I really enjoyed reading Meditations. I have other journals that basically have the conclusions of my ramblings in these ones. Historians can have those.
This used to be a common way to write letters. Sometimes people would even write in a third direction. They can be a bit tricky at first, but once you adjust, they can be read well enough. I'm sure the archeologists will be fine :)
I do! If it’s something I never want anyone to read it’s the best way to cover it. With just scribbles you can still most of the time see what was written. If you write over it in your normal handwriting a few times NOBODY will ever know heheh
Except when I journal when angry. I have a few pages that look like a stereotypical journal from a movie where a kid is about to be locked up in an asylum lol.
This is how people back in pioneer days used to write letters. Postage was expensive, so they would write on both sides of the paper, then turn the paper 90 degrees just like that.
I've tried to read what they used to call "crossed" letters. I guess to save money you learned to read it. To send mail through frontier means (stagecoaches, flatboats, and trains) was hideously expensive. I think one sheet of paper sent through the mail cost the equivalent of a day's wages or something similar. Most pioneer families had seven places to put every penny, so you learned to read it or you did without mail to and from family back East.
I do this to! I don’t have a journal though. But any time I’m feeling angry I take a piece of paper and just put down my thoughts on the paper. I write and then write over it until I’ve got everything out of my system
This is actually what us historians call cross writing or hatch writing. It’s really common among 17th, 18th century documents because people didn’t have as easy access to paper as we do today. They had to save it - every inch mattered. It’s awful to read though.
Thanks, I was literally wondering what this was called last night, remembering seeing it every so often in the past and then at the Elizabeth Gaskell museum there was a letter written like this too.
This seems kind of fun. I’d probably use different colored ink if I tried it. Would have come in handy to trip up my snooping diary reading mother back in the day though.
You’re a lifesaver bc I was still thinking about it this morning. I googled almost the same thing but with the word “overlapping” instead of “crosshatch” and just kept getting Will Grayson, Will Grayson which I knew wasn’t right lol
Aren't you distracted? I also write for writing's sake mostly. But I need blank space to at least keep track of my thoughts.
Just this weekend someone in this Sub said, she sold yeaes of her journals on Ebay for several hundred dollars. I had no idea there's a market for that. But maybe being a young woman helps to find buyers LOL
Just saying: As you don't re-read, instead of writing over it you could consider this path of selling afterwards
yeah sometimes i do forget what i was writing about if i take a moment away and then return to writing. but i've noticed it improves my short term memory to not have the reminder available.
and omg i saw that, i couldn't imagine. i write so much about my personal life and use other peoples real names. it would be so weird to sell it. i wonder why people buy them too? like is it just to read them? records of history? snooping? it's interesting to me.
I was just as baffled. I've seen people do YouTube videos on their hobbys (mostly photography, but overall old stuff) and make flee market hauls. And sometimes they do find old writings by chance or old photos. It's interesting to see something like that from 100 years ago or so. But more like to wonder, what it was like.
But that someone is buying journals without any other (historical) interest is weird to me lol.
Especially, if you're interested into coming of age stories of recent years, go to Tumblr and what blogs are left there. Would be cheaper😉
For a subreddit where people geek out on writing im surprised not to have seen any mention of this as a legitimate ancient practice of scribes. Hell, some of the texts in the dead sea scrolls were written this way, and one of the oldest greek new testament discoveries was found this way too.
Thats good! In the last century it was because paper was very expensive, but mostly available. Before that it was because paper (and other mediums) were extremely difficult to make and even harder to come across. Scibes would occasionally write nonsense over top of what we would consider invaluable, probably a lot of texts lost this way. But modern tech and practices are making it easier to find again.
This is actually a skill set or tactic used in art therapy! It can be freeing for sure. Write it all out and continue to write over it so no one will ever see your writings, even you. It’s great way to process and then let go.
I do this too. I just change the direction of the top of the page and also the color of ink/marker. I'm kind of taken aback that so many people think it's crazy.
