How to Write a Journal Calendar

A journal calendar guides the journal writer.

A journal calendar sparks creativity in a journal writer. It guides with subjects to make the writer think, and it help avoid factors such as writer's block. A journal is not to be confused with a diary. A diary more often chronicles the daily events and life of the writer, whereas a journal is used to explore thoughts and feelings on a particular subject. Though these thoughts and feelings can be related to current events in the journal writer's daily life, this isn't necessarily required.

To write a journal calendar is to keep a journal writer actively writing entries. Provide time off, though, to avoid burnout.

Instructions

1. Choose a theme. A theme is sometimes geared toward the specific group of writers for which the calendar is made. In this case, a journal calendar for adult women may have different prompts than one for children in school. Seasons also can be a theme, such as spring for the month of April. Regardless of which theme you choose, the choice gives you a loose guide to follow that helps you to focus and to create appropriate prompts.

2. Map out the month. Note the days of the week, any holidays or other days of significance and on what day of the week the dates fall. You may wish to give weekends off, which will adjust the number of journal prompts. In this instance, a 31-day month might have 21 or 23 prompts, depending upon which day of the week the month starts.

3. Create a style-guide for your prompts. Simplicity is essential. Complex prompts only squelch a writer's creativity, and the journal entry is then no longer her own. A style guide for prompts keeps control in check, assists the flow of your own creativity and allows for freedom of the journal writer's expression.

   This style guide is also quite simple. "A one-sentence prompt regarding the chosen theme and excluding office politics" is an example of what you might use. Other parameters are added as necessary.

4. Write it all out then reduce it. Put your ideas on paper (or on a computer). Once you've expressed your daily intentions this way, reduce these thoughts into simple prompts to fit the style guide that you created.

5. Enter the polished prompts on the appropriate days of the calendar. Place any mention of holidays or other date-specific entries on the proper days.

References

• Mrs. McDavid's Second Grade Website: Writing Journal Calendar Prompts
• University of North Dakota: How to Write a Journal