The Journal Newsletter
Introduction
Here in the United States, it’s Back to School time. So I wanted to remind everyone that The Journal offers a discount for students and educators at all levels. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
This month’s Tips & Tricks section describes how to create a simple entry template. And Susan provides a new set of writing exercises.
Thank you for choosing DavidRM Software’s The Journal!
Tips & Tricks
TIP: Creating Your Own Simple Templates
Templates allow you to use standard forms or blocks of text in your entries. Writing and journaling prompts, worksheets and forms, and “boilerplate” text are all possible with templates.
Simple templates are inserted without any processing, exactly as they were created. Any loose-leaf entry can be a simple template. Template entries are displayed in the entry tree with a red “T” () beside their name.
Here are the steps to create a simple template:
1. Create a loose-leaf entry to be the template (Entry menu, Create New Entry sub-menu, Document). The “Templates” category can be used for this, or any other loose-leaf/notebook category you choose. Name the entry “My Template”.
2. Enter the text to use for the template. Here is some example template text (between the “- – – – -“):
Today I accomplished:
This made me happy today:
This made me angry today:
– – – – –
3. Now, to mark the entry as a template, click on the Entry menu, and choose Template Entry. The entry’s icon in the entry tree will now show a red “T”.
Inserting a Template
1. Position the editor cursor in the entry where you want the template inserted.
2. Click on the Insert menu (or right-click the entry), and choose “Insert Template…”
3. Choose the template you want.
The selected template is then added to the current entry.
Templates can be set to be the “default entry template” for a category, and automatically loaded in new entries. This tip from last year explains how to do that:
How to have a “Default Entry Template”
Writing Prompts
by Susan Michael
Free Writing Prompt – 1. Write for 20 minutes without editing using the following title, “The Cat Came Back”.
2. Write for 20 minutes without editing using the following title, “Children’s Games”.
Poetry Prompt – Write a poem using the title, “Love Poem Number 137”.
Prose Prompt – Write a short story using the title: “Simon Says”.
Journaling Prompt – Write about any incongruent actions. i.e. You want a certain outcome but in some way work against it happening. What type of story could you write in which the main character works against himself?
Memoir Prompt – Has any one in your family suffered from a chronic illness? Write about your experience. Consider interviewing the person about their experience with living with illness.
Opinion Prompt – Do you think that people have the right to decide when to end their life?
About the author: Susan Michael facilitates the Tulsa Writers Cafe for the Arts & Humanities Council in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ms. Michael has also led writing & creativity workshops for children, teenagers, and adults.
Submission Information
If you would like to contribute to the “How I Use The Journal”, “Writing Exercises”, or “Tips & Tricks” sections, or would like to submit an article about journaling, writing, or another The Journal-related topic, we would love to hear from you.
Submissions for the newsletter should be sent to: support@davidrm.com
If you are submitting for a particular section, please indicate which one. Try to limit your submissions to 500-1000 words. Submissions may be edited for length and content.
If you prefer to remain anonymous, please state this in the email. Otherwise your name (but not your email) will be used in the article heading.
As always, if you have any suggestions for, or bug reports about, The Journal, please feel free to email them. Both are always welcome.