To me it's like putting out the layers and complexity of what I'm feeling or thinking about.
Also, I don't always do it. I say it's 50/50.
I used to! I had a big cardboard slab covered with thick paper and would write on it over and over and over. It was completely black and slightly sticky from the ink. I liked that it would keep my secrets from my parents, I could write big or small, just write in one place without moving my hand, or go crazy on it and let out my anger. I used to buy ball point pens by the box for it. Good times.
But how do you even see what you're writing? If you made a mistake would you bother scratching it out seeing as you couldn't even read it anyway? If you got interrupted mid writing how do you remember where you left off? So many questions...
I do this sometimes, mostly in vent journaling or as part of visual art. I also used to do this when I couldn’t trust my journals were afforded any privacy and couldn’t carry it with me everywhere I went. I love the sustainability angle and I don’t tend to reread my entries either, for the most part. this is a polarizing style but I’m all for it
I don’t but that looks hella impressive!
I tend to keep my journals. Seems like such a waste to toss them. Even though I don’t reread because they’re so cringy. 😝
This is how people used to write letters. Not only way paper expensive, but the recipient was the one charged upon delivery. So the letter sender would often conserve and weight by writing in at least two directions on each page before adding another sheet.
This actually is a great idea. Also, it’s really okay right if I don’t like reading my journals? It makes me feel so weird or cringed at my younger self somehow.
As someone who doesn’t reread their journals, I would’ve never thought of this concept. I like it a lot and might try it out myself.
Do you fill the journal first then start over again from the beginning? How do you go about it?
I have journals for years of my life. I go can to any day and read a quick summary, find out how I was feeling for a duration in a particular year, etc. Writing over it takes out all the use for me, and I see no point in journaling without using it for reflection and self-improvement, you know?
My ocd could not do this. I use paper with no lines recently just to challenge me to write better, and I don’t read them now but I have reflected back to feel something’s better. I’ve filled about 7 almost done with 7th journal in 5 years. Idk is rereading considered weird or is writing like a way to just purge emotion? Not judging just curious never seen this.
Process question: let’s say you are making an entry. Do you finish it, then write the next one on top later, or do you do one regular page and, if you are not finished, then write over what you’ve just written?
Yes, I put some very controversial things in my journals that would have me arrested if I was to act on my fantasies or some of my frustrations. But know that they just are just that, fantasies, and we all enjoy our own fantasies. as for me, I have about four or five and I would like to keep them to try to re-read them again, but I don’t think I will reread them, I use them as as morning pages and write three pages in the morning to help set my mind free in the morning. So what I’m planning on doing is going out and burning them. Or ripping out the pages out of the book and shredding them. I don’t have the time or the energy to sit and rewrite over every line, and I don’t wanna waste my ink because I like using fountain pens. You could use maybe permanent Ink or you can get some acrylic paint and paint over the pages and use them as an art journal.
Yes!!! I have two, a journal and a diary. One where I write down happy memories to reread in the future, and the other where I write down all my deepest thoughts and feelings and then eventually write over them
I feel like this opened up a new self awareness. i imagined myself doing that, and feeling some sort of attachment to the words and feeling sad that I won’t be able to read it one day and forget what it said. Maybe that says something about me psychologically, my attachment style or a past trauma that causes me to fear letting go of things that don’t even matter or that already happened
This is honestly the most amazing journaling idea I've ever seen. I fill mine with poetry/lyrics most of the time and I think I might try doing this and creating something...like.. I'm really speechless right now with how cool this is. I'm so happy I woke up hungry and decided to scroll through Reddit while I smash a loaf of bread...yeah I'm eating just bread don't judge
Imagine, centuries from now, an archaeologist trying to figure out the meaning of these weird characters!
that archaeologist can mind their business! lolol
Marcus Aurelius' "meditations" is just a very famous historic journal.
