The Importance of Journaling

Greetings, friends in writing! If you've been reading our lovely poetry blog for even a little bit of time, you have probably heard us talk about freewriting on more than one occasion. We're big on freewriting here, and for good reason. It's a great way to generate ideas for poems you want to write, and giving yourself a time limit--10 minutes, 20 minutes, whatever you like-- is a great way to give yourself the extra pressure you need to be productive. But if you really want to get serious about improving your writing, you're going to need to do more than freewrite every so often. You're going to need to get into the habit of journaling.

source

While everyone journals differently, one thing remains the same: to effectively journal, you need to write every day. Your journaling doesn't have to be elaborate, perfect, or pristine; it's your space that you don't have to share with anyone, so you have the freedom to do with your journal whatever you wish. You are also at liberty to journal in any style you choose; whatever you choose to do, you just have to do it consistently. So, what are some journaling techniques you can try as you determine what works best for you?

Your editors are currently enrolled in the free How Writers Write Poetry class (yes, FREE! You can never get enough insight on writing; go enroll and get caught up!), and the first video lesson was about journaling (more specifically, "Notebooking, Sketching, Drafting"). Poets Lia Purpura, Kate Greenstreet, and Robert Haas each gave their thoughts on journaling, and I'd highly recommend getting yourself into the course and taking a listen for yourself. But if you'd prefer to get your knowledge from scrolling through a blog post (which we appreciate, of course), I've put together a few components to successful journaling for you to peruse, plus a few brilliant tips from the How Writers Write Poetry lecture.

source

1.Write it down immediately; you won't remember later.

Who hasn't been cursed by this? You hear the perfect phrase or see the perfect image, and you think you'll put it to use later...and you don't. Personally, I'm always worried that I'm going to look like a weirdo pulling out my notebook, which is why hearing Lia Purpura mention scribbling on scraps or investing in a small, discrete journal (or even excusing yourself to 'use the bathroom' so you can journal about your surroundings) was such a relief.

If you travel light, make use of your phone's notepad or memo app to record whatever you want to remember later- it'll just look like you're texting or checking your email.

2. Set challenges for yourself. Really.

Giving yourself a daily challenge will help you get in the habit of writing. It doesn't have to be complicated; it just has to be consistent. Lia Purpura mentioned even something like forcing yourself to look at the same scene each day and write on what you see can help you become a strong journaler.

Pick something manageable that you think you can actually do each day. Set aside half of your lunch break to freewrite on what you saw on the drive in that morning. Force yourself to take a walk for twenty minutes and scratch down everything that passes you by. You can even challenge yourself to eavesdrop on at least one conversation between strangers a day; we won't tell on you.

3. Try something new.

Journaling doesn't have to be your typical "Dear Diary" experience. In class, Kate Greenstreet mentioned a rather unusual method of journaling: creating an ongoing document (what she calls The Epic). Here's the jist: write down things that jump out from your day, as aforementioned, and randomly plug in sentences into your Epic. Eventually, go back in and see what phrases and juxtapositions become "sparkly spots", and voila, you've got all the workings of a new poem.

Another interesting way to journal is to look back at your past. Lia Purpura recommends utilizing found journals--old grocery lists, journals from past years, your checkbook history, etc--to reorient yourself with part of your life. Using these found journals, you should be able to learn something about yourself or take a clear look at the themes of your past, all of which can lead to some pretty fantastic freewriting.

Finally, Robert Haas discusses experimenting with the various "units" of poetry: 1 line, 2 lines, 3 lines, and 4. Of all his discussion, my favorite ideas of his had to do with 2 lines at a time. As you journal, try either writing a question and supplying it with an answer, or try the reverse. In this free association question-and-answer exercise, you'll open yourself up to interesting images and phrases. Writing a question a day is a simple way to get into the habit of journaling.

(Again, I can't say it enough- go check out the How Writers Write Poetry class and absorb all of their wisdom in its fullest form. Do it now!)

4. Keep it consistent.

After you've taken the time to experiment and find what works for you, don't stop! Whatever makes it easiest for you to journal every day, keep doing it. Set alarms to remind yourself to write. Get an accountability poetry buddy to keep you writing. Find an exercise that really inspires you so that you're excited to go back to your notebook every day. No matter what you do, just keep doing it. You'll have more fodder for your poetry--and inevitably, improve as a writer on the whole--before you know it. And remember, it's OK if your journal only makes sense to you:

A look inside our creative process. #writing #poetry #moleskin

A photo posted by Floodmark (@floodmark.poetry) on Feb 6, 2015 at 11:12am PST

Now, go ahead and get journaling!