Journals and Diaries: What’s the Difference?

Journals and Diaries and the Differences

A journal and a diary are not the same. One is like a newspaper article reporting or listing the facts, or “Just the Facts” as Sergeant Joe Friday of the classic 1950′s television series “Dragnet” would say when doing a police investigation. The other explores more at length how you felt about the occurrences and possibly why you felt that way. A journal is more liberal in its content whereas a diary is more sterile, more documentary. However, the two can be combined.

As you journal in your scrap book alongside the photos or memorabilia, listing the facts is important (which would serve as the diary), but for effective scrapbooking you want to tell more than just the facts (journaling). Bring the photo to life by describing feelings and sensations associated with the facts to enhance the experience for the reader.

In the same way a reporter answers the “who, what, why, when, where and how” about the event, doing so will give structure to your writing whether it’s a diary entry or you’re journaling. When you include descriptive text to communicate the emotions or colors or sensations involved at the time, you will transform sterile facts into a story. It’s the story that will touch the reader more than would be the case by only reading only the facts.

This article by Quinn McDonald will give you more insight into the difference and how you can use the knowledge in your writing. Enjoy!