The Impact of Journals
Did you ever keep a journal or diary as a kid? Maybe you still keep one as an adult. Perhaps as a child you recorded events like a grade you received on a test, interactions with siblings, or the weather. Perhaps you wrote about a secret crush you had on someone.
As a writer, I love coming across actual journals of people who lived in the area I plan to write about, especially if it happens to be during the era I’ll be dropping my book into. When I first planned on writing stories about mail-order brides, I enjoyed reading through Hearts West: True Stories Of Mail-Order Brides On The Frontier by Chris Enss. Whenever you can get actual accounts to draw from, it helps a writer to create a deeper, and hopefully more accurate book.
When I set about starting a new series set in my neck of the woods, my first time departing from books set in the west, I spent a lot of time researching. I asked questions in FB groups to find out as much as possible about the local history. In the process, I came across a woman who used to work at the historical society where my new series takes place. Through conversations and questions, we developed a friendship founded on the love of history. As we came to know each other more, she helped to discover obscure information about the names of local businesses, names of people living in the area, and who owned properties nearby. I would have relied on searching through newspapers from the town, but unfortunately a fire destroyed the records for the years in which I was searching.
I had planned on setting the first book in the early 1870s. Even though I live in an area steeped in Civil War history, I never desired to write a book set during that time until…. My local historian shared two journals written in 1864 by two local farmers. Each one chronicled daily what the weather was, what was happening around town, as well as their activities. Each of these two farmers only wrote a short paragraph each day, but these journals are full of history with names, businesses, etc. They shared about Rebel sightings, how much they were paid to provide meals/housing when Rebel soldiers passed through the area, as well as what they saw when a local town was burned. Here’s a sample of the entries:
January, Saturday 16
Beautiful day I paid my Breakfast 25 cts and then walked about through
Harrisburg till 8 Oclock. Took the car and came to Mechanicsburg and stayed there with
cousin Kate Seabrooks for the next train. I then came to Shippensburg my fair was $1.35
cts. John and cousin [first name] Diehl was in town and I came with them.
I used some of these journal entries in my new book, Abigail’s Pursuit. Here’s a little bit about it:
Abigail Stewart, with the Civil War raging, is on the verge of losing everything. The man who is responsible for her brother’s death comes to Shippensburg offering to help. How can she work with her enemy? What’s to stop him from betraying her?
Wounded during the war, Daniel Thompson must find a way to make amends and fulfill his friend’s dying request. Daniel’s homecoming proves anything but easy as he seeks to find forgiveness from his family when they can’t be found. The woman he tries to assist, doesn’t want anything to do with him.
Can two wounded hearts find their way back home?
JODIE WOLFE loves writing historical fiction after years as a homeschool mom. She enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, knitting, and walking. Jodie creates novels where hope and quirky meet. Visit her at http://www.jodiewolfe.com.
So how about you, when’s the last time you kept a journal? You never know, one day it might be of interest to a writer. 🙂
One lucky respondent will win a digital copy of Abigail’s Retreat.
I don’t keep a journal of personal writings.
Enjoyed the blurb and learning of your research.
Great to have you stop by, Denise. 🙂
My memory’s so vague that I’m not sure how young I was. I am sure that the diary didn’t get much use.
Chuckle. I remember writing in one as a little girl too. It’s probably still around here somewhere. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Mary.
I believe that keeping a journal is a good practice – but my practice of doing so has definite ups & downs
I can relate, Abbie. Some years I do great with staying faithful with keeping a journal, others… not so much. 😉
I’ve tried keeping a diary many times, but I never continue with it for long. I spend too much time writing other things, and my heart is just not in it. Maybe the fact that I don’t even like to read novels in first person also has something to do with it. LOL
Hey Janice! My mother is the same way! She won’t read first person. Interesting!
Chuckle. That is interesting, Tracy. 🙂
I’ve never been overly fond of first person novels either. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thought, Janice.
I have kept a daily journal since I was in high school!
Wow! I’m impressed, Teresa!
Thank you for the information – very interesting.
I used to have a diary when I was young. I do not keep a journal.
So glad you stopped by, Bonnie.
I never really kept a journal. I loved to write short stories though. I did that until I got married, than the love of being a wife/being married and having children took over. Thank you for sharing your writing with us. I continue to dream.
Maybe it’s time to get back to writing, Lori. 🙂
GFood morning, Jodie. I used to keep a diary when in high school. However, I have never kept a journal that I can recall. Have a blessed and fruitful New Year.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Judy. I pray you have a blessed and fruitful New Year too. 🙂
I did a gratitude journal two years ago but it was hard. I have several journals where I write down mostly lamentations to God and frustrations. Sometimes I see answers and blessings and write those too.
