My name's Jenn and I'm trying to get into the habit of starting a journal.  The
problem is that I can't seem to do it every day or every week or really on any
sort of consistent basis.  I keep trying, but I just can't seem to do it.  As
Shel said, keeping a journal is an essential skill for a writer to have and
since most of my stories are based on life experience right now, I know I need
to do it.

Any thoughts on how to get started?

-Jenn

"Progress always involves risk. You can't steal second base and keep your foot
on first."
--Frederick B. Wilcox

"If you want to arrive, you'd better start out."
--Ella Patterson

Nice to meet you Shel -

I have done diarys as a kid, and some journaling here and there. but im going
through some emotional stuff right now, and someone suggested journaling....

but i cant just sit down at a blank computer screen, and/or white page of
paper and write....need a focus...thats where i get stumped.

Nice to meet you too!
Cathy

T Franco wrote:

> From: T Franco <tsfranco@...>
>
> Hi Cathy,
>
> My name is Shel, and I too am knew to the list.
>
> I have been journaling since high school.  Before that, I faithfully kept
> charge of my life in a locked diary.  I have made since of many tragedies
> and immortalized many joyous occasions by keeping journals.
>
> Nowadays, writing is my career.  I find that I need journaling even more.
>  Some of my greatest inspirations begin as daily journal scribble.
>
> Glad to meet you...
> Shel
> ___________________________________________________________________
> Get the Internet just the way you want it.
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Cathy,

My name is Shel, and I too am knew to the list.

I have been journaling since high school.  Before that, I faithfully kept
charge of my life in a locked diary.  I have made since of many tragedies
and immortalized many joyous occasions by keeping journals.

Nowadays, writing is my career.  I find that I need journaling even more.
  Some of my greatest inspirations begin as daily journal scribble.

Glad to meet you...
Shel
___________________________________________________________________
Get the Internet just the way you want it.
Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month!
Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

Hi! My name is Cathy...
Im new to journal writing....but i have loved to write poetry in the past.....
having troubles getting started...
Hope to get to know all of you better!
Cathy

journal-writing-owner@onelist.com wrote:

> Welcome to the Journal-Writing list.  All types of journal-ers are welcome,
but
> please introduce yourself so we can get to know you!

Mindy,
Take heart... it took me 3 years to write my first novel, and there were
many times I stalled along the way.  Yours will come.  They seem to have
a time schedule all their own that won't be forced.  I write suspenses
novels. I've tried writing other genres but it always turns into a
suspense, so I guess that's my calling.
:-)
Cindy
p.s.  Don't you think it's cute?  Cindy/Mindy... Mindy/Cindy?  My full
name is Cynthia...does that mean your full name is Mynthia?  Sorry, I
couldn't resist?
:-)

Mindy Hart wrote:
>

> Welcome Cindy!  What kind of novels do you write.  I must say that I am an
> *aspiring* novelist, but having trouble giving birth to my first!
>
> -Mindy
> mhart@...
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
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> Stage & Screen(tm) is the book club for you! Get 4 books for only $1 + 1
> free with membership! Go to http://www.onelist.com/ad/doubleday11
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

--
----------------------------------------
"Life isn't about finding yourself.  Life is about creating yourself."
--George Bernard Shaw

Writingstars' Home Page
http://members.tripod.com/~writingstars/index.html

Forest Raven Art Studio
http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/kennr/shellake/rigmor/index.html

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----------------------------------------

At 10:52 PM 7/23/99 -0500, you wrote:
>From: Cindy Clarke <cindyc@...>
>
>Hello,
>I am Cindy Clarke.  I live and work in Alberta, Canada and have been
>writing for most of my life.  I divide my writing time between working
>on my latest novel and writing in my journal.  Some of the journal
>writing inevitably transforms itself into poetry, but that is rarely my
>intention when I'm writing.  I look forward to meeting everybody and
>reading your stuff.
>Cindy

Welcome Cindy!  What kind of novels do you write.  I must say that I am an
*aspiring* novelist, but having trouble giving birth to my first!

-Mindy
mhart@...

Hello,
I am Cindy Clarke.  I live and work in Alberta, Canada and have been
writing for most of my life.  I divide my writing time between working
on my latest novel and writing in my journal.  Some of the journal
writing inevitably transforms itself into poetry, but that is rarely my
intention when I'm writing.  I look forward to meeting everybody and
reading your stuff.
Cindy

journal-writing-owner@onelist.com wrote:
>
> Welcome to the Journal-Writing list.  All types of journal-ers are welcome,
but
> please introduce yourself so we can get to know you!

