Author and founder of the National Journal Writing Month, Bakari Chavanu, weighs in on the debate of digital journal vs. paper journal in his article, “10 Reasons I Prefer Digital Journal Writing Over Pen and Paper.”
My favorite of his reasons for using a digital journal over a paper one is that it is easily searchable. One of my greatest problems has been in finding a way easily to return to specific parts of my journals. Right now I use a table of contents. I’ve tried indexing, but it’s just too time-consuming.
I have used both. I more readily use the paper journal since it lends to a feeling of privacy even in a crowd. Sitting there, cradling your book, you are visiting an old friend, it seems. Currently, a digital journal requires lots of tapping and typing (or talk-to-text dictation), which my brain associates with work and not much that is personal. But that is a quirk.
It doesn’t have to be either/or. The best journal is the one that works for you. We have discussed before that a journal is there to serve you and your needs. If a digital journal works for you, go for it.
In a way, this website serves as a kind of digital journal. Many of the thoughts that I free write about on paper every day becomes fodder for this website.
Which do you prefer? Do you use both? Do you use someone other journaling method?
Sincerely,
Deborah
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