A Sense of Doubt blog post #1976 - Using Journals for Creative Writing
I created this content for my creative writing students on the power of writing in a journal. Because I know many people have probably expressed the benefits of journal writing more eloquently than I could or would, I just shared a series of links at one point of a fraction of the good things to read on the Internet about a journal.
When people hear the term "journal writing," they usually think of Dear Diary sort of soulful free writing of the stream of consciousness outpouring of thoughts and feelings, of the days activities, of hopes and dreams, of the desire for love or the struggle some face in staying in a relationship and preserving love.
These are the stereotypical diary writers we imagine from films and TV. Usually we see young girls exploring a sense of self-expression, in their bed rooms, lying prone on their canopied beds, and writing to the idea of "diary": "Dear Diary."
But we also know that journals have evolved from this stereotype. Therapists encourage clients to explore their feelings through journal work. Psychologists suggest that some clients keep journals of their dreams. Close family members hope for journals of their loved ones as a memory record of the history of the family, though letters often serve this very same purpose, which is why we often collect the letters of past writers or historical figures whose lives we wish to understand better.
Writers will be familiar with the idea of the journal as a tool to write things. ANY THING.
People brain storm and free write in journals. Writers use a daily journal practice as an exercise to keep the writing juices flowing and keep the writing muscles limber.
I used my journals (see pictures above and below) mostly starting in college to write anything that occurred to me at any time. I would carry the book around and jot things down when I had a free moment (which was most of the time). Also, I used the book as a portable address book as these uses took place before the digital age of portable computers and even more portable smart phones.
However, my first journal (see the yellow notebook above) was the place I wrote my first stories, drew pictures, and did the work of the writer.
I got away from using the journal I carried, as I graduated to FIELD NOTES and smaller options.
I am trying to get back in the practice of using the paper notebook (journal). I did write a poem in one last Sunday. I do carry such notebooks around with me, though I am not going very many places lately during the pandemic quarantine.
Here's the writing prompt I shared with students:
BRAINSTORMING AND
PRE-WRITING PROMPT 01
USING A JOURNAL FOR CREATIVE WRITING
Writing in a journal is a common practice, and there are literally thousands of web-based articles and guides for using a journal as a therapeutic tool, a dream record, a memory repository, and/or a brainstorming tool for creative writing.
If you want to do a journal as a prompt for this class, and you write in it substantively at least twice a week, then it counts as TWO of the eight minimum prompts you need by the end of the quarter.
WRITING IN A JOURNAL IS EXERCISE
I keep a daily journal, and I publish it on the Internet and push it out to social media accounts.
https://sensedoubt.blogspot.com/
I know you know this. I have certainly made no secret of it, and I have directed you to it for content.
It’s not always a “diary-like” journal of what I am doing in my life. It’s not always a scrap of poem or thoughts about a story that I scrawl in these things (photo below).
NO RULES; NO LIMITS; NO PRISONS
There are no rules for what you put in your journal. Use it to start writings of any kind, free write just stream of consciousness channeling from the imaginative dimension X or the mother ship, use it to unpack things happening in your life that you can think through while writing, whatever you wish. Just write stuff.
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS WRITER’S BLOCK
It’s exercise. If you get in the habit, and you limber up with journaling, then the writing will flow through you. Real writers do not get writer’s block. That’s a popular fallacy promoted by people who like to call themselves writers but who do not actually do any writing. Writers write. If you write, then you’re a writer. And if you’re writing something, then you do not have writer’s block. It’s that simple.
WRITE THROUGH THE CRAP
Now, sometimes when people claim to have Writer’s Block, what they mean is that they have this thing that they want to write (story, book, article, script, poem, memoir, thesis, dissertation, whatever), and the words are just not flowing. It may mean that the ideas not are not fully baked yet. You could force them. People do. You’re not spinning gold. Often I tell writers that you have to scratch out a ton of shit to find the gold underneath all that kaka. It’s true. Most writers do not keep everything that they write. I know poets who write 300 lines of poetry just to find ten that really sing with the voice of a thousand swans.
There’s going to be a lot of crap. You will be swimming in crap. That’s okay. Usually writers do not show their journals to anyone. Even here, if you just want to submit it in showing me exists but ask me not to read it all or just read X, Y, and Z. That’s okay.
I am probably insane to publish my journal online. That said, there are things I write for myself that are private and that I DO NOT PUT IN THE BLOG.
LET IT FLOW
Using a journal means not having to fall into that trap of “I can’t figure out where this scene should go so I am blocked.” Using a journal means warming up to do more writing. It’s jumping jacks, running in place, stretching, and yoga. It’s meditation and hypnosis. You might find that the more you do it, eventually, you will be channeling a signal from the ether. This is a common claim of artists. Art alters consciousness. Art unleashes the unconscious.
So, just do it.
Let ‘er rip.
“Come on, Deckard. Show me what you’re made of.” ~ Roy Batty
WHAT TO PUT IN THE JOURNAL?
Do some GOOGLE SEARCHES. You will more prompts for journal writing than I can vet. I can hardly do better with making my own.
For instance, for creative writing:
https://thinkwritten.com/365-creative-writing-prompts/
https://www.creative-writing-now.com/journal-prompts.html
MEDIUM is my go-to for thoughtful articles by a variety of people (since anyone can publish on MEDIUM). Here’s some things I found that may be useful and help guide you.
https://medium.com/multipassionate-makers-society/end-journal-burnout-bonus-video-a7230632a637
https://medium.com/@AJCannon/write-or-die-c7a8dd088809
https://medium.com/@michelejsharpe/writing-memoir-using-journals-diaries-8ccc3e77010
https://writingcooperative.com/the-writers-block-e38e033ad665
https://medium.com/@heathermedwards/how-i-became-someone-who-keeps-nine-journals-and-maybe-you-should-too-dbe398a2d5aa
JOURNALS
I wrote about my journals, especially my first one, the yellow notebook, in my introduction. Here’s some photo evidence of these ancient artifacts. I may share some of the contents at a later time.
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| Madame Vulture |
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| NonaLimmen |
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| NonaLimmen |
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| via my friend Emerson Fir Wolfe |
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| this is me teaching |
1976 DATA - the number of the blog post matches the year...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1976.html
What Happened in 1976 Important News and Events, Key Technology and Popular Culture
1976 Inflation continues to be a problem around the world. Concorde enters service and cuts transatlantic flying time to 3 1/2 hours. One year after Microsoft is formed Apple is formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Nadia Comaneci scores the first ever perfect score in Gymnastics. In South Africa Riots in Soweto on June 16th mark the beginning of the end of apartheid. In music the first of the Punk Bands appear The Damned Major News Stories include NASA Unviels first space shuttle, Fidel Castro President of Cuba, $2.00 bill Issued, Notting Hill Carnival Riots, Cod Wars between Iceland and UK, United States Bicentennial celebrations, First Legionnaires Disease,Jump To 1976 Fashion -- World Leaders -- 1976 Calendar -- Technology -- Cost Of Living -- Popular Culture -- Toys
ME IN 1976:
Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #674 - Loving comics 1976 - Throwback Thursday
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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2007.16 - 10:10
- Days ago = 1840 days ago
- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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