Journal : paper or electronic ?

[guillaumeb]

I'm thinking of starting a journal

I like the feeling of having a leather cover notebook that I can hold in my hand. I like the smell of paper too. But I'm thinking that using Evernote would bring me more advantages :
- can be used on my phone
- can search notes by dates or keyword
- can export in HTML / PDF
- can easily add photos

What would you do ?

Thanks

 

[MisterCairo]

Use a proper journal. I'm keeping one now on my naval deployment. Acid-free paper, properly stored, it'll last practically for ever.

No one has ever been surprised and interested to find a long-lost e-journal (or e-anything) in an attic trunk or archive.

I do however have my father's miniature journal/diary from 1942. "Tanks landed at Dieppe. Maybe some good news in this damned war". 29 Aug 42.

Got an accesible hard drive that old?

 

[guillaumeb]

indeed that's true. Paper will prevail!

Sent from my Passport using Tapatalk

 

[Steve27752]

It has to be paper, and a fountain pen.

 

[emigran]

If you are on these pages you probably have some "Old School" tendencies... I keep thinking about Kevin Costner in Dances with wolves. All you'll need is a young Indian Brave( pardon me... NA) to find it and return it to your heirs some decades down the line...

 

[AmateisGal]

Paper. Definitely. I love, love, love shopping for new journals. There's something about a fresh, blank sheet of lined paper that is thrilling.

And get a pen that writes nice and smooth, too.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I have a friend who's kept a written journal every day of her life since she was in the fifth grade. She's twenty-seven now and has a long shelf full of different-styled and colored journal books. She wouldn't think of keeping it electronically -- in fact, she's recently begun keeping it in cursive writing instead of printing, just to be contrary to millenial stereotypes. I recently gave her my old Palmer Method penmanship books to help with the project, and she went out and bought a dip pen and a bottle of ink to go with them. And she isn't even "retro" or a "vintage person." She just prefers the tactility of paper and pen.

 

[AmateisGal]

I have a friend who's kept a written journal every day of her life since she was in the fifth grade. She's twenty-seven now and has a long shelf full of different-styled and colored journal books. She wouldn't think of keeping it electronically -- in fact, she's recently begun keeping it in cursive writing instead of printing, just to be contrary to millenial stereotypes. I recently gave her my old Palmer Method penmanship books to help with the project, and she went out and bought a dip pen and a bottle of ink to go with them. And she isn't even "retro" or a "vintage person." She just prefers the tactility of paper and pen.

I love this, Lizzie. I've kept a journal pretty consistently since I graduated college (so, 1997) and I really like going back and seeing what I was thinking at a certain time or how I commemorated an event (I wrote about 9-11 for example). It's a terrific record of my life.

I tried doing the quill pen and ink once and I think with more practice (and a better quill pen - the one I got was pretty cheap) I would have enjoyed it more. I may pick it up again and try it.

 

[MisterCairo]

I wish I'd brought my fountain pen with me. I've seen sets on my travels but they're awfully expensive overseas, usually in touristy shops which just adds to the cost.

I often wonder how many memories and links to the past are created, and simultaneously "pre-lost" for ever through electronic recording? How many digital "photos" are lost every day? Who will have tangible links to thoughts "written" down by their family members when everything is in fragile "data"?

 

[AmateisGal]

I wish I'd brought my fountain pen with me. I've seen sets on my travels but they're awfully expensive overseas, usually in touristy shops which just adds to the cost.

I often wonder how many memories and links to the past are created, and simultaneously "pre-lost" for ever through electronic recording? How many digital "photos" are lost every day? Who will have tangible links to thoughts "written" down by their family members when everything is in fragile "data"?

I think about this a lot in terms of historical research in the future. Now, we can go to archives and dig through letters and journals and photos. But what about the future? Of course, there is such a thing as digital history - it's gaining a lot of traction in universities right now. I would love to take some classes in it.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Yeah, I think this may be the wrong forum if you are expecting to find a lot of gee-whiz-I-love-digital types. I've got several nicely bound journals that I have been keeping on-and-off for decades. Also a leather bound sketch book and a collection of favorite quotes. I figure they'll survive long enough to be handed down to my daughters.

 

[Fading Fast]

As those who have read my posts know, I love the Golden Era, old things, old methods, etc. My girlfriend and I recent bought a 1928 cooperative apartment in Manhattan and we are restoring back many of the original elements to give it a much more historic vibe. I have a manual wristwatch, love listening to baseball on radio and watch five TCM movies to every new one I see. We have a large book collection because we love the feel, smell, stories associated with and visuals of real books. (I do use kindle when traveling for convenience, but absolutely love physical books.)

But the writer in me loves computers. I edit / revise / alter / adjust my writing as I go many, many times. Continuous editing is part of the writing process for me. Before word processors (remember those), I used to leave three spaces on the typewriter between lines so that I'd have room for all my edits, adjustments, changes, etc. The computer was the tool I needed my entire writing career. I love it - I love its ability to edit constantly, I love that I can move words and phrases around, cut and paste full paragraphs, instantly spell check, etc. The writing process is easier, less frustrating, faster and more enjoyable for me on a computer.

While I love the Golden Era and so many vintage ways and things that it is almost silly, as a writer, the computer has been an incredibly valuable tool for me. Even though I think this was coincidental, my writing career only took off after I had access to decent word processing capabilities.

 

[AmateisGal]

As a writer, I concur with you, FadingFast! I simply write better on a keyboard vs. pen and paper.

 

[Historyteach24]

I journal in a moleskine journal and use various fountain pens, my favorite being my Parker 21