--
----------------------------------------
"Life isn't about finding yourself.  Life is about creating yourself."
--George Bernard Shaw

Writingstars' Home Page
http://members.tripod.com/~writingstars/index.html

Forest Raven Art Studio
http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/kennr/shellake/rigmor/index.html

Midwest Tourism
http://www.midwesttourism.com/
----------------------------------------

Hi I'm Annie
I want to be journaling and have at times kept one.  Hoping for ideas
and the celebration of my life.  I live alone with 3 wonderful cats.


--- journal-writing-owner@onelist.com wrote:
> Welcome to the Journal-Writing list.  All types of
> journal-ers are welcome, but
> please introduce yourself so we can get to know you!
>

===
If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.

[This message contained attachments]

My name is Mindy Hart and I started this oh-so-active mailing list (ha!).
The truth is that I've always been a feast or famine writer.  I could go
for short periods of time writing quite a lot each day and then go for
months without writing anything more.

I just finished a short writing course and one of the exercise we did
(which I am continuing past the end of the course)was a 15 minutes of daily
writing.  I've found that if I write for exactly 15 minutes--no more, no
less--I'm far more successful in establishing a regular habit.

Anyway, I use my journal to basically think out my day and sort issues out.
  So far, I haven't gone back and read what I've previously written.  I
haven't been able to decide if this is a good idea or not.

-Mindy
mhart@...

My name is Bronwyn, I am 37 married and mom to four outragous boys (7-17).  I
never lack for a topic.

One thing I have been thinking about lately is that in the course of our writing
(and photography, another fave of mine) don't forget
the every day stuff.   I mean I tend to get caught up in feelings and forget
stuff like "the scotch broom are in bloom, they seem to be a brighter shade of
yellow every year" or "I saw this old Galaxie 500 today and it reminded me of my
first car that I bought for $200".   I have a book about memory triggers that is
pretty good.  It is by Bob Wendengler or something like that.

Goodbye for now.

Hi, my name is Caresse and I am 26 years old, from Atlanta, Georgia.
Journal writing is very new to me. In fact, I have never kept one before
and sort of don't know how to start. But I want to be a writer and I
have heard over and over again how all the really great writers kept a
journal to store their thoughts and feelings in.

Hopefully I can learn what I need to know to give my own "Dear Diary"
the push it needs to get started.

Caresse M.

Hi-lo, everyone. My pen name is Tygress. My husband and I live in MN with
our 8 mo old son, Nicholas. I have been fascinated with writing since I read
my first book at the age of two. My mother and brother are both wonderful
storytellers. I generally use writing as a way to
work out my feelings. Journaling is an excellent way to learn about yourself,
work out "brain drain", or take out the mental trash.  I am an extremely
emotional person, so writing is my link to sanity. I'm here to learn and grow
and experience.

Tygress


____________________________________________________________________
Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.amexmail.com/?A=1

Hi, to all of you.  I introduced myself maybe a couple of months ago.  My name
is Valencia.  I am 47 years old, I live in Cleveland, and I have been journal
writing since I was 11 years old.
I felt that I had no place to turn to tody.
I have also been battline chronic depression
since childhood, I also am a certified journal writing instructor through KayA.

What a hoot!  I could write a book about childhood, and what a child thinks
about when they are tormented or feel unconnected, although birth certificates,
and photo albums say otherwise.
This hole is familiar to me, I have been here many times--but today, is
different, somehow,
I'm not sure
Is anybody out there?  please call
I'm in trouble

Hi I'm new to the list but it sounds perfect to me.  I've been drawn to journal
writing and jealous of people who find it easy but never write much or stick to
it myself.  Everyone says how good keeping a journal is for a person so I'd like
to find out some good ideas.  Thanks Peggy

Hi, my name is Becky and I'm 33 years old, Christian,
married with no kids yet.

I like to write but have no inclinations to write
professionally or for profit or publication!  I'm
sorta new to the idea of journalling.  I've kept
diaries and what I call journals but I'd like to write
just about things, not just what I did today!

I hope to get to know you all!



