Character/Historical Figure Journal

I got this idea from reading the forums as well as some of our new members love to journal! So all you journal people, I hope you like this swap!

I'm currently watchlisting this swap. Only cause I need to figure out what I will have enough time for and what not. :) But it's a brilliant idea!!!

wow ! what a great idea ! I'm putting it on my watchlist while I plan for it ...very exciting :)

I'm watchlisting it, too, so I have time to brainstorm, like you said. What a fun swap--great idea!

Thank you all so much for your kind words, I truly hope this will be a great swap for all who join! Thanks for watching this one! I am excited!

Oh, one more thing, no spiral notebooks, I am not going for absolute accuracy, but something tells me that a spiral notebook and like wouldn't convey a very authentic feel, you know? Anyway thanks again guys!

True. The closest to "spiral bound" would have to be a journal with the perforations punched in them and then a piece of leather threaded through in a spiral fashion. I love creative writing and have been wanting to get back into it, so I think I'll go ahead and sign up. You say the journal has to be half full...how many total pages should it have??? Hopefully not too many. I want to participate but if I'm going to have to "write a book," I'd rather send it to an agent or publisher instead of a swap group. LOL :-)

I would say one of the standard size journals you would find at Borders, B&N, Target, etc. I think they have like 50 pages in them maybe so like maybe 25 pages, but like I said they can be filled with art, items, entries, facts, etc., so it shouldn't be too difficult. Of course you can do more if you wish or have the time. You can start on them now if you like to give you more time. Anymore questions or if you need me to clarify let me know! Thanks!

Great! Thanks for letting me know!

Hey just wanted offer a suggestion for "getting in the mood" for this swap. Watch an Arthurian themed move like Excalibur or Mists of Avalon. I intend to watch Mists this week. :-)

What a wonderful suggestion! Thank you!

Ok...I'm signing up- AND I'm calling dibs on "The diary of Anne Boleyn"...EEEK! this one scares me...although my best friend is an ancestor of the same...is that ok?

Technically Anne lived from 1501-1536, but it's close enough I am not going to be a total rules lawyer especially if it is someone you are passionate about. I know I would love to be your partner for that one! For everyone else I can streatch it to about 1550 CE and will change the swap above to reflect that, as there are many interesting characters in the very early renaissance period as well. Thanks!

I watch listed this also. I really want to join this one, but I am trying to back off a little on swapping. If I can make a good start by the sign up date, I will join in. Such a great idea!

Thank you! I appreciate the compliment!

I have one stupid question. How big (dimensions) the journal should be? I just bought one really lovely and quite authentic journal, but I fear it's a bit too small :(. It's 8x10cm with over 100 pages. Can I use it or do I have to make bigger one? I'll promise to fill at least 3/4 of the journal if it's ok :)

I will choose either Joanne, Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon (1188 - 1237) or Empress Maude aka Matilda of England (1102 - 1167). I forsee nights spent by candlelight with quill in hand...brilliant and fatal idea this.

Thank you all for your support and lovely comments! To slivermoonsnake, yes the size of the journal doesn't really matter, as a lady would probably carry a smaller one she could keep in the folds of her dress, but you are correct in filling it more. If the journal is smaller, then it should be filled out more than a larger one, please use your best judgement on this. If anyone needs more sepcifics on this then please ask.

AynE, your journal sounds lovely! I am thinking of buying fountain one and an ink well, or possibly a quill if I can find one just for this swap, I love getting into character, and thank you for compliment as well, we are happy to have all of you in this one!

I've been debating joining this one...I just can't seem to pin down an idea for a character. I'm assuming the historical facts are at liberty with certain characters, as in those with no actual recorded facts, just legends, i.e. Merlin and the like.

You are correct in your assumption. Think of it as a journal based on that person or character you choose. If it is an actual person, you have the opportunity to have a few pages dedicated for historical facts and like, as for the journal part of it, it can be very loosely based, you are getting into that characters mind state and journaling as such. I'm going more for the language and the feeling of the journal rather the the historical accuracy if that makes sense. Although if people want to be accurate as well that's more than fine too. It can sporadically cover a year in their life or it can be a journal of obsessive writing that covers the span of only a fortnight. I am giving creative liberties to the crafter.

Any more questions please let me know! Redwing, I would be thrilled to have you in this swap! Thanks!

And yes, if it is a fictional character you are pretty much at liberty to get creative, as long as we can still recognise who they are, I mean I don't want Merlin to become a young, sensitive-poet goat herder or anything...well, you know what I mean...lol.

Alright, I'm in.

Oh darn, I think Merlin as a sensitive poet goat herder could be quite interesting. The goatherding might explain the isolation and brooding nature of his character...

Actually for those of us who love different twists on the Authurian legends there is an author out there, Stephen Lawhead who did 5 books on this subject, www.stephenlawhead.com. He started with Taliesin and went through to Arthur coming back in modern times. They are very good books with an Atlantian connection and also a very good Druidic to Christian shift that was going on during this time period. No, he is not anti Druidic nor is he anti Christian, he walks a very intriguing line. I just thought I would mention that so no one would be surprised if they started to read the books. He has also done a Robin Hood series that is set in Wales instead of Sherwood that is also a great read.

Does it count if they were born before 1550 or do they have to have died before 1550?

Yay! Redwing, so nice to have you in this one!

And thanks for the book recommendations AynE, I will have to put them on my list for sure!

Morte, I am not going to be too picky about it, I would say be born before or during the year 1550 for the cut off, that should give a few more options to people, from 1500 on your getting into the Renaissance and not so much the Middle Ages, but it's close enough.

I better decide soon what kind of journal I am going to write,haha. I have so many options,some real persons, some not. I think I am going to be 'odd' one and pick early medieval character :)

I think that sounds really interesting!

OK, as you may have noticed the send date has changed. I have never done this before and I hate doing it now, but (I won't get into this too much) due to some mix up with our tax return, etc., and money being a bit tight at the moment, I have yet to buy my journal. I should be able to in the next 2 weeks which is why I moved the send by date by 2 weeks, I normally would have bought and started by now and planned to have already been working on it, but hey that didn't work out. The many swaps I am in are very light swaps and mostly for paper crafts of which I have a vast supply at the moment. I felt the need to explain why I changed the swap to all of you and hope you understand. I apologise if this caused any problems for anyone. Thank you!