Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Leaving a Trace: On Keeping a Journal
Now in paperback comes the acclaimed, one-of-a-kind practical guide to starting and keeping a journal and transforming it into a larger creative work: a family chronicle, a memoir, or a novel.
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
January 2nd 2002
by Back Bay Books
(first published 2001)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
296)
When I picked this book up on the "value" shelf at Barnes and Noble I expected it to be a cheezie "how to dig into your soul and find who you are" self help writing book. So now years later I truly can not remember why I actually bought it. Perhaps its 3 dollar price ticket had something to do with it.
It is a fast and informative read. Covering subjects regarding journals; the importance of them, how to go about keeping one and the journals of the past that have impacted the future of others. W...more
It is a fast and informative read. Covering subjects regarding journals; the importance of them, how to go about keeping one and the journals of the past that have impacted the future of others. W...more
Dec 02, 2007
Tynan Power
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people interested in journaling, people interested in writing
Shelves:
writing
One of the best books on journaling I've read. There are segments of it that are particularly interesting and useful for writing more than journals. I really liked this book a lot and took a lot of notes.
I love Journals, writing, and journal writing. This book is excellent, and it really lent depth and breadth to my writing. I strongly recommend it to anyone and everyone. I find that reading books about writing gives me fuel for my enthusiasm to write myself. This book really motivated me and gave me tons of new ideas to write about. Most writers say that if you want to be a writer then you need to write every day. This book really encouraged me to do that. I need to re-read it soon.
Feb 28, 2009
Samantha
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who wants to journal or likes to already!
Recommended to Samantha by:
Amanda C.
Shelves:
books-read-in-2009
(On Keeping a Journal)- The Art of Transforming a Life into Stories.
This book is fascinating! Anyone thinking of starting a journal or learning how to maintain one will really enjoy this book. Alexandra weaves "real-life" journal entries and examples throughout this book which is my favorite part! It almost feels historical in a sense. She is definitely an artist with words- simply beautiful. At the end of each chapter, she included "exercises and journal prompts", a great way to get you starte...more
This book is fascinating! Anyone thinking of starting a journal or learning how to maintain one will really enjoy this book. Alexandra weaves "real-life" journal entries and examples throughout this book which is my favorite part! It almost feels historical in a sense. She is definitely an artist with words- simply beautiful. At the end of each chapter, she included "exercises and journal prompts", a great way to get you starte...more
Read as part of my quest to jazz up my journaling a bit. This book was too serious for my purposes. Everyone the author cites is a published author. I don't necessarily want to write a book, I just want to consider my life from a different perspec...moreRead as part of my quest to jazz up my journaling a bit. This book was too serious for my purposes. Everyone the author cites is a published author. I don't necessarily want to write a book, I just want to consider my life from a different perspe...more
I had a great dilemma while reading this book: keep reading, or go write? It provided an intriguing introduction to famous journal keepers and those who keep them today, with numerous inspirational examples from both. It also took things a step further, providing suggestions for mining old journals for stories, poems, or memoir. This provides me with another dilemma: go write, or reread my old journals?
In any case, I'm looking forward to reading another of her books, The Hidden Writer, about the...more
In any case, I'm looking forward to reading another of her books, The Hidden Writer, about the...more
Each of us have an infinite arsenal of writing material to wield at our own discretion. Whether we recognize it or not, every moment that passes is crammed with writerly inspiration, and the onus is on us to seize this fodder and alchemize it into art. Alexandra Johnson's Leaving a Trace: On Keeping a Journal, The Art of Transforming a Life into Stories shows us exactly how to do this. I first read her work probably ten years ago. Her book The Hidden Writer: Diaries and the Creative Life is wond...more
Dec 09, 2008
Ciara
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
journal keepers, self-help fans, people looking for a stabilizing project
Shelves:
read-in-2006
i read this book because i have an obsession with journals & diaries, & part of this obsession involves wondering what tips, tricks, bells, & whistles other people bring to their attempts at disciplined journal-keeping. i have been keeping a journal off & on since i was about four years old, & i've really gotten serious about it in the last three years. i try to write everyday, but i often find it difficult to get started or to write anything of particular consequence, even w...more
I don't rate books by people I know -- too complicated. But while Johnson's book is a treatise on journaling - why, how, forms, what can be gleaned or developed from them, etc. it had a surprising effect on me--I picked up my journal after not touching it for two years. Among other things, it was revelatory to look back and discover that apparently I've never been happy working for someone else. The book also inspired me to return to an awareness of my surroundings and the people that make up th...more
I found this book very inspiring. Those of us who love the idea of journal keeping but have a hard time with consistency will enjoy Johnson's lavish descriptions of stationery shops and various types of journals, not to mention her numerous ideas and prompts to help you unlock creativity and start writing. She writes a book whose main premise is to sing the praises of keeping a journal, asserting that those who do are "leaving a trace" not only for the next generation, but for themselves. Johnso...more
I've owned a copy of this book for years, and periodically I reread it because I like it so much. It just makes me feel good about something I've been doing for nearly my whole life. I enjoy reading about what others have done, and how they handle their love of journaling. You never know when you might want to try something new.
