Journaling - Past or Present tense?

Hi. I'm new.
I have a question I was hoping I could get a few people's opinions about.

I'm wondering when I'm looking through my scrapbooks 10 years down the line, would it be better for my journaling to be written in the past or present tense?

An example from the page I'm working on now, I could either write the journaling as:

Even though your toys are fun, they still sometimes put you to sleep.

OR

Even those your toys were fun, they would still sometimes put you to sleep.

Writing it all out like this makes it seem like I'm being very particular, But I'd still like to get other thoughts. =)

I normally feel that past tense is more poignant....particularly with "deeper" subjects.

The only time I use present tense is for my book of me when I am using it more as a pictoral journal of my current feelings on a subject.

Past tense for me pretty much all the time.

Hmmm, never really thought of it. I do past-tense...I just thought I did it b/c my photos never get scrapped right away!

I agree. Past tense is much more fitting. Getting it confirmed from a few people makes it alot easier to write it in permanent ink too.
Thanks for the quick responses.

I was able to finish and uploaded the page that I used this journaling.=)

ok, I'llbew the odd ball. If the photos are current then I write in present tense. if the photos are more then 6mo old I write in past tense.

• Traci L.S. Said:

What she said....

I usually always use past tense. IMO, it's more fitting.

I do what Traci does... If the photo is over 6 months old, i tend to journal in past tense... if it's current, i'll journal in present tense.

If the layout is more of an emotional one, as opposed to being about a specific event, i prefer journaling in the present tense.

For example, when i journal about how i feel about dd, how she's growing in a wonderful young woman, or just about her personality in general, i journal in the present tense, no matter how old the photo is... I do this because this is how i feel right now, and i'm sure that 10, 20, even 50 years from now, i will still feel the same.

I wouldn't write something like "you WERE so beautiful"... no, "you ARE so beautiful"... or "I wish for you eternal happiness", and not "I wished for you..." etc etc...

Does that make sense?

• missbabie Said:

My album has past and present tense journaling for the same exact reason. Past comes natural when journaling about a 20-year-old photo. But I want to be sure that it still reads in a positive way when my sons look through their albums in another 20 years.

At first, I was bothered by my lack of consistency. But then I reminded myself that I'm not writing a novel. Journaling only needs to fit the page, not the entire album.

I don't do a whole lot of journaling but what I do I kinda mix it up... a little of both. Probably mostly past tense though.

For some reason, I usually write in the past tense. I always imagine my family reading it after I am gone. Seems like it has more meaning.

Great post and responses... thanks!

I have always felt guilty because all my journaling needed to be past tense - as if I wasn't on top of things and didn't get the page done until the event was long gone... but, the 6mo rule seems totally appropriate. I also like because I rarely find myself scrapping anything current and this gives me a great excuse not to have to worry about it.

I will say that I have been trying to jot down comments, thoughts, feelings or more detail of the event so I'm not left just writing down names, dates and locations by the time I get around to scrapping a set of pics.

Thanks again.

I use both tenses,the pic decides which one I choose.

I use both as well but generally past tense because I'm writing about an event that has already taken place.

Present tense all the way! Live in the moment

I use both, but I have wondered the same thing!

I never thought about it before, but I always use past tense. I guess because the event that I'm scrapping has always taken place in the past! Otherwise, how would I have a picture of it?! But I almost always scrap events, so that might explain it! Hmmm, I may have to go out of my box and try journaling in the present tense - just to see how it works for me!

-Mary

• GrammaScrapper Said:

So glad I'm not the only person thinking that way!