Keep a Great Diary

If you go to work or school, try writing in the evening right before bed. Schedule an earlier bedtime so you won't feel pressured to get to sleep without writing. If you don't have a lot of time at night, try writing in the morning or in the afternoon. Sometimes afternoons are good for writing on the weekend or if you do not have busy days. Schedule a 15 minute journal time, or just write for five minutes a day. The most important thing to do is to write, so make time for it!

When I write, I feel that I am passing on a legacy through the pages of my diary. I imagine futuristic societies reading my diary and using it as a portal to enter the past. I make sure to refer to popular music, fads, and fashion in order to preserve the essence of my day and age. One of my mom's Facebook friends has the right idea. Back in the 80's he took video of parties and other social gatherings. He captured not only a time, but also a completely different era through his videos. You can also think of your present or future children reading your diary and learning more about you through what you wrote about your life.

Don't limit yourself to just news of the day. Expand your horizons. Discuss your thoughts. Tell about how you think and feel about anything. Rant about your insecurities. Let your mind flow from your pen and onto the pages of your diary. It's going to get really boring if you don't express yourself. If you feel that you can't let loose in a diary because you're afraid people will read it, just hide your diary in a safe place. If you just can't get comfortable with the thought of letting your feelings out in a book, think of your diary as a friend. I know it sounds weird, but it's what I do and it's quite easy.

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Look into buying a diary and pen that make you want to write when you see them. Some ideas are colorful pens, decorated journals, and your own embellishments. You can draw on the outside of your journal with calligraphy pens, or apply stickers. Maybe you could invest in an expensive diary that feels special just to hold in your hand.
It's not ridiculous to spend extra money on a diary and pen that look good. The appearance of your pen and paper will encourage you to write every day just because you like the way it looks and feels. I certainly know that I can't stand to write in my diary with a pencil, just because it doesn't feel elegant enough on the paper.

I love to make my journal exciting by throwing in add-ins every once in a while. An add-in can be anything from a smudge of tonight's spaghetti sauce, a dab of lipstick, a photograph, or a cherished love letter. Whenever you have the opportunity, tape a photograph or draw a picture into the pages of your journal. That way you'll be doing less writing and making a once banal diary an exciting scrapbook-like multimedia book. Of course, you'll still want to write in your journal a lot but the occasional picture adds a bit of spice. This is a great idea especially if you don't like writing!
Plus if people read your journal someday it'll be interesting to find vintage ticket stubs, etc.

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Aside from all the thousands of mental benefits, what's the point of writing in a journal if you're not going to read it? After the initial embarrassment, reading your old diaries is a fun and rewarding experience.

Every once in a while take a look at your old diaries and see how you've changed. Not only is this a fun way to remember your past, reading old diaries will help motivate you to write more. My favorite way to spend an evening at home is to read and write in my diaries. Old memories and new thoughts mingle sweetly as I sit cozily in bed, journals and pen in hand.

Since I was 6 years old, I have written in my diary nearly every day. It's a wonderful feeling to be able to look back at your journals and know that you kept up writing every single day.
If you want to begin writing daily, start small. Every day, no matter how tired you are, write something, even if it's just one sentence. Then you can start writing longer and longer diary entries. I know people who hardly write in their diary at all, and those who on average write quite long entries. Writing is very therapeutic so don't opt out just because you've had a bad day. It will make you feel calmer and much happier to write and let out your sadness or frustrations.
Set a goal for yourself. Write every day for a week, month, or a year.
Keep track of the days when you write in your journal with a calender and reward yourself when you've completed your goal!

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Would you rather pour your heart out to your best friend, or a dull, foreboding notebook?
Before you start getting really interested in diary writing you'll have to get acquainted with your diary. Give it a name. I know it sounds stupid but when your diary has a name, it has a new spark. I will admit that my diary doesn't have a name, but I used to write Dear Diary. Who wants to write to a diary? I stopped doing that name and instantly became more attached to my journal, There's just something about the thought of writing "to" a notebook that repels people, and makes them want to write "in" the notebook.
Still not feeling that connection? When you write in your journal, use emotion, like you are talking to a person.

Here's an example:

Dear Charlotte (the diary's name)
I am so happy today! I went to pick up a few books at the library when a strange man walked up to me and asked if I was the girl who wrote that great article. I said yes, and he told me that he would love to sign a book deal with me.
Love,
Mallory

Don't write like this:

Dear diary,
The day began at seven thirty when I woke up. Then I went to the library. There was a man who asked me if I wrote an article. I said yes, and he asked me to sign a book deal with him.
Mallory

Some people suggest writing in a letter style, which is similar to what I do, except I'd never send someone a letter disclosing my deepest feelings!

If your other family members like to write, why not get together a journaling group? You can get together, sit down with your journals, and write. Writing with others is a fantastic motivator because you'll feel that you have to write for the other members of the family. They'll want to write because of you as well. Set up a time every day to sit down and write together. You don't have to show anyone what you write, but the feeling of togetherness that journaling in a group provides is wonderful. In the future, you may want to reunite with the people who wrote with you and read about your days together.

Don't restrict yourself when you're writing. Abandon all the rules of grammar, spelling, and handwriting and just be yourself. Too often people try to write eloquently when that's not natural to them or are afraid to let out their feelings. Don't fall into a trap of fear. Just write!

Do what comes naturally, whether it's drawing in the pages, writing in cursive, or using invisible ink. Journaling wasn't meant to be a chore, it's supposed to be fun.

Writing in my diary has grown to be so much more than just a mundane task over the years. It's given me a confidante when I had no one to talk to, it's therapeutic when I'm upset, and has given me a way to look back into the past from the comfort of my own home. I hope that after reading this lens you'll be inspired to start writing in a diary as well. Perhaps it will turn into a lifelong passion, just as it has for me!

So, what if poetry is your thing and you're having trouble writing in your diary?
Write poetry instead of an ordinary diary entry. It's fun and even if you do enjoy writing an ordinary journal entry, it's great to mix things up every once in a while.
Either write a poem about your day as a chronological poem-story, or just let out your feelings in general. I don't usually write poetry as my entire journal entry but it's not uncommon for you to discover me jotting down a poem when I'm feeling especially creative.