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The best advice I ever got for journaling is this: If you were sharing these photos with someone for the first time, what would you say about it? Write like you speak!

I'm really bad at journaling in a "dear-diary" kind of way - that is, as if I'm just writing to myself. So I always journal as if someone else will read it - my friends, family, and mostly my kids. I guess the key is to try out a bunch of different journaling styles and figure out which one works best for you.

Having another family member, especially kids, write their perspective of the event.

I think it's important to get my thoughts down right away. I don't worry about scrapbooking in order, I scrap what I'm most excited about. That way I get to record details that would be lost if I didn't get them recorded right away. If you can't scrap immediately, at least keep a file on your computer of your journaling to add to the page later.

My best tip for journalling is to write from the heart. I will look at the picture and remember the moment, exactly how I felt. Nothing to original but it works for me

write like no one is reading...(dance like no one is watching...)

I like to write as if I'm talking to whoever is in the photos.

To me, the most authentic journaling comes from keeping a daily journal, separate from your pages at first. If you are concentrating on just writing, and do it the same day that the subject occurred, it's more detailed and real than just putting whatever fits on your page, especially if you run out of creativity.
- A

Tips. Read as many books as you can. Keep index cards handy to jot down thoughts, quotes, things overheard. Throw away all the rules. Try converting one writing format into another. A journal entry was changed into a short story which was changed into a one act play. Mix it up. For journalling..write down everything. Don't censor.

My journaling tends to have no rhyme or reason. I always said that hand written journaling is the best, so you're kids or whomever is reading it has your handwriting to remember (instead of using the computer to print it). As far as the actual journaling...I carry a cute little notepad in my purse/diaper bag in case I need to jot something important down for later use!

I would journal on my diary, I have also tried to journal on my iphone when I have a spur of thought or moments to pen down, which I can transfer later onto my Layouts.
Thanks Bluemoon for the great giveaway. :D

I have a box on my shelf in my scrap room labeled "all things journaling". Inside are stamps, journal spots, anything to journal on. When I need something, I pull that box down and am inspired. Thanks for the chance to win some cool things. CindyML

I usually do my page first with the journaling rolling around in my heart and head.For some reason I cant journal at the same time Im going my creative thing. So I usually will just leave the journaling out till Im mentally ready to put my thoughts to paper. I then pour out my heart and include the details of who,where,and when. This is where taking digital pictures and storing them helps out, as it stamps the date and time the pictures were taken. And having recently lost my laptop and hard drive I recommend burning copies to a cd and a portable hard drive. Hard lesson learned. Weve all heard it before, its not if your hard drive will fail, its when. So be prepared and back it up !!

For me, I just write. I am very much a prose style writer. I think that's the best way. Write it like you would say it. be honest, don't try to write something you wouldn't say in real life. because after all, you are preserving a bit of yourself in your pages. It's your art, not someone else's

I just say: don't think to much, just listen to your heart. Don't care about grammar or misspellings, just write, just be who you are!

i find that using prompts help me tremendously. Great sites like the creative therapy blog have excellent catalysts to get your journaling juices going! :)

I find that writing things down right away make the best memories about events, but often reflective pieces are best about things that happened in the past and what memories you retain about those events, people, etc.

I use my blog and the text files I have of my children's adorable antics and sayings as inspiration for my journalling. I also have been known to hide journalling from time to time. Either covered on the front of the layout or on the back.

This is my biggest area of needed improvement.
I do try to at least leave keywords on notepads or paper by the bedside. I also email myself journaling prompts/memories.
One thing I have learned by error NOT to rely on my memory. Even for the cutest, most seemingly unforgetable moments!
thanks,
Lyn

I keep a word document for writing down thoughts and feelings as I have them. I also like to journal in private if I haven't beforehand, so I don't do it at a crop because those thoughts will be so surface level.