Are There Major Differences Between a Diary and a Journal?

Many individuals don’t understand that there are numerous differences between a diary and a journal. What are these differences, and why does it even matter? Understanding the distinctions between the two mediums will make it easier to keep track of your thoughts, express your emotions, and document your days.

Purpose

A diary is a daily summary of what has happened in your life. The writing for a diary is relatively simple, and the space in the notebook you choose is used to keep track of each day. You may want to note all of the events of a day from beginning to end while carrying the diary around with you, you may choose to compose multiple entries, or you may choose to write one diary entry at the end of the day summarizing all of the day’s events. These are all viable options.

Journals, on the other hand, are very different. The information that they contain may be of a more profound emotional level. Often individuals choose to use their journals as a tool to look into their lives, to assess where they are, or to see how they can improve their life on a daily basis. It’s like having a therapist in a notebook that you can carry around with you.

Journals are frequently used as mediums for self-expression and self-improvement, while diaries do not usually serve this purpose. Instead, diaries are merely a means to document daily events.

Formatting

While you can describe emotions in either a diary or a journal, the format of a journal tends to be much better for this purpose. Often when an individual journals, they explore their feelings deeply. This information can help with stress management, for future growth, or to examine future responses to similar situations.

Diaries tend to have a precise format. Users may even go back and edit their daily entries, crossing out the words until they get the events of the day correct, or adding additional events as necessary. Those keeping a journal tend to do minimal editing, even though it is common to refer back to older entries or to revisit past journaling projects.

Writing Method

Individuals who keep diaries tend to update them daily, but if you opt to keep a journal instead, you don’t need a specific schedule. You can write in it several times a day, weekly, monthly, or even only when you have information related to one particular topic or subject matter.

Diaries are often only textual, while a journal can often include quotes, artistic elements, bits and pieces of stories, scraps of paper, drawings and other art projects, and anything else the writer wants to add. Mixed media journals are very popular.

Journals and diaries do have many shared features. Both are used to keep track of necessary information, as well as to share events and feelings. Both are designed to be a form of self-expression, and both are very personal forms of creative writing.

Regardless of the option you choose, expressing your feelings in writing is a healthy way to manage stress and to begin to deal with any negative issues that you’re experiencing. It doesn’t matter if you write in a diary daily, keep a more in-depth journal, or do some of both methods. Your brain will likely thank you for it.

What do you feel are the main differences between journals and diaries? Let us know in the comments below.