Why Keep a Diary? You May Surprise Yourself!

Everyone has a story to tell, including you.

When I suggest that someone should keep a diary, the usual response is, “But nothing interesting ever happens to me. What on earth would I write about?”

My answer is simple: start writing and see what happens.

You don’t need an extraordinary life, a literary education or even a particularly good memory. The ordinary events of everyday life are often far more interesting than we realise. A chance conversation, an unexpected encounter, a walk through the countryside or a passing thought can all become the starting point for something worth recording.

I have been keeping an almost daily diary for more than ten years, accumulating over two million words. What began as a record of my activities has become an exploration of people, places, ideas and the fascinating contradictions of human nature.

Along the way, I have discovered that writing a diary changes not only what you remember, but how you experience life itself.

Five Good Reasons to Keep a Diary

1. Preserve the moments you might otherwise forget

Memory is notoriously unreliable. A diary allows you to revisit conversations, events, discoveries and experiences that would otherwise fade away. It becomes a personal archive, and one that grows more valuable with time.

2. Share your life with family and friends

A diary can help friends and family keep in touch with what you are doing and thinking, particularly if they live some distance away. Rather than repeatedly telling the same stories, you can invite interested people to follow your experiences in their own time.

3. Enjoy your experiences all over again

One of the pleasures of diary writing is looking back. An entry written several years ago may bring forgotten details vividly to life. Better still, you can revisit an experience with the benefit of hindsight and discover meanings you missed at the time.

4. Discover what you really think

Writing is a surprisingly effective way of sorting out your thoughts. You may begin with a vague impression and end with a much clearer understanding of what happened and why it mattered. Sometimes the most interesting ideas appear only after you have started writing.

A diary can be a private conversation with yourself, even if you eventually decide to share parts of it with others.

5. Become a better observer of life

This, for me, is perhaps the greatest benefit. Once you know you will be writing about your day, you begin to pay more attention. You notice the little things: an unusual remark, an act of kindness, a contradiction or an unexpected moment of humour.

Life becomes richer because you are looking more carefully.

And there is another benefit. Writing honestly about your uncertainties, mistakes, discoveries and occasional triumphs can encourage others to recognise something of themselves in your experiences.

Where Should You Publish Your Diary?

You can, of course, keep a diary privately in a notebook or Word document. There is no obligation to publish a single word.

However, if you want to share your writing, I recommend having your own website rather than relying entirely on social media.

Social media is excellent for brief exchanges, but a diary deserves a permanent home where entries can be organised, searched and revisited. Imagine trying to write a book on hundreds of separate Post-it notes!

Creating a website need not be expensive or technically complicated. WordPress is one practical option, and having your own domain name gives you an address that people can remember and return to.

This website is an example of what can be achieved by one person with curiosity, a keyboard and a willingness to keep going.

How Do You Begin?

Don’t worry about writing a thousand words a day. Start with a paragraph. Describe something you saw, someone you met or a thought that occurred to you.

Write naturally, as though you were telling a friend about your day. Don’t try to sound literary or profound. Your own voice is much more interesting than an imitation of somebody else’s.

Above all, don’t wait until something remarkable happens. The remarkable often reveals itself through the act of writing.

A Little Inspiration from Samuel Pepys

One of the world’s most celebrated diarists is Samuel Pepys, whose accounts of seventeenth-century London bring history vividly to life. His diary includes great national events alongside domestic arguments, meals, gossip and everyday frustrations.

You can explore his fascinating world at The Diary of Samuel Pepys.

A Final Word

If you are thinking of starting a diary and would appreciate a little encouragement or practical advice, you are welcome to contact me. I am always interested in hearing from people who enjoy observing and recording life.

You can also explore my own diary on this website. It contains thousands of entries covering everyday experiences, local communities, philosophy, spirituality and the curious business of being human.

You may never become a famous diarist, but that is hardly the point. The real reward is discovering how much there is to notice, remember and understand.

Your life is worth recording. Why not start today?

Happy writing!

Brian Snellgrove

A comment from ‘Lee’

Tell us about your interest in Diaries and whereabouts you live.:

Hi Brian,

I decided to take a look at your diary writing having enjoyed so much getting to know you through the SMN these last months, wishing I had discovered SMN sooner. But I’m here now and that’s what counts. I find diaries and letter writing a lovely art.

I’ve kept diaries on and off over my lifetime since I discovered Anais Nin as a young teenager. She was a huge inspiration to me.

 

I lacked confidence in myself as a writer, having grown up in a bohemian circle that included many interesting people like Henry Miller coming to our house and my cousin eventually living with him for a time. I was named after the poet Robinson Jeffers in whose house I spent many a day and over night. At any rate, I’ve been recently rediscovering my own writing and poetry and discovered it isn’t as terrible as I used to think! And it’s nice to connect with other people who share such a passion.

I’d just like to add that I have enjoyed your Friday glass of wine group at SMN and want to say you’ve done a super job. Maybe you could lead your own group there? Lee xo