HOW JOURNALING MAKES YOU A BETTER WRITER

Journaling is simply the act of informal writing as a regular practice.

There are no set rules. You do not have to do it every day. You can choose to type on your computer, tablet or phone, write by hand, or forego writing altogether and record a voice journal. The main point is to express yourself spontaneously. And that is why it is informal.

With journaling, you are not under any pressure. You write in the mental ambience that comes naturally to you.

Ironically, this is how writing should be. The more you journal, the better you get at writing.

However, a lot of times, we pass up on journaling because it does not seem like the ‘actual writing.’ But journaling holds more benefits than you know!

Here’s why you should try it.

Journaling forces you to practise the act and art of writing.

Remember that to earn the writer’s badge, you need to do it - Write! With journaling, you are writing in a relaxed setting; which translates to you practising the act of writing! Simply put, you get to develop a consistent writing practice.

Journaling enables you to break through writer’s block.

Facing a blank page is one of the hardest things for a writer. However, with a journaling routine, you can combat writer’s block by writing regardless, because the natural ambience created in your subconscious already sets your writing tone. By journaling regularly, new writers unknowingly tackle this monster head-on, demystify the writing process through practice, and keep their creative juices flowing.

Journaling provides a springboard to build on new ideas.

You can create and record ideas for other writing projects. It can be a platform to help keep track of your thoughts, which you can expand on or revisit later.

Journaling helps you practice expressive writing without pressure.

Journals give you a place to jot down whatever half-formed, unpolished ideas occur to you at the moment. There’s no pressure to reread or edit every word. And this is all you need to write!

Journaling helps with authenticity.

In a world where everyone is trying to conform to external expectations, finding your authentic self, even in writing, is important. The freedom that comes with journaling helps you explore the reality of who you are, discover the genre that best fits you, identify themes that appeal naturally to you, and ultimately, find your unique voice!

Journaling does all this and more. Build the journaling habit. You can learn more about this in the Authors Write-It-Now course.