The Writer's Toolkit - Journals - Blog

Practice makes perfect, and more practice makes more perfect. Keeping a journal can allow anyone to become an author, through just a few sessions or better yet, an established pattern, anyone can begin writing and see improvement over time. A writer needs the constant removal of words from one's brain, and keeping a journal can function as just that.

Keeping a journal and writing in a diary do not have to mean the same thing, they can however, share a certain set of qualities. While keeping a diary is mainly focused on current feelings and documenting life events, a writer's journal can be so much more.

Journals can be used for:

• daily creative writing prompts
• reflections on life (similar to a diary)
• private recounting of life that twisted into something creative and not entirely factual.
• creative writing notes or idea
• plotting of larger works

My notebooks are often handmade, smell like leather and book and inspire a feeling of creativity when I run my fingers across the embossed surface. I also only ever use a single style of pen with my journaling.

Just as an artist is never seen without their sketchbook, a writer should have a place to document their thoughts. Creative types, writers in specific, often have many people vying for attention in their heads all at once and the only way to silence their racket is to write them out. The imaginary adventures I take with my friends is some of the best and most rewarding time I've spent and even after our adventures end, the experiences linger, begging for an outlet, using a journal, I can take mini adventures as often as I please.

Journals can be in many forms; loose sheets on notebook paper, an ongoing word processing document, stickies notes scattered on a cork board, or a high quality notebook. Whatever inspires the author should be embraced. A journal can also be a place to express the visual creativity or brainstorming an author needs. Plot diagrams, family trees, floor plans, or even photographs taped in can help inspire and trigger more writing.

To get you started with your journal, I've provided some of my favorite places to gather inspiration. Take a peak at one or more and grab something to write with.

Happy writing!

Book Quotes via Pinterest
Writing Prompt via tumbler
Awesome Writing Prompts via tumbler
NaNo Prompts/Sprints via NaNoWriMo
#amwriting via twitter
Word Porn via facebook

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What are your favorite haunts for inspiration, writing prompts and anything else writing related?  Leave your favorites in the comments below.


Also, if you've got an epic looking journal, share that too! Who knows, you may inspire others to get creative with theirs.