EXPRESS YOURSELF

I Have 233 Diaries, Which I’ve Kept Since 1993

Here’s my advice

These are my diaries. All subsequent images will also be of my diaries.

Last month, I published a book about my many, many diaries. The book (which is a graphic memoir called Dear Sophie, Love Sophie; and which you can and should buy) employed a practice of writing back from the present to past versions of myself, as was recorded in my old journals.

But in order to have old journals, you need a good daily writing habit. And mine is all about throwing things against the wall. Here are my tips!

Keep your artifacts in your journal.

My grandmother bought me this fancy leather-bound journal that came in a cardboard box as a present when I graduated from high school. I remember thinking, “This is SUPERFLUOUS.” (And wow, what a prestigious thought, as I had only just learned the word “superfluous.”)

But then I went to a great show at The Aladdin Theater, and I wanted a place to keep the program. And then I lost a favorite CD, but I loved the lyrics book it came with. I realized I wanted a place for these things, and hey, this box was the perfect size! I tucked a bunch of…