26 May 1999 (DNN) -- If you like one journal, You Might Also Like... a new 'burb where web diarists help readers of one site find other sites that might suit their tastes. There are already more than a dozen journals with spiritual siblings cross-listed. "If you like Parenthesis," for example, "you might also like Sunshine, Mud and Rainbows." This twist on traditional 'favorites lists' was conceived by Ginkgo, but was turned into reality by Heidi Hodge-McMurdo.

Testosterone takes a turn

25 May 1999 (DNN) -- Introducing Manly Men Journals, a webring for web journals by Y-chromosome carriers. Alabama diarist Corvin Carlton, author of Brighter Insanity, started the ring after a search for something similar was unsuccessful. Carlton's effort fills the void left by the now-defunct In His Own Words webring. Besides sex, the membership requirements for "Manly Men Journals" are minimal and subjective, and there is no application form. Interested members should simply send an .

Award finalists named, voting opens

24 May 1999 (DNN) -- The finalists for both best journal sites and entries have finally been named in the first-ever Diarist Awards. Three finalists were chosen by the nine-member finalist selection panel in categories including "Best Writing," "Best Design," "Best Dramatic Entry" and "Hall of Fame." The "open voting phase" begins today, and will last only five days. Only online diarists are eligible to vote. Because of an unexpected delay, the final winners will now be announced on June 1.

New journal webring opens

17 May 1999 (DNN) -- San Francisco diarist Mike Leung has started the Smart and Lazy webring for journals that go deep but load fast. "I hope to provide a place for effective online journals where writing reveals, rather than burdens," Leung writes. "To avoid creating the kind of pressure that discourages creativity." There are already five sites listed, and new members are welcome.

Cupid does the web

9 May 1999 (DNN) -- California-born diarist puce (aka Sarah), currently attending Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, is moving in with Billie (aka Shane), signing the lease on a new apartment in New York. "Lots of people have said he and I are a lot alike -- that makes me happy," she writes. "Most people don't like hearing how much they are like someone else, but in this case I don't mind."

Diarists build journal community

30 April 1999 (DNN) -- Web diarist Sky has opened his domain, pinkle.com, to four other online journals: Jay of New York, Ashley and Brianna of Florida, and Kimberly. The site also houses two regular columns, and a focused group of message boards. "This site is moving towards being more of a community site, a collection of works by a bunch of folks who I have a lot of respect for, and it's off to a really great start," Sky writes. "It's not just about Sky anymore."

Nominees sought for The Diarist Awards

21 April 1999 (DNN) -- Who better than someone who keeps an online journal would know what makes a good online journal? The first ever Diarist Awards a peer-driven awards program founded by several online journalers, including volunteers from Diarist.Net and Metajournals are now underway. Nominations are sought for fifteen categories, including most dramatic entry, most comedic entry, best design and best new journal. The Diarist Awards, six months in the making, aim to recognize what web diarists feel is the best their art has to offer. Nominations will be accepted until April 28. Finalists will be announced May 6, and the winners will be named May 14.

Journalkeeping may keep the doctor away

19 April 1999 (DNN) -- An article in the most recent Journal of the American Medical Association reports that keeping a journal is good for your health. According to a news brief at the University of California at San Francisco website, a joint study of asthma and arthritis patients by North Dakota State University and the State University of New York found that patients who regularly wrote about their experiences showed improvements in their condition after four months. About 47 percent of the patients who wrote showed improvement, versus 24 percent of the patients in the non-journaling control group.

Texas newspaper features journals, confession

17 April 1999 (DNN) -- , former diarist and reporter for the Austin American Statesman, has published an article titled, Tell Me: Web writers share lives, loves. The article introduces Austin readers to the flourishing genre of online journals, and includes an interview with Pamela "Pamie" Ribon of Squishy and astrologer-cum-diarist Kramer Wetzel. Gallaga also includes, as a sidebar, a personal confession: that the journal of Heather Yi was a work of fiction, and that he had been writing it all along.

Journaler signs off, offers lifeline

6 April 1999 (DNN) -- DreamaWorks is no more. On March 31, diarist Dreama announced the end of her journal, and readers somberly confirmed it was no April Fool's prank. Dreama was extremely active in the journaling community, running a diary webring, volunteering as a link wrangler for Diarist.Net, and serving on the off-and-on Diarist Award planning committee. In fact, these overwhelming responsibilities in part prompted her departure. Nonetheless, she expressed gratitude for the friends she had made, and wrote, "Journaling online has been a distinct pleasure in many ways." And this week, she has promised an occasional note via Keeping An Eye Out for those who simply cannot let the ongoing saga of her life end just yet.

Webring for experimental journals opens

4 April 1999 (DNN) -- Web diarists who fall outside the norm are invited to join Fusion, a new webring "for journals that aren't quite journals," said Elizabeth Badurina, the ring's founder. Badurina, a San Diego resident and author of Atropine, admits the common thread between ring members is hard to nail down. "They're experimental, not afraid to break the rules, and though they may be dated, they're also non-linear," she said. "They aren't non journals.... go figure." Badurina said the ring received more than a dozen applications for membership before it officially opened yesterday.

Webzine launches journal features

23 March 1999 (DNN) -- ESCape Magazine, billed as "your premiere online gaming resource," has introduced a weekly journal roundup and general journal forums. "We’ve chosen ... our favorite journals and will update you weekly on the writers and their stories," writes ESCape editor . "Anybody interested in being added to the roundup can mail me." Currently featured are House of the Moon and Sick Sad World.

The Turtle returns to the web

22 March 1999 (DNN) -- "My break is over and My Head Talking is back in action," announced on DIARY-L this week. "I've had some time to think instead of react." He had announced on Feb. 27 that he was taking a break because his online diary was becoming "yet another energy drain that I'm starting to resent." The Turtle has been writing on the web for four years.

Diarist premieres 'shareware novel'

14 March 1999 (DNN) -- Web diarist and professional writer has published Agent to the Stars, a science fiction piece, as a shareware novel. Agent can be read online or downloaded in full. "Instead of buying the novel first, and deciding after reading it whether it's worth what you paid for it, you read this novel first, and then decide if you want to pay me for having had the (let's hope) pleasure of reading it," Scalzi explains. "It's that simple." Taking advantage of the unique strengths of the net, Scalzi is asking for only one dollar if readers take to the work. Scalzi also writes The Daily Whatever.

Veteran journaler dies

14 March 1999 (DNN) -- After weeks of hospitalization, longtime web diarist Terry Birch, 46, passed away Saturday night after being taken off life support by her family. Birch, who had been writing Terry's 3Ms since September 1997, had been battling cancer for years. "I'm trying very hard to be strong for the whole family," her sister, Faye, told members of the DIARY-L mailing list. "I want to thank everybody for praying for her -- Now she free from pain."

Xoom raises the bar

9 March 1999 (DNN) -- Xoom.Com one of the web's largest free hosting services last week unveiled the Xoombar. Using a frame that inserts itself above all members' pages, the Xoombar features links, member services... and advertising. Xoom.Com still maintains its services do not impose the same intrusive ads used by other hosts (including Geocities), saying the Xoombar frame is not part of a member's page. The response from the journaling community has been overwhelmingly negative, with many planning to relocate before the Xoombar's March 15 implementation date.

Ruling silences altern.org

4 March 1999 (DNN) -- Tens of thousands of sites hosted by France-based altern.org disappeared late February after the Paris Court of Appeals ruled that a web host can be held liable for content posted by its users. French Model Estelle Hallyday sued the webhost, AlternB, after discovering nude photos of her on a user's page. She was awarded nearly $68,000 in damages, and others began to file similar lawsuits, prompting AlternB to pull the plug. The ruling goes against most countries' internet laws, and it has since been criticized by the European Parliament.

InnerView author enters service

26 February 1999 (DNN) -- Web diarist Jack Davis of Eugene, Ore. has gone and joined the army. His site, InnerView, will be put into hibernation while he heads off to bootcamp. Still, readers need not despair. "I have a notify list for anyone interested in tales of GI life when I get back on-line," Davis said. He had been writing InnerView since July of last year.

Diarist's daughter born

5 February 1999 (DNN) -- Deb of Quagmire gave birth to a 7-lb., 7-oz. girl shortly after noon on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania diarist has named the 19-inch long infant Morgan Elizabeth. News of the birth came down her notify list; her last Quagmire entry was Jan. 24, a week before her due date.

Clearinghouse to help with web

1 February 1999 (DNN) -- Diarist.Net has launched the Clearinghouse, an open directory of online diarists who are willing to help up-and-coming journalers with everything from making graphics to debugging Javascript code. Many Clearinghouse volunteers have stepped forward to provide these services for free; at most, a simple link back to the volunteer's site is requested. The Clearinghouse is maintained by .