Reader, what is is with me and diaries?
Each end of financial year I buy two new diary’s. A huge one for keeping of the truck loads, and a smaller, usually A5, one for me. I have found it a good idea to keep a record of conversations and phone calls in a diary for easy reference when I have to wade into battle over unpaid invoices or inefficient phone companies, (not to mention any names).
I usually get both at the same time. It’s easier. This year, for some unknown reason, I didn’t. And so, at the the end of July, I find myself searching high and low for the smaller personal diary. Thank goodness I had already purchased the larger “Truck” diary. Eventually I did find one, but it’s bigger than my usual size and it’s not a day to a page. I prefer a day to a page, but scavenging around the leftovers and spoil didn’t leave me with a choice. There was only one style available.
Why am I talking about diaries? I hear you ask reader. Good question.
Because I battle each year with the decision to buy a diary or stick to putting notes into my iPhone. My iPhone calendar is linked to my computer and my iPad and alarms go off all over the house when I have an appointment due. It’s wonderful.
But, where do I stand with the iPhone/iPad/Mac world when it comes to keeping notes regarding phone calls and requests for quotes. In a handwritten diary page I can easily see what I’m looking for. I can flick through the pages to see what and where the entry is noting my conversation with <insert name> from <insert company> who promised to pay Invoice < insert — you get the idea>. In a digital diary I can’t flick open pages and see the entries as easily. I love that the new diary I purchased has a lined page at the beginning of each month to write the important stuff down for the month. Stuff, reader that I must not forget. I find that while my synced calendar is great for reminders etc, it’s not much good for “at a glance” schedule checking.
My new diary gives me two columns for the day. I love it, I can write business appointments and reminders in one column and personal or writerly commitments or goals in the other. I might even use different coloured pens. Too exciting! I do love the simple things in life reader.
I am working hard to prioritise my life, to schedule in everything and to keep on track. I have a book (or three) that I would love to find publishing homes for. I have a business that needs to stay afloat and finance my writing dreams. I have a family, friends and fellowship that I need to keep in my life. I want to be happy and healthy and fulfilled.
And so I need a diary.
Do you use a diary? I can’t remember anything without writing it down. Are you firmly embedded in the digital world and able to function without the pen and paper style appointment book or diary? Do you bother at all or just fly by the seat of your pants?
I don’t use a diary; I use a notebook. they can be large, small, with spirals on the top or the side, or a plain composition notebook. The trick is to have one for each project I write, and one for articles or short stories and writers’ prompts. So it makes a lot of notebooks, depending on what I’m working on. There is always a sticker on the front with the name of the novel, and the one for articles/short stories/prompts is distinctive from the others.
If you look in my notebooks, you will see the backs of pages scribbled with notes for appointments, people’s phone numbers and FB pages, miscellaneous research that goes back to some other chapter, things like that. Somehow I keep track of it all. I do have one notepad with spirals at the top that has a smaller column to the left that I use for making chapter notes and things, but for the most part they are just regular notebooks. It’s about the only chaotic part of my writing life.
Hope your diaries work great for you.
Deb
Thanks for popping in Deb, I have notebooks for my writing. But I need a diary to keep track of events and conversations and appointments. The diaries are usually so I can remember who I spoke to, especially when it’s to do with work and the EDJ.
And I hope the diary works too. I keep trying, every year!
Paula