Journaling

Image from: Entrepreneurs: Create A Journal For Business Success!

Nicole started to keep a journal in 1995 as a requirement for a writing course. She noted thoughts and feelings about the course lectures, the readings and the literary events she started to attend. 

Nicole has taught 'Keeping a Journal' as a two-hour lesson within a creative writing course, with some interesting outcomes; it is not everybody's cup of tea. One student, a mature married woman said she thought journaling was like having a conversation with yourself and she would rather talk to her husband. Another younger woman said she had been brought to tears when journaling; shedding negative issues was therapeutic for her.

My Journals (30 here)

Creative Writing Journaling Ideas

If you write fiction, drama, or poetry, a journal can build your writing muscles and generate ideas. It can be a great way to explore and experiment with different ideas and approaches. It can add texture and sharpness to your writing. And whenever you get stuck or feel uninspired, you will be able to go to your creative writing journal for new material.

Freewriting

One technique especially useful as a warm-up, or as a cure for getting stuck, is freewriting. This is a sure-fast method of kick-starting your creative writing juices.  In just ten minutes poems, and short pieces can surface from the entries once you have gone back over them.  But that's just one of the spin-offs, the main benefit is that you exercise your writing in ways that aren't rigid. You write non-stop for say five, or ten minutes whatever comes to mind. If nothing comes, you write "I can't think of anything to write," until something comes. It doesn't matter what you write as long as you don't stop and interfere with the writing process.

Links

The Benefits of Journaling and Tips for Getting Started

The Health Benefits of Journaling

Why You Should Keep a Journal and How to Start Keeping Yours

Books:

The Ultimate Guide to Journaling