Journal With Impact: Travel Personal Audience

Workshop: Six Conversations for Writing Creative Journals

“We store in memory only images of value.” Patricia Hampl

Personal experience and special audience can overlap in several ways depending on your focus. The details that you choose will become your center factor. For example if you are traveling for the first time with an infant or toddler that is very personal immediately, and memoir fodder, and definitely a special type of how to travel.

The attitude tone before, during, and after, can be humorous, dramatic, frustrating, frightening, or exhausting. Or possibly all of them overlapping!

There are many personal details and memories for any type of travel we do, but the most personal are the ones that impact or change us in some way we did not expect. And we may not realize or recognize the impact immediately. But something lingers, a small memento becomes an item of value, a memory or feeling keeps coming to the surface. And we might wish we could go back in time and process a little deeper into those moments.

One possible way to dig deeper all along is to develop a general outline that can be organized into three parts: before, during, and reflection. And adapt your note taking to the purpose and style of each adventure—again whether a day trip or a long excursion.

Suggestions

Before. Set up questions for your intended purpose. Just mark a few words. Why am I doing this? Why am I going there? What are my expectations? Why am I taking my dog? What difficulties might I expect traveling with a cello?

Personalize the lure of this travel trip now and what you hope for.

During. Set up a few simple questions that directly relate to your original hopes. Because time and fatigue at the end of each day can become a factor try for one or two word answers or a visual image that embraces the moments. (See action steps)

Reflection. Give yourself a few weeks before reflection. Especially if you are dealing with time zone changes or have an ultra busy return schedule. But then put aside a few hours to read over your notes, look at your photos and mementos, and remember some conversations. Now do a five to ten minute brainstorm technique where you write without stopping, or worrying about sentences or spelling. Just write down everything you can think of that you personally reacted to. Read your notes over and underline the few that stand out or surprised you.

With whom do you most want to share your experience? Why? What has affected your heart?

  

Action Steps: Daily Notes

1. Again sum up in one word or phrase that reflects this particular day for you: physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.

2. If you are measuring your trip/time from a success definition, for example fulfilling your day’s purpose or agenda, then give it a rating.

3. Whether disappointed, neutral, or enthralled write down the insight that gives you that response.

4. What happened today that you never anticipated?

Share: Which of the daily notes will be the easiest for you to keep track of? Which one is more challenging?  

Read deep, marcy