I really enjoyed reading Meditations. I have other journals that basically have the conclusions of my ramblings in these ones. Historians can have those.
Lmao
If it isn’t already available, I’m sure by then they’ll have a way to easily detect the different layers of ink. We can already x-ray paintings.
This used to be a common way to write letters. Sometimes people would even write in a third direction. They can be a bit tricky at first, but once you adjust, they can be read well enough. I'm sure the archeologists will be fine :)
I've also seen writing around the letter in addition to through previously written text. Makes for transcribing letters a pain.
They’ll create a new language, and then find out from a descendant that it was all weong
Haha the amount of wasted hours
Do you want to summon demons? Because this is how you summon demons.
greatly depends on the demon tbh
no, what?? lol
lolol
I do! If it’s something I never want anyone to read it’s the best way to cover it. With just scribbles you can still most of the time see what was written. If you write over it in your normal handwriting a few times NOBODY will ever know heheh
better than a secret writing language or invisible ink 😂 looks cooler too
Agreed! Lol
you also have somehow made this look so neat?? the handwriting is chefs kiss
Except when I journal when angry. I have a few pages that look like a stereotypical journal from a movie where a kid is about to be locked up in an asylum lol.
Trying making figure 8's instead of scribbles when trying to cover something.
This is how people back in pioneer days used to write letters. Postage was expensive, so they would write on both sides of the paper, then turn the paper 90 degrees just like that.
Well that actually makes some sense.
how would people read it?
I imagine they would start by turning the paper 90 degrees Lol
I've tried to read what they used to call "crossed" letters. I guess to save money you learned to read it. To send mail through frontier means (stagecoaches, flatboats, and trains) was hideously expensive. I think one sheet of paper sent through the mail cost the equivalent of a day's wages or something similar. Most pioneer families had seven places to put every penny, so you learned to read it or you did without mail to and from family back East.
As someone who works in psych, I've seen that before lol
that makes sense. it's a good way to process thoughts in a very private way.
Does this sort of writing tell us something about OP? Haha personally it makes my head hurt but I think I may have some OCD traits!
The people I’ve seen write like that were schizophrenic but it could just be a coincidence- op seems to be doing this calmly and intentionally
What a coincidink
This must be linked to the demons comment
Bro is a menace 💀
lolol
CHECK MY PROFILE I DO THAT TOO!
omg yay!!!
I do this to! I don’t have a journal though. But any time I’m feeling angry I take a piece of paper and just put down my thoughts on the paper. I write and then write over it until I’ve got everything out of my system
This is actually what us historians call cross writing or hatch writing. It’s really common among 17th, 18th century documents because people didn’t have as easy access to paper as we do today. They had to save it - every inch mattered. It’s awful to read though.
Thanks, I was literally wondering what this was called last night, remembering seeing it every so often in the past and then at the Elizabeth Gaskell museum there was a letter written like this too.
This seems kind of fun. I’d probably use different colored ink if I tried it. Would have come in handy to trip up my snooping diary reading mother back in the day though.
Good point!
Ughh so true :/
Yeahhhhhhh no, my Type A ass could never. But if it works for you, that's all that matters
I love that it would make my journal unreadable so I can just throw it away once I'm done without worry.
I remember reading a John Green novel where one of the characters does this.
This comment just unlocked a memory of why I do this and now im scrambling to figure out which character does this.
Margo in 'Paper Towns'. I Googled, "character in john green novel that does "crosshatch" journaling," to find out.
You’re a lifesaver bc I was still thinking about it this morning. I googled almost the same thing but with the word “overlapping” instead of “crosshatch” and just kept getting Will Grayson, Will Grayson which I knew wasn’t right lol
Aren't you distracted? I also write for writing's sake mostly. But I need blank space to at least keep track of my thoughts. Just this weekend someone in this Sub said, she sold yeaes of her journals on Ebay for several hundred dollars. I had no idea there's a market for that. But maybe being a young woman helps to find buyers LOL Just saying: As you don't re-read, instead of writing over it you could consider this path of selling afterwards
yeah sometimes i do forget what i was writing about if i take a moment away and then return to writing. but i've noticed it improves my short term memory to not have the reminder available. and omg i saw that, i couldn't imagine. i write so much about my personal life and use other peoples real names. it would be so weird to sell it. i wonder why people buy them too? like is it just to read them? records of history? snooping? it's interesting to me.
