I have downloaded and trying a journal writing software program, The Journal. It’s actually pretty cool. It can be password protected and has a variety of templates that can be added to the daily entries, like food and exercise logs, free-writing prompts and writing specific prompts. There’s a notebook feature that is not tied to dates like the daily entries. Instead, the entries are named. You can insert the date and time, pictures, tables, and everything else a word processor can do. It has color coded topics like business, dreams, family, etc. and you can add or edit the topics to suit your specific needs. If you have a blog, you can post entries from the program. There’s a lot this program can do and it’s very easy to use. It’s defiantly worth the $39.95 when you consider all of its features and what a word processing program cost.
But, what really excited me was the MemoryGrabber plugin that appeared when I installed the program. It’s a tool to help write an Autobiography. It provides memory grabbing questions, topics, activities, games, resources, lists-to-create and a time line of life events. While this tool may not offer everything you need to actually write an autobiography, it does provide a good start, especially when you have no idea of where to start telling your own story. I did a time line when I was working through The Vein of Gold by Julia Cameron. I found that a difficult task when I first started but as I got more into it I made some wonderful discoveries. Memories flooded to the surface, some good, some not so good but all were important to my life. The MemoryGrabber might have made it easier for me to get started with the time line. I think this feature alone is worth getting The Journal program and some of the questions are questions I would not have thought to ask myself. Yes, there is an added cost, $14.95 or if you buy both at the same time it cost $49.95.
I’m going to try a few other journal writing programs before making a decision since this one is the first I’ve actually downloaded and used. I’m not even sure what’s out there and if they offer free-to-try downloads. If not, I will not be reviewing them. I don’t have the money it could take to pay for software just to review it, especially since I may never use.
If anyone drops by who is using some kind of writing software, please post a comment. I’m not a big fan of writing software in general but for computer journal writing it may be a perfect solution. I’m still leaning toward pen and paper for journal writing but I can see how this software can be useful in many ways other than journaling.
I tried The Journal, but I think that LifeJournal is MUCH better. LifeJournal works intuitively right from the start. I’ve been keeping a journal for many years and there’s a LOT in this program that really works. It helps me write more often. It’s easy to use and it’s even got me writing more often. I’m hooked.
I have THE JOURNAL, and have had it for 2 years now and it was worth every penny. I had downloaded several of these before I made a decision, and The Journal turned out to be the best for me, and today, have no idea how I would live without it. David, the guy who did the design, always personally answers me email if I have a problem or confused about something. The memory Grabber has helped me a great deal, and I have actually started recording everything about my life that I can remember, and this sure helps. I keep all my writings and a daily journal in this. Once you own the journal, it has so much more that is so helpful and with tips and excellent customer service.
yngathrrt, I did try out LifeJournal and also found The Journal to be more user friendly. While there are things LifeJournal offers that The Journal doesn’t, the learning curve might put some people off. They are both good but I liked the simplicity of The Journal and think it would be the easiest for others to learn how to use it.
Having said that, I didn’t purchase either one. For me, pen and paper works best for one basic reason; I don’t edit myself when journaling with pen and paper and the outcome is far more rewarding because of that one reason. When writing on the computer, I edit, edit, edit because I can not type as fast as I can write and get lost in nonlinear chaos, so I edit to make up for the thoughts I didn’t catch fast enough.
Had I learned to type properly, I might have a different experience but I love the feel and sound of the pen moving across a page. There’s a rhythm that happens and a wonderful melody takes over and my creativity dances with joy. I have never experience anything close to that while at the keyboard. But that’s just me, others may have a different experience.
Thanks for commenting on your personal experience.
Glo, I understand exactly what you mean by “I love the feel and sound of the pen moving across a page. There’s a rhythm that happens and a wonderful melody takes over and my creativity dances with joy.” My mother felt pretty much the same way, and very closely said the same thing. Actually, my mother is the reason why I looked for a program. Shortly before she died, I cleaned out her shed, and found enough notebooks full of poems, short stories, essays, personal journal entries, etc. that would fill up a tall filing cabinet. After she died, I wanted to organize all her works so that they could be shared, with family, friends, and others. Problem was, how could I do this. The Journal ended up being my best bet. The reasons why were because on the notebook entries, you could enter the entries, as well as create root level entries. Calendar charms could be placed by the entries, which was great for me since I put a great deal of her poems on line, and would use a calendar charm for those on, so that they were not duplicated. The program works like a processor, but actually more user friendly to me. The journal part was also great, as I could go back as far as she wrote. The search option is excellent also, as I have placed over 500 of her poems on now, and it would take a long time to find a certain poem, and the search takes care of this for me. The spell checker is great, and the dictionary and thesaurus are quite good. And I used the templates categories after she died to take pictures of all her small items, and inserted the images there so that I could then send them to family members so that we could decide what we wanted to keep of hers.
