How many blank books can one writer own? Find out, as I explore my past books and journals in a quest to remember how to write about things that actually interest me, while forging a deeper relationship with my writing.
So good to know that I'm not the only one who struggles with what to journal about. But I think I may have found something that might work - for me anyway, your milage may vary. I've been journaling about my WIPs. Two in particular. My mystery "Body In The Bush", which is a little Scarpetta mixed with a dash of Three Pines, with a pinch of Northern Exposure, has been a lot of fun to write. Now that it is in the editing stage, it seems to have stalled while my mind is taken over with a fantasy tale of intrigue and rebellion, and dragons returning from legend. I can't settle on a title. Everything I think is good has already been used a hundred times. Anyway, I journal about my WIP (works-in-progress) my characters, their motivations and backstories and so on. It helps me to understand them better, and why they make the decisions they do.
I might start sharing those journal entries in my Enchanted Life newsletter. What do you think?
I hope you find something that moves you to fill some of your empty ones.
Oh, I have done plenty of journaling about my WIPs, to be sure, and even shared such noodling online way back in my LiveJournal days. But then I get annoyed with myself for writing about what I'm writing, instead of actually writing it! I let my inner editor win in SO many ways. I am sure if my effort to instill a daily journaling habit is successful, some of that will be about the WIP, but I will probably not share my any of that here. Some combination of self-consciousness and protectiveness warns me that it wouldn't be a good idea for me, at this point in my journey. But if you decide to do so, I hope it is fruitful for both your newsletter and your novels!
I have a collection of journals and notebooks that I haven’t used much - it took me years to figure out that the lines/ ruled pages triggered some old perfectionism. I switched to dot grid journals and sketch books, and I made some progress but not much. Now I journal only on Notes on the phone, and use a notebook planner to plan my writing for the week.
So good to know that I'm not the only one who struggles with what to journal about. But I think I may have found something that might work - for me anyway, your milage may vary. I've been journaling about my WIPs. Two in particular. My mystery "Body In The Bush", which is a little Scarpetta mixed with a dash of Three Pines, with a pinch of Northern Exposure, has been a lot of fun to write. Now that it is in the editing stage, it seems to have stalled while my mind is taken over with a fantasy tale of intrigue and rebellion, and dragons returning from legend. I can't settle on a title. Everything I think is good has already been used a hundred times. Anyway, I journal about my WIP (works-in-progress) my characters, their motivations and backstories and so on. It helps me to understand them better, and why they make the decisions they do.
I might start sharing those journal entries in my Enchanted Life newsletter. What do you think?
I hope you find something that moves you to fill some of your empty ones.
Oh, I have done plenty of journaling about my WIPs, to be sure, and even shared such noodling online way back in my LiveJournal days. But then I get annoyed with myself for writing about what I'm writing, instead of actually writing it! I let my inner editor win in SO many ways. I am sure if my effort to instill a daily journaling habit is successful, some of that will be about the WIP, but I will probably not share my any of that here. Some combination of self-consciousness and protectiveness warns me that it wouldn't be a good idea for me, at this point in my journey. But if you decide to do so, I hope it is fruitful for both your newsletter and your novels!
I have a collection of journals and notebooks that I haven’t used much - it took me years to figure out that the lines/ ruled pages triggered some old perfectionism. I switched to dot grid journals and sketch books, and I made some progress but not much. Now I journal only on Notes on the phone, and use a notebook planner to plan my writing for the week.
I love that we have so many options available. Each person can find the tool that works best for them. And your absolutely right about the lines!