Web Watch: Journaling Jump-Start

Interested in joining the “journaling” boom that’s sweeping the nation? Writing in a journal can be a rewarding way to record your memories and feelings for your descendants to share someday — or just for yourself. 

To get started in journaling, pick up a copy of the new Personal Journaling magazine, from the publishers of Family Tree Magazine. You can learn more about the magazine, even order a copy, online <www.journalingmagazine.com>. And check out these other journaling Web sites:

• The Center for Journal Therapy <www.journaltherapy.com>

According to Kathleen Adams, founder/director, the Center for Journal Therapy is a gathering place for those who know the power of writing for growth and healing. The Web site offers books, tapes, workshops and a resource center on journal therapy.

• Suite 101 <www.suiteioi.com/welcome.cfm/joumal_writing>

Find articles on journal writing, as well as links to some of the best journal-related sites on the Web. Topics include privacy and making the time to write. You can also participate in journaling discussions by becoming a Suite 101.com member.

• Journals at About.com <www.journals.about.com>

The largest collection of journaling information on the Web. The site includes articles, journaling prompts and links to online journals, classes, supplies and chat groups.

• Open Pages <www.hedgehog.net/op/>

Open Pages describes itself as a guide to the “scribe tribe” — people who keep journals on the Web. The site has links to more than 300 online journals, designed to let users “wander through the personal triumphs and tribulations of people scattered across the globe.”

• Kalamazoo Questions <www.digitalism.com/rhudson/kzoo/kzooquest.html>

These questions are truly thought-provoking. Although there are only a dozen prompts, they’ll give you something to think and write about for days.

• Memory Triggers <www.triggers.com>

Samples from Bob Wendlinger’s Memory Triggering Book (Proust Press, $19.95). Smells, sights, music — all can trigger memories. Samples from the book on this site suggest ways to tap your own all-but-forgotten memories.

• Whole Heart Publications <www.whole-heart.com>

A resource site for journalers, Whole Heart includes a bookstore specializing in writing, journaling and learning books. The site also holds threaded discussions on journaling.

From the April 2000 issue of Family Tree Magazine