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The Un-Journal Journaling Swap: January 2014

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The Un-Journal Journaling Swap: January 2014
Swap Coordinator:LauraAust (contact)
Swap categories: Letters & Writing  Journals 
Number of people in swap:28
Location:International
Type:Type 2: Flat mail
Rating requirement:4.99 (unrated swappers allowed)
Last day to signup/drop:December 31, 2013
Date items must be sent by:February 5, 2014
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

The Un-Journal Journaling Swap 2014

I really want to do more writing – the problem is, I won’t do it unless I have a reason. I’ve been giving this situation a lot of thought and I have finally come up with an idea for a swap that isn’t a huge commitment (although, genuine effort will be expected), will allow me to write on a variety of topics, won’t hold me to a really short list of specific topics, and will allow me to “meet” multiple swappers (and be exposed to different writing styles) over the course of 2014.

This will be an ongoing, monthly swap throughout 2014. This allows people to sign up for all 12, just one, or pick and choose any number of months. The sign up deadline will be the last day of the previous month and the send by date will be the 5th of the following month. The entire year of swaps will be posted at once (more or less) – this way you can work on future months when you want to (there is no reason to have to wait until partners are assigned each month to begin your writing).

Each month’s swap description will list a variety of journal prompts. You will choose 10 of those prompts to use.

You may do your journaling on lined notebook paper, stationery, plain paper, the back of placements, graph paper, etc. The only requirement is that the paper you are using is clean! You do not have to decorate with stickers or doodles, but you most certainly can do so if you want!

Your journaling can be handwritten (printed, cursive or a combination), or it can be typed. The only requirement is that it be legible! You may use colored pens/ink – when you rate, you may not rate down if your partner wrote/printed in a color you do not like.

If you want to keep your journaling it is permissible to make photocopies of what you have written and send your partner the photocopies. Photocopies must be legible and not that kind of old toner that brushes off when touched.

Each prompt should be at least a full 8” x 10” (approx.) page (or two 5” x 8” pages) – or something comparable. Please put time and effort into your writing – send something you would be happy receiving. Be sure to indicate on the first page the swap name and the month. Also, indicate the prompt as you begin each one (so the reader knows what you are addressing with your writing).

This is an international swap since we aren’t sending a whole journal/book each time. I realize one month you might be mailing just 10 sheets of paper (or just 5 sheets if you write on both sides) while other months you might be mailing more – keep this in mind before you sign up.

You must have a minimum rating of 4.99 to join. If you are new enough to not have any ratings you are welcome to join if you have a well filled out profile (I will be the judge) AND you are a member of the Newbie Helpers group. I reserve the right to ban anyone for any reason – I am so tired of flakers!

Edited to add: I will angel if there are any flakers. But, please - do not flake (I guess that goes without saying)! I will be outing any and all flakers in every way I can think of.

Please list any questions you have below so that everyone can see the answers - thanks!!

Journal prompts for January, 2014 (choose and write on 10 of these):

  • My saddest memory is....
  • Some of the things that make me happy are...
  • If I could have dinner with anyone currently alive, who would it be?
  • If I could meet any fictional character, who would it be?
  • Write a letter to someone you need to forgive
  • Write about your first crush
  • Write about your first job
  • What grand adventure do you wish you could go on?
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
  • What are some of your idiosyncrasies?
  • What would your perfect day be like?
  • Describe your best childhood friend and your relationship
  • Describe a failure that turned out to be a blessing
  • Describe your dream home
  • What do you believe is your life purpose?
  • What does forgiveness mean to you?
  • What type of person makes you feel inferior?
  • If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
  • Describe what feeling safe means to you
  • What role do you play in your family?
  • Something in your past that needs letting go of
  • Describe your sense of humor
  • Is your destiny formed by choice or chance?
  • Describe a time when you made someone's day
  • If I became a millionaire overnight, I would...
  • I am blessed to have...
  • Describe what you think it is like to live with you
  • What would you do if you found a magic wand?
  • What do you think the world needs now?
  • What do you think courage means?

Discussion

Tinaphage 12/14/2013 #

WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!! :D

LauraAust 12/14/2013 #

Thank you @Tinaphage :)

Phimu4ever 12/14/2013 #

I really like the prompts :)
Soon as I clear out a few swaps off my list I shall sign up for this. :) xox

kats 12/15/2013 #

Should this be a type 3 swap perhaps? It sounds time intensive!

PurpleButterfly 12/15/2013 #

If you every do a USA only let me know, got to watch how many international swaps I do cause of postage being so high.

chelle523 12/15/2013 #

Oh these prompts are awesome! And I love the idea of sending just the pages - saves a ton on postage! :)

LauraAust 12/15/2013 #

@kats - I put this out on the Public Forum and so far only one member has weighed in. Her opinion matches mine - that really each month is just a fairly long letter (not a whole journal). So, unless some other people weigh in with some strong reasons to change it I'm going to leave it a Type 2. Thanks!

@Purplebutterfly - I don't intend on making a USA only version. If you want to, feel free, but I do ask that you use your own list of prompts each month. Thank you!

