I recently finished my journal after filling it with stories for the last four years. I was given this one for Christmas in 2020 and have been writing my memories in it since. Last week, I turned 20, and I knew it was time to close it out.
As I always do when I’m nearing the end of my journals, I started looking for a new one. I found a few cool options but ended up putting them back on their shelves. They just weren’t the one. I’m starting a new decade in my life and the empty pages need to be neat and inviting.
I was gifted a beautiful new journal on my birthday.
It’s a blue, hard cover with green accents and has a butterfly on the front page. I can already tell it’s going to be special to me.
April 27 is National Tell a Story Day.
To get into the spirit this month, you can start by writing your daily stories. As soon as you begin working on your personal storytelling, you’ve turned a blank page into a memoir.
Formatting my (and your) storytelling
I name all my journals and address each page with their name, like I’m writing to a friend. I took this idea from Anne Frank’s famous words as she named her diary, Kitty. My first journal is Emmy, the second is Gretel, and the one I just finished is Ivy. All these names have reasonings, but I’ll keep those to myself.
I really enjoy this because instead of just thinking of it as writing my experiences down, I think of it as more of a connection.
Something else I’m excited to start is adding photos to my journals. To begin, I’m putting a picture of me on the first page, showing how old I was, and what I looked like when I started writing it.
When it comes to writing the pages themselves, I title them as if they’re scenes. I write the date and add a fun title, making my life seem like a show. It makes for an interesting read later.
These are just a few ways to get the flow going for storytelling your own personal life stories. The blank pages are the most exciting part. So, find an inviting, empty journal in time for April and get to it.
It’s time to write for you!