Dear Nikki,
Desperate Diary Dilemma
I got a diary for my birthday and I was super excited because ever since I started reading your books, I’ve wanted to keep my own diary. But then…it turned out I’m REALLY bad at it! Like, it’s just SO BORING. I keep thinking if someone ever stole my diary, the only reason it would be embarrassing is because I don’t have an exciting life! And since my life is so boring, I hardly write anything! Before I give up, though, do you have any tips?
Hi Desperate Diary Dilemma,
Do I have any diary tips?!?! You have come to the right place, my friend!!! I’m the world’s ULTIMATE EXPERTin diary writing! Okay, maybe not, but I’ve been doing it for a loooong time, so I DO know what I’m talking about!!! 😀
First of all, writing in your diary should be FUN! Or if not fun, it should feel good. It should be a way to check in with your feelings, express when you’re mad or sad, or toremember funny or happy things that happen. If it’s a chore, then STEP AWAY FROM THE DIARY.
People think their diary has to be fabulously exciting, but that’s just not realistic. Because our lives are not action movies. (LOL! Can you imagine if like Harry Potter kept a diary? Dear Diary, Today Voldemort tried to kill me AGAIN! What is WITH that guy?!)
Your diary doesn’t have to be a list of what you did each day, unless you want it to be. Try something out of the ordinary that’s simple and fun, like each day drawing a face emoji that represents how you’re feeling.
Maybe that’s ALL you write for that day. Or if you feel like explaining why you chose that emoji face, you totally can!
You could also answer these questions every day or whenever: • What are you grateful for today? • What do you wish had gone differently? • What are your hopes for tomorrow?
Also, remember that a diary isn’t only for writing! You can draw, even if you don’t feel like you’re a great artist. Try drawing a stick figure cartoon answering one of the questions I mentioned above. Hey, I do it like ALL the time!
The most important thing is to remember that it’s supposed to be fun, and it’s just for you. No one else is going to read it. If you skip days, who cares? If it’s boring sometimes? Who cares? If you take a break from it for a while, that’s TOTALLY fine. When you come back, try something new. Find a journal prompt online (there are lots of them—questions to get you started) and use that to get rolling again.
I hope that helps! I love my diary SOOOO much. I bet if you try these tips, you’ll love yours too! And if not, you know what? That’s okay. You’ll find some other way to express yourself!
Do you keep a diary? How do you keep it fun and exciting?