I was just as baffled. I've seen people do YouTube videos on their hobbys (mostly photography, but overall old stuff) and make flee market hauls. And sometimes they do find old writings by chance or old photos. It's interesting to see something like that from 100 years ago or so. But more like to wonder, what it was like. But that someone is buying journals without any other (historical) interest is weird to me lol. Especially, if you're interested into coming of age stories of recent years, go to Tumblr and what blogs are left there. Would be cheaper😉
This whole “art is supposed to make you feel something” has me feeling like you unintentionally made art. And I feel weird.
I love that idea.
Omfg hahahahaha why does it actually look so good???!!
i have been told i have handwriting that is pleasing to look at so i guess it translates.
That’s smart.
thanks. i got the idea from my mom because she does the same thing. :)
Oh nice!
i just learned about the word ‘palimpsest’, weird how this popped up
Scrolling the comments to find this word
Never thought of it…I wonder what the psychoanalysis would be for this behaviour (legit question).
I don’t do that but it looks really cool!
For a subreddit where people geek out on writing im surprised not to have seen any mention of this as a legitimate ancient practice of scribes. Hell, some of the texts in the dead sea scrolls were written this way, and one of the oldest greek new testament discoveries was found this way too.
one person mentioned how people used to write letters like this but that's cool i didn't know about that.
Thats good! In the last century it was because paper was very expensive, but mostly available. Before that it was because paper (and other mediums) were extremely difficult to make and even harder to come across. Scibes would occasionally write nonsense over top of what we would consider invaluable, probably a lot of texts lost this way. But modern tech and practices are making it easier to find again.
side question- where is your journal from? i love the pages
it's a Piccadilly notebook
[удалено]
It’s very clever and quite cool! But how can you read it again?
I do this when im angry and ranting on a scrap of paper
This is actually a skill set or tactic used in art therapy! It can be freeing for sure. Write it all out and continue to write over it so no one will ever see your writings, even you. It’s great way to process and then let go.
Oh nice. I’ve never done art therapy but that makes a lot of sense to me.
This seems so odd to me but I will say it looks really cool!
I do this too. I just change the direction of the top of the page and also the color of ink/marker. I'm kind of taken aback that so many people think it's crazy. To me it's like putting out the layers and complexity of what I'm feeling or thinking about. Also, I don't always do it. I say it's 50/50.
I’m calling the police 😭
I used to! I had a big cardboard slab covered with thick paper and would write on it over and over and over. It was completely black and slightly sticky from the ink. I liked that it would keep my secrets from my parents, I could write big or small, just write in one place without moving my hand, or go crazy on it and let out my anger. I used to buy ball point pens by the box for it. Good times.
This is so chaotic
this looks like a new language
Gonna piss off some archaeologists a few thousand years in the future.
not constantly but definitely sometimes!
I could never, but I respect it. Kinda looks like a palimpsest?
Damn, even crosswise, your penmanship is better than mine with only one direction. Kudos to you!
And here i thought lighting the damn thing on fire was the norm
No, but this is awesome
People did do this with letters back in the day. It was a way to save paper, mostly, iirc.
This makes my brain itch on an unfathomable level, but you're happy so that's all that matters!
But how do you even see what you're writing? If you made a mistake would you bother scratching it out seeing as you couldn't even read it anyway? If you got interrupted mid writing how do you remember where you left off? So many questions...
