idea: neurodivergent special interest/hyperfixation journaling!
this is a quick idea i had: if you have special interests or hyperfixations, journaling about them can be a great outlet!
why special interest journal?
it’s super common to have a blog about your special interest! however, maybe:
you’re not a blog person
your thoughts feel too personal/private
you’re trying to steer away from screen time
there’s not much of a community for your special interest, or you haven’t found it yet
you’re not surrounded by supportive people (IRL or online) to infodump to
you like tactile/analog activities like cutting/pasting/handwriting
you’d like a keepsake dedicated to the stuff you love!
if any of those are true for you, special interest journaling might be your thing.
remember, you don’t have to choose between a blog and a journal! you can have both!
organization
do you need a dedicated notebook— or multiple— for your special interest journaling? i’m gonna say definitely not, but you can if you like! you can definitely add pages to your existing bullet journal or scrapbook, or start an entirely new notebook.
decoration
i have often described my bullet journal exploits as ugly, and in general i am against the unpleasant emotional pressure that intricate decoration can produce.
however, i definitely think that special interest journaling can be as artistic and “extra” as you like, because the entire point is to have a great time with it!
special interest journaling prompts
what has your journey with your special interest been like so far? how did you get into it? what is your favorite part about it? what are your best connected memories? this could just be an outline or timeline!
if prompt #1 feels too overwhelming (in general or just for now!) i recommend doing a dated entry about just today. what are you thinking about in relation to your special interest?
what might your future with your special interest look like? what do you want to learn or experience about it? bucket list!
add notes from something you’re reading/watching about it.
reading/watching list— maybe with checkmarks and reactions or ratings!
can you find and print out art related to your special interest? this can be art that is MEANT to be related to it (like spirk art or scientifically-accurate dinosaur renditions) or art that you PERSONALLY feel is related. make sure you write down the artist’s name and where you found it!
collage!
can you draw something related yourself? it doesn’t matter how good it looks!
are you producing a larger work that is related? this could be fan fiction/fan art, a nonfiction work, an AMV, a TTRPG campaign, or anything else you can imagine! keep your plans, doodles, or outlines in your special interest journal.
theories or personal ideas about your special interest. this can be fun to look back on! how did they play out? did your opinions change over time?
This is so good! Thank you