Ohhh Journaling. We all love it, we all hate it. Here are 5 tips to get your journaling to really speak!
1. Don't try to sound like anyone but you.
You don't have to try to be funny, or try to sound cool, or try to sound like a genius. Just sound like you. That's good enough! Think about it this way: if you were reading one of your grandmother's old letters, would you want to hear her voice through the letter? Or would you want to hear her trying to imitate the cool lady in her quilting circle? Your kids and grandkids will know you and love you just as you are. When they look through your layouts in years to come, they'll want to hear your voice.
2. Avoid excessive slang.
You don't want to end every journaling block with, "peace out!" or "aiight?" And you don't want to misspell words like "bid-naz" and "evah!!!" for effect, except in instances of obvious comic effect. Why? Because it will really date your writing. Use trendy terms here and there, but in general just follow rule number one and be yourself. You'll thank me later. Because who would have guessed that the use of "tuf" as an adjective would sound so stupid 20 years later? OK I admit it I still use it when I am hanging with my peeps of the same generation. LOL - see all that slang in that one sentence?? Of course, if you're quoting your teenager on a layout, bring on the slang! It'll be fun to record the weird things teens used to say way back in 2012. I also use slang or "isms" that my little ones say. Those mis spoken words and funny sayings will soon be forgotten so make sure to include them in your book somewhere before those lisps are gone.
3. Just do it.
Don't wait until you've mastered the Chicago Manual of Styleto start journaling on your layouts. You do not have to be perfect. Has your scrapbook style evolved at all since you started scrapbooking? Well, your writing style can evolve too. And the biggest way it evolves over time is that it becomes your voice. You start sounding more and more like you. But in order for that to happen, you've got to sit down and write. You've got to start somewhere. So just put pen to paper, and let yourself learn, grow, and evolve as you go.
4. Be specific.
It's wonderful to create layouts every now and then with a big, beautiful photo and a title that says, "I love you to the moon and back,"especially if the phrase means something special to you and your sweetie. But if you never delve any deeper than these high-level sentiments, you'll be skipping over important parts of your story. What sets you apart from all those other people who also love their children in lunar proportions? On some of your layouts, also make sure you write down specific details about why you love your child so much: "I love the way you snuggle me and play with my hair as you fall asleep," or "I love the way you act out all the parts of The Lion King when you tell us about the movie".
5. Read.
The best way to become a better writer is to become a better reader. You don't have to diagram sentences or study syntax or take a grammar class at the local community college. Just read a lot. Read well-written blogs, evocative journaling on layouts, good books, and engaging magazine stories. Expose yourself to strong writing and you'll naturally pick a few things up.
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