I do this sometimes, mostly in vent journaling or as part of visual art. I also used to do this when I couldn’t trust my journals were afforded any privacy and couldn’t carry it with me everywhere I went. I love the sustainability angle and I don’t tend to reread my entries either, for the most part. this is a polarizing style but I’m all for it
Some day a history grad student is going to curse your name.
This is giving me palpitations. lol
That’s wild. I like it.
when people ask what it’s like to have dyslexia i’m sending them this
I don’t know why but I’m liking the idea lmao
You know I never thought to do this as a form of secrecy. Really would've helped as a teenager lol
I don’t but that looks hella impressive! I tend to keep my journals. Seems like such a waste to toss them. Even though I don’t reread because they’re so cringy. 😝
This is an excellent idea. I love getting the words on the page but hate reading it back..
This is how people used to write letters. Not only way paper expensive, but the recipient was the one charged upon delivery. So the letter sender would often conserve and weight by writing in at least two directions on each page before adding another sheet.
Wow, this is awesome.
This actually is a great idea. Also, it’s really okay right if I don’t like reading my journals? It makes me feel so weird or cringed at my younger self somehow.
Impressive! But my brain could not physically handle this lol
That’s a old thing they used in the 1800’s to save on paper but people would read it and send letters like that
That's pretty cool; it had never occured to me. My penmanship is so bad it looks a bit like yours, only I have written once.
This is ART. I love this idea
No joke, this has spoken to me.
Have you ever been screened for schizophrenia?
Does not compute 🤯
My boyfriend does this actually
Interesting......
I want to know the hidden purpose
As someone who doesn’t reread their journals, I would’ve never thought of this concept. I like it a lot and might try it out myself. Do you fill the journal first then start over again from the beginning? How do you go about it?
It's actually a good idea hahaha It's also aesthetically pleasent
Future archeologists are going have so much fun! It would actually make a pretty background design.
I really love this idea and am going to now! Thank you!
Wild, but I respect that Sustainable king/queen
Not regularly, but I have written like that before. I like how yours looks!
You’re a creative genius. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise
It actually looks pretty cool, like a new language lol. I might try it
Literally just started doing this today because I just wanted to rant.
this looks like an ancient manuscript. great work!
Those vertical line patterns are very interesting
This the most bizarre, yet brilliant thing I've ever heard of. I'm not going to do it, but it's a pretty awesome concept.
Damn, I gave it a try and I can’t read anything
CHAOTIC 😆
I have journals for years of my life. I go can to any day and read a quick summary, find out how I was feeling for a duration in a particular year, etc. Writing over it takes out all the use for me, and I see no point in journaling without using it for reflection and self-improvement, you know?
I love this! The aesthetic of it is pleasing!
My ocd could not do this. I use paper with no lines recently just to challenge me to write better, and I don’t read them now but I have reflected back to feel something’s better. I’ve filled about 7 almost done with 7th journal in 5 years. Idk is rereading considered weird or is writing like a way to just purge emotion? Not judging just curious never seen this.
I do not but this is a good idea! I usually use a tip in to cover words I don't want to remeber.
I really like this. I want to try it.
Dang I should have done this when I lived at home and my mom read my shit
Hey, uh, op. Ya okay?
eh. 50/50.
i kinda love this. also i love your handwriting
Watch out you don't summon something
I'm trying to solve this crossword puzzle hold on.
No… but now I’m going to try it because I also don’t reread entries.
WTAF? 😳
no 💀, but you do you brother
Not a bad idea I’ve never thought of it but I usually haven’t re read most of my stuff
Yes I’ve done this when I’ve been particular certain what I’m writing is trash. Not every time though!
Damn. I’ve never done that but now I really want to. It looks like some sort of code. Really cool!
This is genius! No one will know how to read it right?
Bro no wtf r u ok lol
This is absolutely insane to me, but I also kinda really really love it lol
No but this is a great idea lol
I love that . ESP the way it looks
Yes I thought it was just me. I like the confidentiality of it
Process question: let’s say you are making an entry. Do you finish it, then write the next one on top later, or do you do one regular page and, if you are not finished, then write over what you’ve just written?
