Journal Writing – Techniques
There are so many choices and techniques for writing in a journal that I am not sure where to start. The technique most people are familiar with is what I call the brain dump or free writing. It is a case of picking up pen or putting hands to keyboard and just letting everything on your mind out. No worries about grammar or spelling just writing and writing until you are done.
For me, mind maps are one of the fastest ways to sort out what is on my mind. As you can see from the example, I have used a mind map to design the content of this blog. It’s a simple thing to do. Put a word into the middle of the page and then just add all the thoughts you have about that central thought. You can add pictures or simple cartoons, whatever works for you.
Lists – who hasn’t made a list? A list of things to do, calls to make, emails to send, the list of lists is endless. In your journal you can change that a bit to things like reasons to find a new job, places you want to go to, even create your bucket list.
There are times when the words we want to say should not be said. When that happens the unsent letter is a good way to go. You simply write a letter in your journal to say all the things you need to get off your chest. Maybe it’s an angry letter to a friend or your boss, maybe a grieving letter to someone who has died, it really doesn’t matter. It is just an opportunity to get all those words burning inside you out on paper safely.
Art journaling is a whole genre of its own. In fact, it has a magazine devoted to it. It is called “Art journaling by Somerset Studio”. It is published by Stampington & Company. They cover it off much better than I could hope to. his is the cover picture of the latest issue.
There are many more techniques you can use, this only highlights a few.
Tomorrow I will be closing off this series with a list of recommended books on the subject of journals and journal writing.
This link is to register for a free journal writing expo in 2014 http://journalingexpo.com/register/