===
Becky

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/5114/organization.htm

``Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be
beautiful." - William Morris (1834 - 1896)
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

I am a 20 year old college student who just got back into personal journaling
after a long writer's block. I am looking for ideas and such to help me get back
into the swing of things.

Jenny


On 20 Apr 1999 23:08:57 -0000 journal-writing-owner@onelist.com wrote:
>Welcome to the Journal-Writing list.  All types of journal-ers are welcome, but
>please introduce yourself so we can get to know you!
>

SignUp for you free CentraPoint e-mail account at http://www.centrapoint.com

Hi, my name is Valencia, and I have journaling
since I was 11 yrs; It has improved greatly
the past 4 yrs when I began studying bibliotherapy

I thought that I would like to write and let others critique me
God bless

Oh there is one more thing I wanted to bring up.. there are 7 of us on this list
and I think it would be really helpful if we all posted what we are looking for
in it.  I want a place to share exercises, not post the results and get
critiques, there are tons of lists for that and I just don’t have time for it..
I want  a place where I can come and ask… ok which sentence sounds better.. or
how do you feel when you have writers block and how do you get over it?  How do
you pick your characters?

I want a place to discuss writing issues and such I guess… I am not the
moderator of this list.. I just think if you all let me know what you are
looking for I can work on getting better exercises out there for you or things
like that.

Thanks for putting up with me

Carrie H.

Ok Now I am going to introduce you to a book called “Journal to the Self” by
Kathleen Adams.
Pages 29-43 she talks about suggestions for satisfying journal writing.. here
they are
1) start with an entrance meditation
2) Date every entry
3) Keep what you write
4) Write quickly, and don’t worry about penmanship
5) Start writing, keep writing
6) Tell the complete truth faster
7) Protect your privacy
8) Write naturally.

If you look at these with Natalie Goldberg’s suggestions, I think they
compliment each other quite well.  I try to keep both in mind while I write.  I
agree that everything you write, no matter how bad or good, should be kept and
dated.  I know sometimes it helps me to start writing by just sitting and
relaxing and letting my thoughts go or trying some meditation techniques.

Pages 56-60 Kathleen talks about “Journals to Go”: 19 ways to write for under 15
minutes each.
1) Keep a one-year diary
2) In the evening, write one adjective describing your day in your calendar
3) Best thing / worst thing springboards are great for the one-year diary [I’ll
get to springboards after this list]
4) Pick a theme word for a week or a month
5) Find a moment from your day to capture in poetry or prose
6) Set the kitchen timer for 15 minutes
7) Write a description of a stranger
8) Jot down 1 liners of philosophy, absurdity, or spiritual revelation that
wander through your mind.
9) Write a list of “10 things I want off my list by tomorrow”
10) Write a win list of anything at all that went right during the day.
11) Record a fantasy
12) Write your journal on 3x5 index cards
13) Write a memorandum of the day in your business appointment book
14) Write a postcard, send it to yourself
15) Draw a picture of your present moment
16) “Flow-write”  for ten minutes
17) Thumb through an old magazine until a picture “sings” to you.  Cut it out
and glue it in your journal and write about it.
18) Doodle a picture
19) Write a prayer

From page 73-78 she tells us about Springboards I am just going to summarize
this part in a bit of point form and such…

-2 types 1) statements 2) questions (i.e.) my mother is diving me nuts vs. why
is my mother driving me nuts?
-a springboard starts your writing
-you can use quotations as springboards
-keep it short and simple (tell the complete truth faster)
-To help you start – keep a list of springboards on one page of your journal
-Samples 1) today I feel _____ years old.  2) I am excited about… 3)3 things I
want to accomplish(today, this week, this year, in my lifetime) are … 4) where
an I in the movement of my (career, life, business, relationship etc..) 5)
What’s the most important thing to do right now?  6) My ideal work environment
would include… 7) How an I feeling right now? 8)The most important skill I have
for ____ is… 9) what resources are available to me? 10) how can I best use my
resources? 11) what I value most in my relations with _____ is… 12) How do I
feel about ___? 13) I’m happiest when… 14) What turns me on? 15) what turns me
off?  16) I’m proud of myself for… 17) How am I using my power? 18) I’m alone,
and it’s … 19) Today was a _____ day… 20) why am I feeling so _____? 21) what do
I really want?  22) how am I experiencing (joy, indecision, rage etc…)? 23) My
biggest (secret, fear, with etc…) is…

Ok now you should be ok for the week, I should hope…

Carrie H.