This book encourages me to continue my already established practise of writing a journal. In this useful and interesting book, the author suggests using "snapshots" of incidents from the reader's own journal entries, to rewrite and expand upon for new entries. Though I was tempted to take notes, I felt I should rather have a "glitter art" mentality and allow only what sticks to remain and shake the rest off. At a future reread I think I could then compare the book with what I was able to easily...more
Like finding a new best friend, this book shows you a world of possibilities within yourself. It is inspirational but not mushy. It offers solid guidance for journal writers at all levels. It illustrates the ways journals can be used for writing biography and novels. I loved reading about the different kinds of journals people keep. This one's a keeper.
This was an okay book. Had some decent writing exercises at the end of each chapter, and I'll probably hang onto the book at least for a while for those. But it seemed awfully repetitive, and I'd hoped to get more insight on the approaches different writers use when using journal entries as the basis for fictional work. Might have given it three stars if it either said more in the same amount of pages or was shorter and didn't repeat so much. I picked up another book by her immediately afterward...more
Aug 09, 2008
Kristylemmon
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
diary/journal writers, people who want to get to know themselves better
I actually have not finished reading this. I am doing the writing exercises as I go through it and need to take breaks (sometimes year-long breaks!). This book is awesome for inspiring you to more creatively record your life. I love journaling and this book has given me so many ideas and techniques. Some of my favorites were writing about my childhood bedroom, snapshot writing and people descriptions. I highly recommend it for people who like to journal their lives and want to get more creative...more
I appreciated the overview of journals, all the examples provided, and the wisdom weaved through it all. A thorough and thoughtful book that somehow remained easy to read.
For anyone who keeps or wants to keep a journal, this is a must-read.
Lots of neat ideas for journals but a little too sappy for my taste.
Again, right up my alley. I truly enjoy keeping a journal.
One of the better journaling books out there.
I love reading books about journaling.
Journaling
Nov 03, 2010
Emily
marked it as to-read
@ Davis.
This book really made me think about why i write and how to make it more interesting both for myself and anyone that may end up reading my words one day. The book is written very well and was so good that i managed to read through it all quite fast whilst picking up vital tips along the way. It really inspired me to keep going with my writing and gave the me the kick start to get back to regular writing. Definitely worth reading whether you're new to journaling or not.
This is an okay book with a few pretty neat ideas on how to get started on keeping a journal. Unfortunately the further you read the more it feels 'heavy'. It begins suggesting activities that are too intensive for beginners (index your journals, keep a separate journal for each thing, go through and highlight words to find patterns, etc) and would put me off journaling if I wasn't already a seasoned pro. I stopped reading midway (almost impossible for me).
This is an excellent book. I enjoyed the author's voice as I read this book. She weaves in other people's stories with hers. This book is not only good if you want to keep a journal, diary, or write a memoir; it is also helpful if you need help to write. There are some great tips to get you started writing or past writers block. The stories presented are from famous writers as well as regular folks.
As a person who journals, I found this book to be very insightful. At the end of each chapter the reader is provided exercises and journal prompts which I found very helpful. Your journals become inspiration for transforming your life into a story, whether that be memoir or nonfiction. I really enjoyed reading this book and have highlighted and marked pages to return to as reference.
When I was younger I use to write in a journal every night and I miss having that ability. I hope this book is going to help me find my way back into writing down my thoughts and what is going on in my life.
I liked her advice. I'm writing in my journal a lot more now. not a complicated read. I'm also using some tips from the book to help my students start to journal.
I liked her advice. I'm writing in my journal a lot more now. not a complicated read. I'm also using some tips from the book to help my students start to journal.
I enjoyed this book but thought that it could have been written more coherently. The stories in it are fascinating. I have always kept a journal and maybe someday I can follow the suggestions in this book to expand on my journal entries and maybe even turn them into a memoir.
Jun 08, 2008
Joel Neff
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
aspiring writers and memoirists
Recommended to Joel by:
Cathy Neff
This is an amazingly insightful and useful book. The author provides examples, inspiration, and how-to tips inside a single volume that can help anyone keep a journal fit for posterity.
And why everyone should.
And why everyone should.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discussion | 3 | 4 | Jun 11, 2010 12:08pm |
Feb 16, 2009 07:02pm
Jun 23, 2009 11:51am