The Journal As A Tool

Journal has several related meanings: a daily record of events or business; a private journal for recording insights and facts, a newspaper or other periodical, in the literal sense of one published each day.

Many publications issued at stated intervals, such as academic journals, or the record of the transactions of a society, are often called journals.

In academic use, a journal refers to a serious, scholarly publication that is peer-reviewed. A non-scholarly publication written for an educated audience about an industry or an area of professional activity is usually called a trade journal.

The Workshop Journal

In the traditional practice of craftsmanship, the workshop journal is the property of the workshop master and is provided for common use among the practitioners in residence.

It is specifically used to make a ‘day entry’ record of work completed and in progress.

It is also used to transmit a thought-out insight, tool technique, process improvement, etc.

It is not used for musings or personal messages. The personal journal is used for this purpose.

As you study The Way of Craftsmanship, you will learn that contribution to the community and not just oneself, is a defining characteristic in your practice of craftsmanship. Improve your skills by making your contributions in the Masterpiece Journal.

The Craftsperson’s Journal

Beginning in the Apprenticeship phase, the novice would learn to write and accurately record key elements of their day lessons, as well as reflections on the meaning of the lesson.

Today, we know this as note taking as practiced in our primary schools, up through college and university. Personal journals are for working out ideas and musings not fully developed for sharing in a collective Workshop Journal.

Two specific types of journals with two distinct purposes serve the practitioner of ‘life-as-a-craft’.

The Journeywork Journal

Once the Apprentice set out on their Journeywork; about age 24, they would start a formal Journeywork Journal.

The Journeywork Journal was used to record work done and signed off by a workshop master, as the Journey worker traveled from place to place to work and build their skills. It was also common practice to have the journal stamped at the town hall of each stop as proof they had been there and worked. It would become their resume.

The Master’s Journal

After the Journeywork phase and the transition to master craftsperson, a new Master Craftsman’s journal was begun.

This journal was used by a master to work out ‘master plans’ for masterpieces that would be created.

This often involved information the master wished to remain hidden or secret; as in Leonardo da Vinci’s famous reverse ‘mirror writing’ journals, until such time as he or she might pass the knowledge to a Journeyman or Journeywoman of their choosing.

The journal has a long history as a tool for improving mental focus, and as a medium for leaving one’s legacy to the next generation.