Types of Diary Writing

Journals vs. Diaries: What’s the Difference?

Are you a journaler or a diarist? Both? Neither? Most people use the terms diary and journal interchangeably. For our purposes, though, let’s agree that:

• All diaries are journals but not all journals are diaries, and
• A diary is record of the details of a day.

While a journal entry can take the form of a record of what you did on a given day, there are myriad other types of journals one can keep. There are also different types of diaries one can keep, in different types of diary formats.

Types of Diaries

Looking for diary-keeping inspiration? Here’s a list of some of the types of diaries you might keep:

• Fitness diary. If you head to the gym to beat your previous personal best for weight or reps, or if you’re training for a marathon, keeping a fitness diary or log is a great way to track your progress each time you come home from a workout or training session.
• Food diary. This may go hand-in-hand with a fitness diary. Whether you’re undertaking an elimination diet for your health, searching for the right combination of macronutrients, or counting calories, a food diary to record what you eat for meals and snacks can be helpful in reaching your goals.
• Work or career diary. This type of diary can help you organize your day-to-day work tasks, stretch goals for projects, and overall career goals.
• School diary. Like a work diary, a school diary can help you keep track of assignments near- and short-term.
• Travel diary. This type of diary is not only popular, it’s often been the genesis of beloved works of fiction and nonfiction.

The types of diaries you can keep may find their way into a single place, or you may decide to keep separate diaries for separate purposes.

Types of Diary Formats

Depending on the type of diary you choose to keep, one format may be more appropriate than another. Here are some formats you might consider for your diary:

• Writing by hand. The classic way to keep a diary, writing your daily log by hand can be a great way to unwind—especially if you choose a notebook and writing implement you love to spend time with.
• Typed diary. If you find yourself spending most of your time on the computer or with your phone in your hand, keeping a digital diary might be for you. There are plenty of apps available that’ll let you take your diary writing from phone to PC seamlessly.
• Audio diary keeping. If you need a hands-free option for keeping your diary updated, consider recording your entries by narrating them—perfect for long commutes in the car.
• Video diary. A 21^st-century approach to being a diarist, a video diary is especially appropriate if you’d like your diary to be public—videos are perfect for sharing your daily diary entry on social media.
• Pre-dated pages. Whether you’ve purchased a journal notebook, day planner, or decide to go digital, you can find pre-dated options that provide exactly enough space for small, daily entries.
• Calendar format. If you’re not logging a lot in your diary, using a classic calendar may be the most appropriate—and convenient—diary format for you.

Keeping a diary is a great way to set goals, keep track of your tasks, and mark down memorable trips. If you’re still unsure which might be the right diary format for you, try a few until you discover which sticks.