| Many people become interested in writing as a | | | | work in this way often leads to new and lively |
| career through keeping a journal. They learn the | | | | thoughts about your current work-in-progress. |
| joy of self-expression and the value of processing | | | | Before you know it, that journal entry may |
| emotions and life experiences on the page. But | | | | become a scene for your novel or the ending of |
| don't put down your journal once you've | | | | your most recent short story. . |
| established yourself as a professional writer. | | | | 5. Regular attention to a journal can be life altering. |
| Keeping a journal can help you improve your | | | | Sounds grandiose, doesn't it? But it is true. When |
| writing in a variety of ways. Here are six of them: | | | | you commit to writing in your journal every day, |
| 1. It gets the gunk out. If all your worries about | | | | suddenly you start to see patterns in the desires |
| your day are clogging up your brain, how are you | | | | and goals you note. Hmmm, day after day you |
| going to write? Get it out on the page and get rid | | | | write about the creative non-fiction book you |
| of it. Write in your journal first thing in the | | | | want to start. Is this a clue to what you should |
| morning or last thing at night. Use it as a brain | | | | be doing? Perhaps the vague outline of a novel is |
| dump to rid yourself of anything toxic that's | | | | taking shape in the pages of your journal. Is it |
| collected there. | | | | time to commit to writing it? |
| 2. It encourages the practice of observation. Good | | | | 6. You can track your writing goals. Writing down |
| writing begins with details. Finding details begins | | | | your word count on a long project can be a |
| with observation. There's no better way to start | | | | powerful motivator. Writing about that project |
| remembering details than writing them down. The | | | | can help you get clear on it, too. John Steinbeck |
| more you write what you've observed and | | | | wrote journals about the writing of his novels. |
| experienced, the better you get at it. And the | | | | There's no reason you can't, too. Writing breeds |
| better you get at writing it in your journal, the | | | | writing. |
| better you get at writing on your novel or | | | | 7. It is a spiritual practice. Attending to anything |
| whatever creative project is dear to your heart. | | | | with regular devotion becomes a kind of spiritual |
| 3. It is place to develop ideas. Write down every | | | | practice, and keeping a journal is no different. |
| idea that comes to you, even if its on a napkin or | | | | Spiritual practice not only makes you a better |
| scrap of paper, and stick it in your journal. You'll | | | | person, it makes you a better writer, too. |
| have a ready-made list of prompts for your | | | | A hint for people who've gotten out of the habit |
| journal entries. And who knows what that idea | | | | of writing in a journal: begin where you are. You |
| might turn into? Entire novels have been written | | | | don't have to write down every single thing that |
| based on ideas germinated in journals. | | | | happened since the last time you made an entry. |
| 4. It is a place to make notes on projects. Many | | | | Start by making notes about the project you are |
| writers begin journal entries by writing about their | | | | working on and see what happens. You will be |
| most recent work session. Attending to your | | | | pleased at how it supports your writing. |
