Journaling with Jane

Join us for seven days of Journaling with Jane as we use the themes from her novels to explore our own thoughts, feelings and ideas, and to channel our own creativity.

We used this lovely Chawton Vine note book for our journaling.

July is a special month for Jane Austen’s House. It is the month that Jane, with her mother and sister Cassandra first moved to Chawton Cottage, sparking a period of great creativity, revision and writing, which ultimately resulted in the creation of her six great novels.

It is also the month in which Jane died, on 18th July 1817.

Originally running between the 12th and 18th July 2020, to finish on the anniversary of her death, these prompts can be used and returned to at any time. For seven days we take a different theme from each of her novels each day, and using them as starting points to drive our own creativity, whether that’s through prose, poetry, painting, drawing or even embroidery!

You will find below the themes and prompts for your creativity each day on this page. Let us know that you’ll be taking part by sharing your journaling kit with the hashtag #JournalingwithJane

What is Journaling?

Journaling is the practice of taking some time out of your day to set down your thoughts and feelings on paper. It’s a chance to pause and to reflect. While modern journaling is more focused on wellbeing and mindfulness, taking a theme to explore for each day, keeping a daily record is an age old concept and journals do make their appearance in Jane Austen’s novel Northanger Abbey.

My dear madam, I am not so ignorant of young ladies’ ways as you wish to believe me; it is this delightful habit of journaling which largely contributes to form the easy style of writing for which ladies are so generally celebrated.

Henry Tilney to Catherine Morland, Northanger Abbey

Day 1 of Journaling with Jane takes Sense and Sensibility as a starting point

Illustration by Hugh Thomson: Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley

For Day 2 we will be exploring Jane’s most famous novel Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen's writing table set against the Chawton Leaf wallpaper in the Dining Parlour

Day 3 takes us to Mansfield Park, the first of Jane’s novels to be created after she moved to Chawton

First edition of Emma in three volumes with marbled cover and gilt leather binding

Day 4 sees us following Jane’s “heroine whom no one but myself will like” on her journey of self discovery.

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Mrs Radcliffe, in four volumes

Today we are off to a world of ruins, abbeys and intrigue; all to be found within the covers of a good book…

First edition of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion in four volumes, with gilt leather covers

Today we look at Jane’s last full length novel Persuasion for day 6 of Journaling with Jane

Jane Austen

For Day 7, the final day of Journaling with Jane, we are celebrating!