Journal Writing- Privacy and The Rules

For many people the thought of someone else reading their private journal is enough to freeze them up and stop all writing. There are several solutions to this dilemma. There is the one my friend uses which is a written disclaimer on the first page of her journal. It says: “This is a private journal. If you open and read it and are hurt by what you read – that is your problem.”  Simple and to the point.

However, if you live with people who you don’t trust to mind their own business then you can: buy a lock box, keep it in a locked drawer, in the trunk of your car if you are the only one who drives it or in some place you are sure they will not look. Of course, the smart thing to do is to not make a production of your writing. If no one knows you keep a journal then they will not hunt for it.

The next issue is what do you want done with your journals after you die? Do you want them burnt, passed on to a specific family member or friend or given to some archives? Mine are going to a daughter of a friend. I am not sure she realizes what she is in for as there are two large tubs full of them and I am still writing.

Which brings us to the rules. People seem to think there are so many rules to follow in journal writing. It makes me tired just to think of them. You must write in the morning, you must write at night, it must be legible, it must follow the rules of grammar and spelling. The lists seem endless. In fact there are only two rules and they are really suggestions. One, put in the date including the year. There are a lot of November 12’s in life, it’s good to know which one you are writing in. If you travel a lot include where you are.

Two, you can burn it if you want to. These are your pages and whatever you do with them is your right. You can scrawl, swear, draw pictures, call people names, it doesn’t matter. Your third grade teacher is not going to mark you for penmanship and spelling. The most important thing to remember is: you are writing for yourself and what you say and how you say it are your business.  So pick up that pen, hit that keyboard and write!