The girls who get it get it!
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Joan Didion once wrote, “People who keep private notebooks are a different breed altogether—lonely, restless, and low-key obsessed with rearranging the world. Basically, they’re born with this weird sense that something’s always slipping away.” And honestly? She spilled.
When I first stumbled across her essay, On Keeping a Notebook, from her 1968 collection, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, I couldn’t stop thinking about how it applies to the way we document our lives today. Back then, notebooks were private sanctuaries; today, they still are, but they also compete with Instagram grids and TikTok photo dumps. And yet, Didion’s words still resonate, reminding us that the act of writing—just for ourselves—is timeless and deeply personal. These are decades-old thoughts that remain relevant as ever.
DEAR READER
Why do we scribble things that no one else will ever read? Why do we fill notebooks with fleeting thoughts, messy emotions, and random life details? These pages aren’t meant for an audience, so what’s the point?
@rottedfigs A Writer’s Soul ib @✿⊰ciara⊱✿ #foryou #donnatartt #foryou #foryoupage #writer #poet #writings #writertok #writing #englishmajor #journalism #poem #poetry #beauty #romance #love #thesearewhatwestayalivefor #poetrylover #poetsblood #soul #fyp #thesecrethistorydonnatartt #author #englishlit #literature #language #languagelover #literatureclub #deadpoetsociety #bookclub #books #book #read #reader #readers #booklover #pen #ink #philosophy #inkonpaper ♬ donna tartt on writing – ✶
But it’s not just Didion who knew the power of keeping a diary. Virginia Woolf, another iconic writer, also turned to her notebook as a tool for reflection and creativity. After losing her mother, Woolf started journaling to process her grief and capture fleeting thoughts. For her, it wasn’t about creating something for others to read—it was about finding clarity in her own mind. In fact, her diaries helped shape some of her greatest works, like Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse.
Interestingly, this whole “writing for yourself” thing isn’t just a modern concept. I have read Simone de Beauvoir’s The Woman Destroyed, and it’s clear how much journaling and personal reflection influenced her work. In her book, the protagonist’s private writing serves as a means of self-discovery and a place to understand the chaos of her life—something I could totally relate to. For Didion, Woolf, and even de Beauvoir, journaling wasn’t about presenting polished narratives to the world—it was about figuring things out on their own terms. These literary queens spoke nothing but facts on how writing for yourself was important then, important now, and important in the future.
LESSONS FROM JOAN (AND VIRGINIA)
Didion’s essay taught me that memory isn’t perfect, and neither are we. Writing isn’t about presenting a polished story—it’s about untangling the chaos in our heads. It’s about recording the truth of a moment before it fades, even if it’s raw or incoherent. Diaries don’t need to make sense to anyone else; they’re where we’re most ourselves.
Joan Didion taught me that journalism didn’t have to stick to the rigid rules I grew up with—like never inserting “I” into the story. Editors used to drill it into me: no personal touch, no opinions. But Didion flipped that script and showed me that sometimes the reader needs to know where the writer’s coming from. The writer’s perspective is part of the story.
Didion’s obsession with writing started when she was just five. She described it as her way of figuring things out—what she was seeing, feeling, fearing, and wanting. For her, writing wasn’t just about the story itself; it was about making sense of the world.
Virginia Woolf echoed a similar sentiment. Her diaries weren’t just about her everyday life—they were a deep dive into her emotions and thoughts, a way for her to understand herself better. Whether it was grappling with her mental health or reflecting on her creative process, Woolf’s journaling was a crucial part of how she worked through her life. If you’ve ever read one of her novels, you know that emotional depth and self-exploration are at the core of her writing. And for her, journaling was the starting point.
YOUR NOTEBOOK WON’T HELP ME, AND THAT’S OKAY
Keeping a notebook feels almost vintage in today’s hyper-digital world, but maybe that’s why it’s so special. In a time when everything is online and people turn to ChatGPT to form a complete sentence, writing in a journal gives you something you can’t find on your phone: privacy. It’s where you can get real with yourself—whether it’s jotting down epiphanies, ranting about your day, or just doodling nonsense in the margins. There’s a reason why journaling remains popular and will always have a space for many girlies like me.
And it’s not just a creative outlet—it’s scientifically backed. Journaling has been shown to improve mental health and cognitive skills, according to the American Psychological Association. Maybe the notebook girls we all knew—the ones obsessing over their planners—were onto something after all.
There’s a line from Didion’s essay that’s stuck with me: “Your notebook will never help me, nor mine you.” And honestly? That’s kind of the point. If I handed you my journal, most of it wouldn’t make sense. The handwriting is messy, the thoughts are incomplete, and some of it even confuses me. But that doesn’t matter.
Journaling isn’t about impressing anyone or winning awards—if you think journaling is just for writers—think again. It’s for anyone seeking to better understand themselves, whether you’re penning the next great novel or just trying to make sense of your thoughts—no hashtags required.
Continue Reading: Choosing To Live: How Writing Saved This Student From Loneliness In The Pandemic
