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DEAR DIARY…
(How to go from private pain to public acclaim and profit!)
By Jennifer Brown Banks
“He was right for all the wrong reasons,” my diary read.
This simple journal entry, chronicled to bring closure and
perspective to a failed relationship with a sinfully, sexy
“bad boy” type, brought more than therapy. Years later, with
some creativity and emotional distance behind me, it brought
a writer’s fee of a hundred bucks and publication in Simon
and Schuster’s best-selling “Chocolate for Women” series.
That clip was the beginning of a beautiful relationship—diary
entries and dollars. Over a period of time, I discovered a
gold mine that would serve as the foundation for many short
stories for popular anthologies and feature articles for
women’s magazines. My “dear diary” accounts, covering everything
from parenting guilt, to vents about my family, to love gone
wrong, garnered fan mail and writers’ fees on a frequent basis.
Yours can too.
Very few writers realize that the raw, uncensored stuff we
pen in our journals, where we deal with our demons and
reveal our humanity, is just what many editors look for in
personal essays, poems, articles, and commentary pieces.
Here’s how you can use yours to expand your writing
portfolio and your bottom line:
1. Start with an intriguing title and a killer lead. A
few that I’ve used cleverly are: “Three Cheers for Courage!”
“What’s Good about Bad Guys” and “A Paradox in Pink.”
2. On the go? Carry your journal with you daily to capture
those “Kodak moments” on paper while in the moment. These
hurried happenings have led to some of my most successful
pieces.
3. Learn the art of tasteful dirty laundry. Recognize
the difference between slightly soiled and down-right dirty.
Never reveal deep family secrets, things shared in confidence
or a mate’s physical dysfunctions.
4. Always request permission to use real names and true
identities.
5. Use exciting excerpts rather than day-to-day, hour-to-hour
passages in your submissions. None of us is noteworthy 24/7.
6. Think universal appeal. What prevailing themes in your
writing have you read as topics in magazines and anthologies?
A few of the most common are relationships, sibling rivalry,
work woes, mid-life issues, parenting guilt, infidelity,
illness and dieting dilemmas.
7. Provide take away value. Show your readers how to
cope with grief, or live with greater passion, or laugh
til’ it hurts. For example, when I lost my job five years
ago, my journal entries addressed my new way of life,
serving as the foundation for an article I wrote on
unemployment coping strategies and resources. The piece
entitled “The Upside of Being Downsized”, sold to Being
Single lifestyle magazine and appeared as a feature in
their career corner.
This account of my emotional and financial upheaval
received rave reviews, because it dealt with the sometimes
unexpected blessings that evolve from life’s hardships. I
even did a variation of this theme, and wrote a humorous
poem months later entitled “Ode to Unemployment” which
appeared in the Chicago Independent Bulletin.
8. Read often to discern what makes for a good, compelling
story. Other slice-of-life stories are not just competition,
but serve as educational material, teaching you how to pare
down your life to interesting snippets.
Your diary can not only bring closure to emotional issues,
but also open doors to a more enriched, profitable writing
career. My humorous rants on parental guilt have garnered
publication in anthologies. Keep in mind that anything
from rants to revelations can reap rewards. Even jottings
from a travel journal, sharing your adventures to various
destinations and recommended “sites to see” can connect with
readers, and help others to make informed decisions toward a
better way of life.
BIO
JENNIFER BROWN BANKS is a veteran freelance writer and
columnist. She has published over 500 pieces in regional
and national publications. She is the former Senior Editor
Of Mahogany Magazine, and currently serves on the Board of
Directors of Chicago Writers Association.
Email: Jenniferwriter@yahoo.com
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