin’s RSVP stationery shop, uses to describe the timelessly simple delight of handwriting: of pen in hand, ink on paper and skin on surface as thoughts and images transfer from the imaginative to the material..."

A Telegraph article on the resurgence of journaling and all things writerly. Rejoice!

LINK

Sen. Bob Graham diaries

Our friend Johnny sent us this link about Sen. Bob Graham who apparently keeps meticulous daily log of mundane tasks for a reason. Someday, historians may be glad. A sample entry which some may find TMI but still an interesting look at the daily life of a public figure.

"8:40-8:50 -- 3 St TH bedroom, bathroom

-- change to blue shorts

-- apply scalp medication

8:50-10:50 3 ST TH office

8:50-9:00 -- update notebook

9:00-10:50 review staff memos, miscellaneous dictation

LINK

How you should take pen to paper, and why

 

In this article published in the Providence Journal, Edward A. Iannuccilli, M.D., the author of “Growing Up Italian remembers how his lifelong love affair with writing began.

"I watched Sandra write. It was writing in rhythm. She concentrated with her tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth (maybe that was the answer), starting with a low sweep with her arm resting on the desk, peaking to the top and then swooping downward to the bottom, barely bending her wrist. Her letters were angled with the same slope, tipping just enough to look like a young tree, never straight up, never leaning too far..."

LINK

(Thanks to Chris Meisenzahl)

NaNoWriMo 2008

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.

Who: You! We can't do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let's write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster and browse the forums. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

Learn more

Who are joining this year? Keep us posted.
 

A Southpaw's Experiments with Fountain Pens

"Fountain pens are not created equally for both right and left-handers. Fountain pens work different than modern pens; they are made to drip ink across a piece of paper when a hand pulls the nib across the page. Whereas a right-hander pulls a pen across the page, lefties drag the pen as our hand moves rapidly across and occasionally into the paper (depending on how hard one presses the pen on the paper). Dragging a pen makes the ink skip out so not all the letters get formed correctly. It can also gunk up the tip of the nib with tiny paper fibers because we have scratched the pen's nib deep into the paper itself. So, not only must the pen we use be a bit more rugged but it also needs to be designed to allow the ink to flow smoothly when the nib drags across the paper..."

Innowen at D*I*Y Planner
Read the full post.

[Thanks Chris]

How Psychotherapy and Journaling Help

A new study using brain imaging quantifies the benefits of putting feelings into words when talking with a therapist or friend, or writing in a journal.

UCLA psychologists report differenct areas of brain are active when individuals communicate their feelings. In turn, the shift of brain activity is associated with better control of our emotions, making our feelings of sadness, anger and pain less intense.

The study showed that an area of the brain called the amygdale, which serves as an alarm to activate a cascade of biological systems to protect the body in times of danger, is less active when an individual labels feelings.

Further, another region of the brain is more active: the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. This region is located behind the forehead and eyes and has been associated with thinking in words about emotional experiences.

"How Psychotherapy and Journaling Help"

Read the full article at psychcentral.com

[Originally posted 6.25.07. We will be back to our daily posting schedule tomorrow]

A new study using brain imaging quantifies the benefits of putting feelings into words when talking with a therapist or friend, or writing in a journal.

UCLA psychologists report differenct areas of brain are active when individuals communicate their feelings. In turn, the shift of brain activity is associated with better control of our emotions, making our feelings of sadness, anger and pain less intense.

The study showed that an area of the brain called the amygdale, which serves as an alarm to activate a cascade of biological systems to protect the body in times of danger, is less active when an individual labels feelings.

Further, another region of the brain is more active: the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. This region is located behind the forehead and eyes and has been associated with thinking in words about emotional experiences.

"How Psychotherapy and Journaling Help"

Read the full article at psychcentral.com

Killer Penmanship in 'Death Note'

In the Japanese anime series Death Note, high school student Light Yagami is in possession of a super-powered notebook that allows him to kill anyone, simply by writing down the victim's name. Light tries to use the book to rid the world of evil, but he's not the only one with an interest in the notebook.

Killer Penmanship in 'Death Note'
By John Powers

Listen on NPR's "Fresh Air"

Writing 'eases stress of cancer'

A recent BBC article discussed  the benefits of writing for cancer patients.

Nancy Morgan, a "writing clinician", approached patients waiting in a clinic at a cancer centre in Washington DC.

Half those who took part said the exercise changed the way they thought about the illness, according to the journal The Oncologist.

Younger people, and those recently diagnosed, were most likely to benefit....

...Ms Morgan developed her role as part of the Arts and Humanities Program at the Lombardi Center.

Her "expressive writing" exercise, lasting just 20 minutes, posed questions to leukaemia or lymphoma patients about how the cancer had changed them and how they felt about those changes.

When those taking part were contacted again a few weeks later, 49% said that the writing had changed their thoughts about their illness, while 38% said their feelings towards their situation had changed.

LINK

[via Chris]

How to write a novel

"So, how do you begin? First, get yourself a really big notebook - a three-ring binder at least 3 inches thick. In this binder you will keep all your notes, research, and character sketches. Use a page for each character. Don't include what they will do in the story - just include how they look, how they talk, what motivates them, and any quirky behavior they might have.

Also include ideas for scenes, descriptions of the various locations in the book. Include a time line. When will the hero meet the girl of his dreams? Where will they meet? The notebook will include everything about the novel, including scenes you have written out of sequence.

You will need another notebook - this one small enough to fit in your pocket or purse. Keep it with you at all times. Jot down your ideas for a scene. Make notes about the stray dog you saw lurking behind the market if you think a scene about a stray dog being taken in and cared for by the villain might foreshadow that he is not so terrible, but merely misunderstood..."

Read the full article by LuWanda banks at The Republican
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Updated 3.4.08 2:47 P CST

A couple of related links from Joyce:

http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=145

http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=121