I used to be a little la-de-dah with my students about keeping journals. I’d tell them it was a really good idea, an easy way to write something every day, a way of collecting observations and memories, keeping track of their own emotions etc. And yes, all of the above and more, but I’ve now turned into a real hard ass about them keeping journals (notebooks,diaries, whatever they want to call it). I tell them to write in it every single day no matter what. It can be just a few lines about how they have nothing interesting to write about, or a description of the weather, or what their kids said at breakfast, or what’s pissing them off on the news today. If they want to be writers they have to have a place to practice, to keep track of their lives, to make a habit of writing every day. I tell them that keeping a daily journal is nonnegotiable while they’re in my class. They all nod at me, yes, yes. I also tell them to keep their journals private, never, ever show anyone what you’ve written in it. So God knows what they’re up to.