Sign up to be part of The Pepys Project
Tell Your Story. Write The History
Getting Started
Seeking inspiration for your own diary/journal entry?
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called The Pepys Project?
The diary project is named after one of the world’s most famous diarists, Samuel Pepys. His diaries are a wonderful insight into the reality of everyday life in 17th century London, as well as being full of hilarious anecdotes.
It is also a play on words as the pronunciation of his name (peeps) is a homonym for people.
I’m shy/worried about publishing my diary online.
Entries are posted under anonymous usernames. Try to use initials or aliases when mentioning people. Utilising codes is part of a great tradition in diary-keeping; for example, Pepys wrote in his own version of shorthand and Elizabeth von Arnim refers to her children by the month they were born (‘the June Baby’).
How is The Pepys Project different from a blog or X?
The Pepys Project is not one person’s perspective. It is not a single voice. One of the great things is that it allows the reader to get a fuller picture by reading a multiplicity of life experiences. The Pepys Project is also not a discussion forum, there is no comments option available. You can share anonymously.
How much do I have to write?
Aim for about 100 words or half a dozen sentences. Some entries will have more, others will have less. The important part is that you are writing.
What do I write about?
Anything and everything to do with your daily life. The weather, what you ate for dinner, who you saw, what you did. Choose one or two for each entry.
I can’t write every day.
Write as often as you can, aim for once or twice a week to start. Writing gets easier the more you do it.