Upgrade Your Acting in 5 Minutes

Alan Rickman © Pinterest 

An actor’s journal is more than a notebook filled with thoughts. Used well, it becomes a private training space — somewhere to understand characters, track progress, collect observations, and turn everyday life into acting material.

You do not need to write pages every day. Even five minutes after class, rehearsal, an audition, or a performance can give you something valuable to work with later.

What should an actor write?

1. Character discoveries

Create a separate section for every character you work on.

Write down:

• Who is this person?
• What do they want?
• What are they afraid of?
• What do they hide from other people?
• What is their biggest obstacle?
• How do they behave when nobody is watching?

You can also record physical details: posture, walking style, gestures, voice, rhythm and facial expressions.

The more specific your observations become, the easier it is to make a character feel like a real person rather than simply “a role.”

2. Your observations of people

Actors are observers.

Notice how people speak when they are nervous. How does someone behave when they are trying to impress another person? What changes in their voice when they lie? How does someone walk after receiving good news?

Write these details down.

A café conversation, a stranger on the bus or a friend telling a story can become inspiration for a future character.

3. Audition notes

After an audition, avoid simply writing “good” or “bad.”

Instead, record:

What worked?
What felt uncomfortable?
Where did I lose concentration?
Did I listen or only wait for my line?
What would I change next time?

This turns auditions into training sessions, even when you do not get the role.

4. Scene and script discoveries

When working on a script, use your journal to explore the moments between the lines.

Ask:

• What happened immediately before this scene?
• What does my character want right now?
• What changes during the scene?
• What am I not saying?
• What does the other character mean to me?

Writing these answers can reveal motivations that are not immediately obvious from the dialogue.

5. Acting exercises

Keep track of exercises you try in class or independently.

For example:

Exercise: emotional change
Starting point: calm
Trigger: unexpected betrayal
Result: anger → silence → sadness
Discovery: the character tries to hide vulnerability through anger

Over time, your journal becomes a personal library of techniques that actually work for you.

6. Your own performance review

After a class, rehearsal or shoot, write three short sentences:

I liked…
I struggled with…
Next time I will…

This simple format keeps reflection practical rather than turning it into self-criticism.

Learn from Alan Rickman

One of the most famous examples of an actor who kept a detailed journal is Alan Rickman.

Rickman began keeping a pocket diary in 1972. From 1992 onward, he kept much fuller daily diaries, eventually filling 26 volumes. His entries documented his professional and personal life, including rehearsals, filming, performances, meetings and his experience playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films.

His diaries were later edited and published as Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman.

You do not need to imitate Rickman’s writing style or keep a detailed diary every day. The useful idea is to pay attention to your own creative process.

Build your actor’s journal

Your notebook can have five simple sections:

Characters — discoveries and research
Observations — people, behavior and life
Auditions — preparation and reflection
Training — exercises and techniques
Ideas — scenes, emotions, stories and inspiration

The most important rule is simple: write what you notice.

An actor’s life is full of material. Your journal helps you notice it, remember it and eventually bring it into your work.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer