Keeping a Journal

[CuriousGeorge 10]

I'm curious if any of you know of a program that will allow me to quickly post multiple journal entries daily . It should organize posts by date and post the time of each entry. Something where I can quickly make posts with the click of a button and not have to enter a new subject each time. This is for my trading and I just need something to quickly get my thoughts recorded without having to put too much effort into it. If any of you know of a good, preferably free, program which will allow me to this please let me know.

 

Thanks

[brownsfan019 17]

You could start a blog and link it to Word, keep word up and type your ideas and send it off. Pretty straightforward after you link it.

 

More info

[ramora 10]

I created a Google Group that is private.

 

Each evening I create my 'pre-market' plan for the next day and email it to the private group. At the end of the day I create a summary of the day's actions along with important screen shots and email it to the same Group.

 

Each day has one thread on the Group and usually several posts, the pre-brief, post-market summary, and other comments.

 

The group is sorted by the date title and I can read it from any browser.

 

I also upload pdf files of articles and notes that I may want to reference while traveling.

 

Take a look at Google, Documents both text editor and Spreadsheets, and consider using Google Groups (make sure you mark it private by invite only) for your Journal.

 

Good Trading!

[CuriousGeorge 10]

Two very good ideas. I'll have a look at them both.

 

I appreciate the help

[matinthehat 10]

Hey man, here is something i was using. It is almost exactly what you are looking for. http://www.splinterware.com/products/idailydiary.htm

[edabreu 10]

I'm curious if any of you know of a program that will allow me to quickly post multiple journal entries daily . It should organize posts by date and post the time of each entry. Something where I can quickly make posts with the click of a button and not have to enter a new subject each time. This is for my trading and I just need something to quickly get my thoughts recorded without having to put too much effort into it. If any of you know of a good, preferably free, program which will allow me to this please let me know.

 

Thanks

 

The best journal I have ever used, and still do is written by a fellow trader buddy of mine. Send an email to tradingjournal@live.com and ask him about the journal.

[Mavrik00 10]

hey guys, i keep a daily worksheet of all my trades and it works really well.

 

Attached is my own worksheet that I use for my trading. As you can see, you can tailor this to fit your needs, but use it as a start for you.

 

the key is making notes on the market internals and the specifics of each trade you took, that way you can look back at the end of the day/week/month/year and see where you made mistakes.

 

By keeping the market internals every 30 minutes on a worksheet you can then notice low volume days ahead of a bad trade and possibly avoid takign trades that occur during times when the market has shown lack-luster conditions.

 

Hope it helps! See attached

 

Mav

[omni2006 11]

See attached

 

is it just me, or did the attachment not make it to the post?

[Mavrik00 10]

sorry guys...here you go!

 

Hope it helps!

Daily_Trade_Worksheet.pdf

[firewalker 10]

sorry guys...here you go!

 

Hope it helps!

 

I would make sure there's more room for "notes":

- did you follow your plan?

- was the trade correctly entered/exited, if not why not?

- what was I thinking at the time of the entry?

- was my decision to take the trade based on anything else other than my plan?

 

I've found it interesting to see what I thought during or prior to entering a trade, as opposed to what you think afterwards.

[humdesggg 10]

Could u let us know whether newbie traders are welcome. If so, would u please share details on how to join the group. thanks so much.

 

I created a Google Group that is private.

 

Each evening I create my 'pre-market' plan for the next day and email it to the private group. At the end of the day I create a summary of the day's actions along with important screen shots and email it to the same Group.

 

Each day has one thread on the Group and usually several posts, the pre-brief, post-market summary, and other comments.

 

The group is sorted by the date title and I can read it from any browser.

 

I also upload pdf files of articles and notes that I may want to reference while traveling.

 

Take a look at Google, Documents both text editor and Spreadsheets, and consider using Google Groups (make sure you mark it private by invite only) for your Journal.

 

Good Trading!

[Bam-Bam 10]

A little late to this party. Better late than never, right?

 

I like custom forms. I have bunches of forms and tracking spreadsheets for whatever I was trying to focus on when I made them.

 

Since Mavrik was good enough to share his worksheet, I'll follow suit. Now, I usually charge big time for this stuff (at least a six-pack or two), but today only it's free (and forever more, I guess, now that it's posted in a public forum).

 

For me, it's a good way to get my head around current market conditions. The first section is for analysis of up to three different markets.

 

Trades are a different ball of wax, so they get their own forms. I have a separate Daily Ledger and also a Detailed Trade Record form to use for tracking trades.

 

What I like about Mavrik's format is that he incorporates intraday market checkups. One thing that might improve it would be to extend the columns over a little more to include trend direction and ranging or trending status. That would help me stay out of the way of false breakouts/breakdowns during slow periods.

 

If you have any specific questions, just ask.

 

 

Always willing to pick a fight with a big trend,

 

Bam

Bam

Bam - Bam

Daily Trading Plan.pdf

[MadMarketScientist 11]

Curious if anyone has tried:

 

stocktickr.com

 

There is a free trial though it's limited on features and the monthly fee is more than just a few bucks. It does seem to have a decent selection of broker connections including Lightspeed, Think or Swim, Interactive Brokers, TD Ameritrade, eTrade, etc...and journaling without having to enter your trades due to the direct connection.

 

Any thoughts? Always felt a cloud-based solution would be best and one that makes the data entry part a non-issue - I think that keeps many away from keeping a journal - the work involved on the bookkeeping.

[charto911 10]

How do I join the google group? Also what market do you traditionally trade? With my scalping style this may bot be a huge benefit but any extra incite is always worth a shot.

[MadMarketScientist 11]

I believe what's being referred to is just making sure you have a Google account -with that you have access to everything including Google Docs, Groups, Gmail, Calendar, etc... pretty cool stuff.

[doramider7 10]

Thanjs for sharing. It's great

[ramora 10]

I have been using a new product to take notes during the day.

 

http://www.livescribe.com

 

Livescribe is a large pen that writes on special note paper or notebooks that have pages with location information embedded as very small hard to see dots.

 

As you write the pen movements are recorded in the 4GB ram on the pen. While you are writing you can also make audio notes that are recorded with the written notes. After the notes are written you can replay the audio notes by clicking on the written note.

 

They have a desktop application that is used to upload notes to your desktop machine and play back your audio notes. You can also export pages as PDF file or as a 'pencast' that will show your ink notes being redrawn along with your audio comments.

 

I am using one of their bound notebooks to record my daily trading journal entries and then upload a pdf file to my Google Group where I record all of my activity.

 

Good trading!

[MadMarketScientist 11]

Ramora,

 

Thanks for sharing. I am familiar with the Livescribe -- keeping looking for a reason to "justify" getting one --- perhaps you just gave me one!

 

I've heard good things.

 

Thanks for the post.

 

MMS

[5KOptions 10]

Sell & Sell Short, one of Dr. Alexander Elder's books, outlines how he uses MS Outlook as his trading journal. I know many people are not fans of MS but Outlook works. Many successful companies organize all their activities using Outlook including mine.