Think about What Are Your Writing Challenges as a Writer? What are my Writing Challenges? Well, it Is more a Drawback. I’ll write long hand and decide to use it and have to type if up. My initial view is it will take too much time to transcribe. I’ve resolved that concern because in reality it takes a few minutes to type it, save it, print it, etc.
The idea is to write, and it doesn’t have to start at the keyboard. Keeping a journal and writing in it every day is the best kept secret among writers. It helps to start first thing in the morning, 10-15 minutes of free writing in a journal or notebook to spark those creative juices for later.
A Few Basics For Your Writer’s Tool Kit to be used with your journal:
A Pen – your choice of the kind of pen, however, a pen where the ink flows freely while you are writing… Gel pens offer this. Consider different colored inks too… Red, purple, blue, green, etc. Always use a favorite pen or pick a color for the day.
Notebook – I personally prefer the composition notebook… Why? It lies flat and is easy to store. If you decide you want to tear out a page, use a ruler along the edge to tear easily leaving about a half inch of the page left in the notebook. Always date the page. On the cover of the notebook, also list the dates covered inside. Once filled, you can jot down the contents and paste to the front of the notebook – as a table of contents so to speak.
Colored highlighters – yellow, green, blue, pink, etc. You may find you want to highlight something on the page for when you reference back. Highlighters make the info standout.
Small colorful sticky notes – for those moments you don’t have your notebook with you. Jot a word, phrase etc., for follow up later.
MS Word on your computer… for when you want to transcribe, take your handwritten words and move to an electronic page, begin a chapter, formalize into a book, etc.
Carry a notebook (even a small one) or sticky notes and a pen with you at all times – for those moments when a thought, idea, or creative moment strikes, as you need to jot it down… if not, it will be very difficult to recall that thought, idea or moment later on.
Additional Thoughts for your Writer’s Tool Kit
There are many times we are stuck, deal with writer’s block or just not motivated… Here are some things to think about and journal on that you may find will assist you in writing more regularly:
Think about when are you most creative? When is that?
When or where are you most inspired to write?
What if you don’t feel like writing? Or when writing find you can’t stay on task? Find yourself wandering off to unrelated tasks? Write about why you feel this happens.
Not motivated to write today? Well, what are you motivated to do otherwise? Write about that.
Find you only write when you feel like it???? What stimulates that emotion of “I think I’ll write today” … look for and write about those triggers.
Purpose of Journaling Regularly
Using prompts, visual observation, sound, awareness of surroundings, found items, everyday items you use, etc. may prompt thoughts and ideas.
There is proof of many benefits of journaling including health, emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, motivation, etc.
All your inner thoughts, fears, concerns, joys, happiness, etc., can all be noted in your journal.
Too many notebooks and journals? Can’t find something you wrote months ago? Go through your journals and create a topic index and paste to the front cover. Do this for past journals and add to your current journal before moving on to a new one.
How Journaling can improve your writing:
Before you begin… Take A Few Deep Breaths
Breathe IN Creativity … Breathe OUT the world’s chaos
Breathe IN Inspiration… Breathe OUT negativity
Breathe IN your writing muse … Breathe OUT any judgment around your writing
Start with stretching your muse, using a few timed prompts… start a timer for 3 minutes, next time set it for 5 minutes. Using a timer, consider 10 minutes for each prompt. Eventually, you wont need to use a timer.
As you begin with a prompt, it’s whatever inspires you to write… and keeps you writing. Be willing to get your words down on paper regardless of what you are saying. No editing, no erasing. Allow stream of consciousness to flow through you onto the paper.
A few sample prompts for you to use…
Visualize Quiet … what does it sound like?
You are Invisible… where would you go? What would you be able to see that you can’t see when you are visible? Play out such a scene and write about it in detail.
A Travel Challenge: You have a chance to take an all-expense paid trip to anywhere in the world. The catch … you have to spend the next 6 months there. Where do you go and why? Write about it.
Need more prompts? Consider my book 365 Days of Creative Writing filled with 365 prompts – one for every day of the year.
Take a Walk… surprisingly a 15-20 minute walk sparks creativity.
Need help with motivation? Remember, you’re the writer, so get as wild or as simple as you desire. I’m always available to inspire you to write too.
Happy Writing Today and Every Day!
Rosemary Augustine – Author, Publisher and Journal Aficionado
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