Journaling To Turn Memories Into Scenes

(This post is part of a guest post series for Shaynie at Journaling Journeys. Visit her blog for more great journaling tips!)

Have you ever thought about what your life would read like if it were made into a book? One of the reasons why I love journaling so much is because it is the story of my life. I can look back at a journal and remember what it was like during a specific season of my life. All of the memories and emotions start flooding back as I read. It's almost like picking up an old book, returning to the places I had completely forgotten about.

If you're an aspiring author, it's very recommended that you keep a journal. Especially if you're wanting to capture moments the "write" way. However, the only thing that's not so great about journaling about your day is that it's almost like you're telling instead of showing (example: "Today I took my little brother and sister to the park. I had so much fun pushing them on the swings and watching as they went down the slides.") The reason why authors are told to "show" instead of "tell" in their books is because the reader cannot experience the moment if it's being told. They can't feel the excitement or completely grasp why the person was having fun, simply because they're only being told about it. The author isn't taking them to the setting and letting them live the moment with the character. So if you're looking back at your journal ten years from now, it'll be difficult and almost impossible to remember specific details or exactly how you felt during a certain moment in your life.

Journals can be a great source of inspiration for authors. Especially a YA author who is searching through the journals they kept during their teen years for story/scene ideas, or if they'd just like to be reminded of what it was liked to be a teenager. However, although you can write a journal entry about your first date, it won't exactly take you back to the moment. Unless, of course, you start a journal to turn your memories into scenes.

How should you do this? For me, the best way would be by creating a file under the My Documents folder. In this journal, instead of "telling" about a significant part of your day, show it. You'll basically be acting as if you're the main character in your own novel. And if you hope to become an author one day, keeping this journal could possibly help you in the future. It can also be a great way to completely capture a certain moment of your life so you could some day "re-live" it rather than be told about it.

Turning your memories into scenes can also sharpen your writing tremendously. If you write at least one scene every day, not only will you be developing your own writing voice, but you'll also start to become more conscientious of details when you're not writing - such as being aware of senses, how something that someone says to you makes you feel, yours and other people's body language, expressions, character traits, etc. all of which are very important to study if you want to be an author one day.

Wouldn't it be neat to one day be able to experience a certain moment of your life again through the words that you've written? It'll almost be like you're reading a book that God wrote (other than the Bible, of course). Because even though he didn't physically write it, he is ultimately the author of your life. Then one day you can look back and see specifically how He arranged all of the moments in your life for a certain purpose, to bring about an ending that only he has in mind.

That's why I think it'd be such a great idea to start this journal. Because if you do, you'll be recording parts of your story that the Author of Life himself is writing. Simply by turning your memories into scenes.

Painting Your Setting

"If the setting is very significant, you should know it well and weave details carefully in the fabric of events. If the setting is not very significant, do not burden your reader with unnecessary details. Too much description can get in the way of the story."

~ Robert Demaria

Every artist has a variety of different colors in their paint pallets, pastels, charcoals, etc. These colors help the artist bring their pictures to life. Without the color, their art would be dull. Plain. Look around - the world is full of color! The different shades of blue, orange, and yellow that the artist used in this painting helps bring the sunrise to life.

Writing scenery is much like painting scenery. Instead of writing a black-and-white, never-ending setting description, add a few colorful setting details. We also have to choose carefully the words we use to paint a setting if we want to relay a certain emotion. For instance, let's say an author is writing a scene where the protagnist's boyfriend is breaking up with her at a park. Obviously the author would want the reader to feel sadness, disappointment. How would she do this through weaving in setting details?

Here is a wrong example of how the author should write this scene:

He turned and starred at me for a while, his watery eyes washing my smile away. Clasping his hands through mine, he said, "Listen, I'm really sorry. But... I want to break up."
My heart dropped. I slowly shook my head as I backed away. Then, after giving once last look into those piercing brown eyes, I walked off.
As I headed toward my car, giggles rolled out of me while passing a group of kids playing tag.

Yes, it's good that the author included a setting detail in this scene - but don't you think the girlfriend would be a little more annoyed at the playful kids since her boyfriend just broke up with her? Your protagnist's attitude toward the setting helps bring out the emotion you want to relay through a scene. Simarly, an artist wouldn't paint a dandellion if he wanted to express sorrow. Choose your colors carefully.

Other ways that you can show your setting without writing long description paragraphs are through the way people are dressed, dialogue, how people speak, description of weather and temperature, etc.

Here are a few other specific ways to help add setting description:

1) Sensory details.
Instead of telling the setting to the reader, let them feel as if they are there. Put yourself in your protganist's shoes. What do you hear? See? Smell? What's it taste like, or look like?

2) Personification.
I'm not sure how other authors feel about personficiation, but I love it. Not only does it give imagery, but personification can also help with the mood of the scene. Make sure your personification isn't cheesy, though. Robin Jones Gunn does a great job of using personification through setting in her stories.

3) Metaphors and similies.
When I was in second grade, my stories consist of one similie after another. My teacher taught that similies were a great way to explain something, so I thought the more, the better. However, I have now learned that adding too many similies can weigh down your story - not to mention they become really cheesy. But when used carefully every now and then at the right places, similies can be beneficial to your imagery.

What are some other ways that you paint your setting without writing black-and-white description paragraphs? Let me know!

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An artist's colors, brush strokes, and title all help benefit the message he/she wants to relay through his painting. He wouldn't paint a picture of a storm cloud if he wanted the mood of the painting to be cheerful, would he? The setting of a story has more to do with than just where the story takes place. Think about the conflict and the important details. Is your setting necessary relating to the conflict? Does it impact your story?

Remember: Don't just sketch your setting. Paint it.