I’ve kept a gratitude journal a number of times through the years. I’ve also had journals with lamentations and frustrations too. I’ve recently been challenged to keep a journal of prayer requests to pray over.
Good morning and welcome again! No journals here. My parents wrote letters to each other in the summer of ‘56. Dad’s was full of fishing and farming. Mom’s was working(State Farm in Jacksonville) and her sister and niece and nephews. She stayed with them. A few years back, Mama transposed two letters side by side on a pillow. One from Dad and one from her. She gave these pillows to me and my brothers for Christmas. What a treat! The whole family passed those pillows around reading those letters! My children and husband loved it. Dad had died in ‘91 so, it was special almost hearing his voice in those letters.
Your book sounds good! Best wishes!
Oh, what a sweet, precious memory and gift. Thank you for telling us about it, Tracy. Somewhere in the attic are old letters my husband and I sent to each other. You’ve given me an idea. 🙂 Thank you!
I start a journal every Jan 1st but by Jan 3rd or 4th it ends.
Chuckle. I’ve had similar attempts through the years.
I write things down but not in a journal.
Good that you write things down though, Joyce. 🙂
don’t do that
There’s always a chance to start. 🙂
I ustted to keep a journal but not so much lately
Oops keyboard skipped! I mean used
Good morning, I have never kept a journal or a diary. Thank you for sharing this and for sharing about your book. Your book sounds like a great read and I love your book cover it is beautiful! (not entering this giveaway as I am not tech savvy and dont read ebooks at all, but Thank you) May you have a great weekend.
Great to have you stop by, Alicia.
The last time I kept a journal was in the early 2000’s. Our family was going through an extremely hard time. It was my way of coping but also writing out my prayers. I can go back and read it now and see how many of those prayers were answered I never realized it at the time.
Such a great thing to look back and see what God has done. I work through difficult times in my life by writing novels. 🙂
I kept a diary as a teen until my cousins broke the lock and read it.
Now as an adult, I keep a journal for when I need to get things off my chest or my mind is racing and I need to get it out. It usually helps. I never go back and read it because I just can’t read my writing when I’m rambling. The writing looks “rambling” too. lol
🙂 I know writing things down helps me to process my feelings.
I use to journal during the crazy years of early parenting. It helped me to find time to be in God’s word and my prayer life. I have occasionally looked through those journals to see the growth not only of my children but how I grew too.
I imagine it’s fun to look back on and reminisce. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I did keep a journal, when I was younger, but it has been awhile.
Maybe it’s time to start again. 🙂
Very Interesting. I kept a journal on several trips we went on in the past, trips to Alaska, another to Yellowstone, and another of the general West. We live in Alabama so these were long trips. It is interesting to even look back and remember these trips. Sometimes wish I had always kept a daily journal too.
Would love to read your book.
Ooh, I bet your journals from your trips are fascinating, Sarah. Thanks for sharing.
100 years ago when I was a teenager!
Chuckle. 🙂
I’ve tried several times to write a journal, but always give up.
Maybe just write as you’re able to? 🙂
Hi
Tried keeping a diary twice in my youth. Unfortunately then, I was easily distracted. I’d be writing something then a friend would call or stop by.
When I would go back to the entry, often it was 3 or 4 days later.
Chuckle. I wasn’t very consistent with diary entries as a youth either.
I keep what I call my day book. Like the journals you quoted I usually include the weather since it is so important to farm life along with what I did that day. Sometimes I do write impressions and thoughts, more journaling than accounting of my day. It has turned out to be a big help when we need to know when various things have happened like what day did the tractor go for its overhaul. I have also kept a separate journal on road trips turning them into a scrap book/journal which have been fun to look back at.
Not a reader of e-books so don’t enter me in the drawing
Thanks for sharing, Alice. Your information is similar to what I found in the journals from 1864. 🙂
I don’t journal daily, but I have journaled. I usually keep a journal when we travel, noting weather, places, routes, things we have done. When I was in the Peace Corps, I didn’t journal, but I did write many letters home. Looking at them now, they are really a record of my time there, things I did, the culture, and my travels while in country. On my travels back home afterward, I did keep a journal of those travels with daily entries. I often wish I had kept a journal all these years since. We have had an interesting life with many different experiences. Many of our friends have often told me I should write a book about those experiences. After all these years, it would be hard to reconstruct them.
Thanks for sharing about your experiences, Patricia. I’m sure you’d have many interesting stories to share about your time in the Peace Corp.
I don’t think I have ever kept a journal. I might have had a diary when I was a child but can’t really remember.
You can always start one now, Quilt Lady. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
I have tried but never succeeded.
I kept one in high school. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of your book.