As it turned out, THE JOURNAL was excellent for me also. With THE JOURNAL, you can have several users, which is excellent, and I will go into that more later. I started to write a great deal my self, thanks to her inspiration. With my journal, if an important event happened, such as birthdays, holidays, etc. I would insert images there also. I also wrote well over a hundred poems and was able to category them like I did hers. The Memory Grabber is wonderful for me, especially since I would not remember these things, without being prompted. I have written several short stories now, from things I have remembered. And now that I have becoming interested in blogging, the tool of POST TO BLOG, I am sure will become very handy.
I have several projects I am working on, which is why I really enjoy the ability to have several users. The projects I am working on are named according, and this way, I am able to keep things separate, as well as better organized.
David, the guy who designed this program always answers emails personally if you cannot find the answer, or confused still from his home page. The HOME PAGE is excellent and has tips and tricks, how to guides, etc. there. There is also a JOURNAL DISSUSSION GROUP, a forum, which is excellent and very helpful. There is also a NEWSLETTER. He recently added two free packages which are great. BEN FRANKLIN VIRTUE’S. An idea taken from Franklins “Autobiography”, Benjamin Franklin described a simple yet powerful plan for self improvement. The core of the plan is to improve one virtue (out of a set of 13) each week. Instead of trying to improve in all 13 of the virtues at once (a nigh impossible task), you focus your efforts on improving just one. The following weeks, as you focus on the other virtues in turn, improvement in all of the virtues accumulates (hopefully). With 52 weeks in a year, you will have worked your way through the entire list of 13 virtues four times. I am excited about working on this for myself. The other thing is MY ADDRESS BOOK. To me this is nice, while I have several, it is nice to have one where I spend a great deal of my time.
I suffer from Fibromyalgia, and have what is called Fibro fingers, and while I wish I could write with pen and pad, it is almost impossible. I can’t even read my own writing, so this has been a life saver for me, especially since writing has become so important in my life.
Anyway, just wanted to comment on this again, even though it turned out to be a very long comment.
Katie
Thanks, Katie, this is good information. I can only wish I had writings from my mother but she didn’t write or put her thoughts on paper. I can see how valuable using The Journal could be for things not necessarily associated with free-association writing. Maybe I will check it out again when I have the time.
Well, Katie and yngathrrt, I’m a fan of LifeJournal forever. The first time I looked at The Journal I was beyond confused. Long menus, lots of windows looking kind of stuff. Felt cold and impersonal. I wanted a program that felt DIFFERENT than a regular computer–but didn’t require lots of learning. And felt like it was mine. I’ve kept a journal for about three decades now and I KNOW this program fits my needs–it understands journal writers–like no other journal program. (I’ve tried them ALL!)
LifeJournal has many extras that the Journal didn’t have: prompts, quotes, time line, (no extra cost for it–and lots of questions about the past to use as a jumping off point for writing about one’s past), Daily Pulse (check THAT out–a rate-yourself kind of graph that cross links with your writing–INGENIOUS!!). They also have LifeJournal on Paper–a notebook that lets you use the same features of LJ–but on a notebook. And there are ways to index your LJ on paper entries with the program. I thought that was a great idea actually. Anyway, I use LifeJournal often and have been for years and I’m dedicated to this program–at times it has felt like it is a good friend.
Ellen, just to not confuse anyone reading this post and comments, Katie and yngathrrt are the same person. She registered here with a pseudo-name she uses on the Internet but her real name is Katie.
I’m curious, Ellen, which software did you first try? And, are you in anyway associated with this company?
Different strokes for different folks. What works for one person may block another, and vice versa. It’s good to know there are two highly-commended programmes out there. The posts here are a great resource to help newbies like me investigate the available software. Thanks to all for sharing.