Littletiscrafty 12/16/2013 #

I don't know I kind of am leaning towards the type 3. My reasons are this. 1: Each prompt should be at least a full 8” x 10” (approx.) page (or two 5” x 8” pages) 2: I tend to incorporate pictures, drawings stickers, etc to my pages 3: its going to take some time - making it labor sensitive 4: if it was only picking 5 prompts maybe I would go with type 2 5: its going to cost more than a stamp to send off 10 pages. I'm okay either way.

VivaLaDiane 12/16/2013 #

^ I get that, but not everyone will go out of their way and make it as labor intensive. I think the possibility of someone doing 5 pages (front & back) would be a Type 2. What many of us do will make it a Type 3 but it's not what's required.

kats 12/16/2013 #

Even if you slapped something together as quick as possible, it's still a time consuming project, and it still wouldn't cost what a type 2 swap costs to ship. Any journal swaps I have joined have been type 3. So I guess I'll pass on this one. I'd want to ensure I was getting the same quality work I create from my partner.

junemoon 12/20/2013 #

Laura, you have put a great amount of time into thinking of this and listing the prompts. It's a wonderful idea. One possibility you did not cover which is what I will do, is write this on the computer in it's own document for the year. I will print out the month's pages and send to my partner, but when I'm done at the end of the year I will have my own document that covers a lot of topics I probably wouldn't write about without your prompts. I should have a rather amazing document ( and a long one!) -- I can even imagine embellishing parts of it for my own use with appropriate photos, old and new. (these I would probably not send to my partner)

LauraAust 12/20/2013 #

That's a super idea @junemoon

emmalouiise91 12/27/2013 #

I understand what everyone is saying when it comes to the swap type as well as the effort that would be put in I would hate to put a lot of effort in using some of my favourite papers and stickers etc to just be getting lined paper in return. @LauraAust you've put so much effort into this and it's a brilliant idea I've been wanting to start a scrapbook for ages and never had any idea on how to start it so thank you for that ! I'm going to have a long think about this one.

TereDiane1954 12/27/2013 #

I plan to do what @junemoon suggested above. That way, I get to fullfill the swap, and still have a really nice journal for myself. I cannot imagine how much time and effort @LauraAust put into just the preparation for this series of swaps! Amazing....

LauraAust 12/27/2013 #

It is certainly up to each swapper as to whether he/she wants to join this swap as a "Type 2" swap. For me this swap is about the writing (and the reading). If someone wants to decorate their pages they may certainly do so - but it's not a requirement for this particular swap.

I can tell you that I have done one prompt for January so far. I have written it on lined notebook paper (in PINK ink). So far it is two pages long - don't know if I will add any more to it or not. As of right now I have not added any stickers or embellishments to it, but I just might - depending on my mood throughout the month of January and also my time. But, I want to be sure to put time an effort into what I am writing first - then the decorations may or may not come later. :)

Zoebolt 12/28/2013 #

I really love this swap idea Laura! I have already signed up for the full years worth

LauraAust 12/28/2013 #

Thanks @Zoebolt

Apelser 12/31/2013 #

Wonderful idea. The rest is marked on my Watchlist so that I don't miss out on them.

Zoebolt 01/ 2/2014 #

so, if we handwrite it and it has to be a full page, then if we type it, it would have to be about a half a page, right? I just want to make sure before I start. I really like the idea of typing it and then having a big document at the end of the year.

Zoebolt 01/ 5/2014 #

This is ALOT harder than I thought it would be.

Astridsdream 01/ 6/2014 #

I LOVE this swap!!! Thank you so much for the challenge!!

calliedeaner 01/ 8/2014 #

Wow. This is so much harder than I thought. 10 prompts is a lot.

TereDiane1954 01/11/2014 #

Well, like the saying goes, you can eat a whole elephant if you do it just one bite at a time. There is a lot of time to work on each month's pages. And we can work on all the months whenever we want, we don't have to wait until that month to start. I've been doing mine over a period of days on my word processor. I keep the documents in folders labelled by month, and write a little whenever I have time or inspiration.

Apelser 01/12/2014 #

I am doing my journaling in a book and each page I decorate. At the end of each month, I will copy the questions for my partner.

LauraAust 01/13/2014 #

@zoebolt - yeah, I suppose you are correct. If typing your journal the length of each prompt should be a minimum of half an 8 1/2" by 11" sheet of paper. For January I am handwriting mine on standard college ruled notebook paper - I have well over a page for each of the prompts I have done so far - feel free to write/type more than the minimum requirement!

@calliedeaner - and to think that I was toying with making it 20 prompts a month! I'm glad didn't do that! I think I have three left for January's swap.

@Apelser - great!

@TereDiane - I do the same thing (more of less)... I have a notebook and I have a list of all of the months' prompts in there. I have been working on January's prompts when I'm in the mood. I have also been going back and adding to some that I thought were finished. :) Starting next month I plan to type my stuff so it will be easier (I think) to go back and forth between prompts - work on a new one before I am done with the previous one.

Everyone - I'm sorry, I didn't realize people would leave comments here once partners were assigned! I will do a better job of checking here more often to address comments! Thanks for joining!!

LauraAust 01/13/2014 #

@Astridsdream - glad you are enjoying it!

d2photo 01/27/2014 #

Just sent mine off today. Kept mine in a molekine/Field Notes memo book and sent it off. 37 pages later :) Was easier to have around and pickup when I had the time.

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