There are a lot of reasons to keep a journal. You can document your life, learn more about yourself, record your personal thoughts and ideas, explore your spiritual side, and so on. But whatever purpose and direction you choose for starting and keeping a journal, the main advantage for a writer is that keeping a journal requires you to write frequently. It helps keep your words and sentences flowing, your creative channels open, and your thought-generating skills in tip-top shape.
Unlike your professional writing, journal writing can be unstructured. You don’t have to worry about form, spelling or punctuation. The idea is simply to keep the creative process going, to stay in practice, and to improve your writing habits and thinking skills.
Where to start
Decide how you want to keep your journal. Some writers prefer to write journal entries by hand. There is value in making that connection between brain and fingertips, and many find fulfillment in the old-fashioned act of writing with a favorite pen or pencil. The tactile aspects alone are satisfying. But keeping a journal on your computer can be just as valuable. You may find that you can type fast enough to keep up with your thoughts.
Next, decide what kind of journal you want to focus on. Do you simply want to document your life, thoughts, or feelings? Do you want to examine deeper topics, toy with differing views on current events, complain about life, or record your gratitude? Chances are, you’ll end up with a combination of all of these. If you’re in the middle of writing a story or a novel, you may want to focus your journal entries on your characters, the setting, ideas for plot developments.
Get your materials prepared. If you write your journal by hand, buy a notebook or put together a loose leaf notebook. If you use your computer, create a folder and decide how to organize your files.
The next step is simply to start. Schedule a few minutes every day or every other day to write in your journal. Don’t worry about length. Some entries may be long, some rambling and some may be just a few words or sentences. Stay flexible and don’t be too hard on yourself. The idea is to add value to your writing not to create an obligation that becomes a burden.
Once you get into the habit, you’ll find that regular journal entries help you generate ideas and observations and tap thoughts and emotions that add up to improve your writing habits and skills.
Comments