An escribitionist is a person who keeps a

diary A diary is a written or audiovisual memorable record, with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digita ...

journal A journal, from the Old French ''journal'' (meaning "daily"), may refer to: *Bullet journal, a method of personal organization *Diary, a record of personal secretive thoughts and as open book to personal therapy or used to feel connected to onesel ...

via electronic means, and in particular, publishes their entries on the

World Wide Web The World Wide Web (WWW or simply the Web) is an information system that enables Content (media), content sharing over the Internet through user-friendly ways meant to appeal to users beyond Information technology, IT specialists and hobbyis ...

. The word was coined in June 1999 by Erin Venema, an online

diarist A diary is a writing, written or audiovisual Memorabilia, memorable record, with discrete entries arranged by Calendar date, date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwriti ...

, in the course of a discussion on a mailing list for web journalers. At issue was how to distinguish web journal authors from keepers of traditional

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, Textile, rags, poaceae, grasses, Feces#Other uses, herbivore dung, or other vegetable sources in water. Once the water is dra ...

-and- ink diaries. The word comes from a combination of the English word "

exhibitionist Exhibitionism is the act of exposing in a public or semi-public context one's intimate parts – for example, the breasts, Sex organ, genitals or buttocks. As used in psychology and psychiatry, it is substantially different. It refers to an ...

" and the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

word ''"escribir"'', meaning "to write". (The latter is

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical effects on both the s ...

to the English "

scribe A scribe is a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of Printing press, automatic printing. The work of scribes can involve copying manuscripts and other texts as well as ...

"; both come from the Latin ''scribere''.) It also evokes the marketing gimmick of using the letter " e" as a prefix to imply a link to technology and electronics, although that was not intended. Coined before the widespread use of weblogs, the word escribitionist is often used to distinguish

keepers on the web from weblog authors, whose writing often involve far more diverse styles, perspectives and subjects than those used in personal journals. While a weblog author may engage in journaling, or reporting, or

political Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

commentary, an escribitionist is focused on personal experiences and reflection.

External links

journals
The e-mail discussion list on which the word was coined.
The Origin of "Escribitionist"
Shmuel Ross' single-page site created to preserve the origins of the word.
Twenty Rules for the New Escribitionist
Columbine's April 2000 essay offering advice to someone looking to start an online journal.
Online Diary History Project
An archive of individual recollections of the early days of online journaling, or escribitionism. 1990s neologisms {{internet-publish-stub

See also

External links