5 Reasons To Become A Diarist

5 Reasons to Become a Diarist

What do Marie Curie, Theodore Roosevelt, Virginia Woolf and Kurt Cobain all have in common?

The answer is that whether they were uncovering the mysteries of radioactivity, or the lead singer in one of the most influential bands of all time, these people always had time for pen and paper. These people all wrote diaries.

In my experience, it doesn t matter what you want to do, being able to write well is going to be a huge advantage in life, not just when it comes to sitting exams. The trouble is most people tend to think writing is something your either good or bad at. No one tells you that just like playing the bassoon, writing well is all about practice.

Before going to university, most students writing will be restricted to schoolwork. This is fine but if you really want your writing to stand out, you re going to need to start practicing outside of the classroom.

Here s five reasons why I think keeping a diary is a good idea and will stand you in good stead for exams and life beyond.

1. Your writing WILL improve.

If you want to get better at writing, write. If you want to get even better at writing, read what you ve written. Going through your own writing will teach you to spot awkward phrasing, poor sentence structure and of course the dreaded waffling . Keeping a diary will also show you where you might need to broaden your vocabulary we sometimes don t notice how much we overuse particular words and phrases.

2. Your thinking will become clearer.

Whether you re describing a friend s appearance, recounting your day, or ruminating on the latest episode of Game of Thrones, you will begin to develop writing habits that enable you to get to the heart of the matter more efficiently. Essentially, you will begin to think like a writer by asking yourself what am I trying to say and what s the best way of saying it? When it comes to writing under timed conditions in exams, you will find it easier to organise your thoughts and structure your answers.

3. Experimentation

A diary is a private space for you to experiment with language and ideas. Unlike the essays you write for school, there s no teacher telling you what s right and wrong. It might just be that some of your most original and outlandish ideas come out in your private writing. Your diary can act as a repository for thoughts and opinions that may come in useful later.

4. Developing a voice

Most writers will tell you that finding their voice is a lifelong pursuit, so you may as well get a head start. When it comes to personal statements and exam transcri pts, writing with personality stands out a mile.

5. Writing by hand

When summer rolls around most of us will be expected to ditch the computer and write our exams by hand. I can tell you from personal experience, the importance of practicing writing by hand should not be underestimated. An unpractised hand will write fewer words and be less legible... it also will hurt. A lot.

Of course, there s an unwritten sixth reason why you should keep a diary. It can be a lot of fun. Just don t leave it lying around.