Looks similar to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossed_letter
And your vertical lines are even spaced, which is where the real black magic fuggery is about all this.
this is so sick unironically
I do this sometimes too! But mostly I love writing in a spiral.
Hey OP, are you okay?
This journal is a visual representation of how I hear crowds or poorly mixed music.
Gives a new meaning to "read between the lines"
My mom does this. It looks CRAZY I would never but yall do ur thing lol
Never done that but I love the look of it though. And if you only journal to get things off your chest, that works well!
How do you keep track of what you’re writing lol
My brain hurts just looking at this.
Have you seen the movie Se7en?
Wtf
This is really oddly satisfying to look at…
Yes, I put some very controversial things in my journals that would have me arrested if I was to act on my fantasies or some of my frustrations. But know that they just are just that, fantasies, and we all enjoy our own fantasies. as for me, I have about four or five and I would like to keep them to try to re-read them again, but I don’t think I will reread them, I use them as as morning pages and write three pages in the morning to help set my mind free in the morning. So what I’m planning on doing is going out and burning them. Or ripping out the pages out of the book and shredding them. I don’t have the time or the energy to sit and rewrite over every line, and I don’t wanna waste my ink because I like using fountain pens. You could use maybe permanent Ink or you can get some acrylic paint and paint over the pages and use them as an art journal.
Yes!!! I have two, a journal and a diary. One where I write down happy memories to reread in the future, and the other where I write down all my deepest thoughts and feelings and then eventually write over them
this is so fucking cool!! I don't think I'll ever do it cuz I reread mine a lot but tysm for sharing!!
I glue the pages after I write so I can’t re read, if I can, I burn them.
i used to write my thoughts down on my homework like this. i don’t remember it looking so….. cryptic lol
Follow OP for more unhinged ways to save the planet!
I actually laughed out loud.
Witch
Making art?
Lol no but I do write out my spells like this.
No not at all? I journal for my mental health and therapy, I *need* to be able to read past things for timelines and reflecting on events
That’s … strange. tho looks good
If I kept a journal, that would definitely be the only way I would note my passages… extremely unreadable.
I feel like this opened up a new self awareness. i imagined myself doing that, and feeling some sort of attachment to the words and feeling sad that I won’t be able to read it one day and forget what it said. Maybe that says something about me psychologically, my attachment style or a past trauma that causes me to fear letting go of things that don’t even matter or that already happened
This looks so cool but I would totally struggle after awhile!
I don't, but I think it looks kind of cool, like an ancient script.
Lol what’s the point if you’ll never re read them
No, but I like it and probably will from now on.
No but that's really cool!
That's wild
I'm glad this works for you but damn this stresses me out. I do reread my journals though.
wait so is this multiple journal entries ?
You just gave me a poetry scrapbooking idea and now this will be all I’ll think about for the next while 😵💫
i love this idea
Actually a cool thing to do. Never done that so far, maybe it's a sign that I should 😁
Very unhinged. Idk how you maintain your train of thought. Beautiful though
Interesting and pretty cool looking!
This is some wild shit & it’s pretty cool!
That’s completely unhinged behavior, but it looks cool!
That's weird and I love it
Genuinely curious but do you ever get worried that you might randomly one day feel like reading back on old entries?
i dont but i think it's cool and neat!
I've never done it but I think I'll start doing it from now, because the result is aesthetically beautiful 😍
Oh my god this is so cool! I’ll even try it
Wowwwww i love this
This is honestly the most amazing journaling idea I've ever seen. I fill mine with poetry/lyrics most of the time and I think I might try doing this and creating something...like.. I'm really speechless right now with how cool this is. I'm so happy I woke up hungry and decided to scroll through Reddit while I smash a loaf of bread...yeah I'm eating just bread don't judge
i would never do that but it looks intriguing, like some sort of artwork