Well Boys and Girls here are a bunch of writing exercises that should keep you
going for some time.. I should hope.. or at least make a good start.  I have a
binder just for writing exercises, I think this is a good idea to start for
yourselves, keep any writing exercises you find, pictures or poems or articles
that evoke a great deal of emotion, anything that could inspire you out of
writers block.

The first group of exercises I want to share with you are from “Writing Down the
Bones” by one of my heroes Natalie Goldberg.  This is one of two books by her I
have read everyone that I know that likes her work prefers this book but to be
honest I happen to like another book of hers better called “Wild Mind”

First here are the “Rules for Timed Writing” She refers to these in both of her
books and I think they are a great starting point to keep in mind.
Chapter Title – “First Thoughts” Page 8 “Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie G.
Rules for Timed writing
1) Keep your hand moving
2) Don’t cross out
3) Don’t’ worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar
4) Lose Control
5) Don’t think.  Don’t get logical.
6) Go for the Jugular.

Now on to another chapter called “A List of Topics for Writing Practice” From
the same book
1) Tell about  the quality of light coming in through your window.
2) Begin with “I remember”
3) Take something you feel strongly about and write as if you love it.  Then
write as if you hate it.  Then write neutrally about it.
4) Choose a color and go for a 15 minute walk.  Notice all the things that are
that color.  Write about it for 15 minutes.
5) Write in a different place.  Write about what is going on around you.
6) Give me your morning; slow down and use details.
7) Visualize a place you love and write about it write as if you were there…
think about the colors, smells, sounds etc.
8) Write about leaving
9) What is your first memory
10) Who are the people you have loved
11) Write about the streets of your city
12) Describe a grandparent
13) Write about: swimming, the stars, the most frightened you’ve ever been,
green places, how you learned about sex, your first sexual experience, the
closest you ever felt to God or nature, reading and books that have changed your
life, physical endurance, or a teacher you had.  Don’t be abstract.  Write the
real stuff. Be honest and detailed.
14) Take a poetry book.  Open to any page, grab a line, write it down, and
continue from there.  If you get stuck, just rewrite your first line and keep
going.
15) What kind of animal are you?

In both of her books she talks about the Sweetheart and the Editor inside each
of us.  Your sweetheart is basically your creative side and your editor is the
side that tells you that that sounded dumb and criticizes your work,  In her
book “Wild Mind” on page 56-57 she talks about these two characters.  That
chapters exercise it a suggested 10 minute one.
	 “Develop your sweetheart.  Give it shape, sex being, and let it write without
letting the editor side speak.  The sweetheart is the positive thought – honest,
positive thought.  The compliments that the editor in you discredits.”

I know that for myself I have this little angel and devil on my shoulders as I
write and I think maybe getting to know them might help to figure out how to
bring one out and leave the other behind.  So find these two in yourself and
figure out who they are.  What do they look like, what are their favorite
foods.. bring them to life.  Or maybe they already live?  Do you see your editor
as a Jack Nicholson and your sweetheart as a Jim Carey?  Or is the editor the
voice of your mother (mine is) while the sweetheart is your best friend or maybe
your dog or goldfish even.  No one can tell you that you are wrong about who
either of these people within yourself are, but maybe you should get to know
them.

Ok, I think that is a good start for Natalie G.  I am just going to post this
and then type up some stuff from another book.

Good luck

Love: Carrie H.

I am writing this as I go so please forgive any mistakes or anything.  I write
to help myself.  To enhance my happiness, figure out my confusions, and to
attempt to realive sadness.  I write to sort out my thoughts, and to start new
ones.  I write because I am bored, or because I have this thing attacking me, a
thought or idea that just runs over and over until I get it onto paper so it can
stop haunting me.

I write because blank paper looks lonely, I hate being lonely.  I write because
it keeps my secrets and rarely talks back to me.

I could go on about why I write but right now I am going to sign off for now and
hit some of my notes from journalling books and try to get a few posts together
with exercises on them, for the week.

Thanks for your post carol Lisa, I will look for exercises that will help you to
advance the positive more often and in fact get to know the real you deep down.

And to Lisa I will try to find something that will help you to sort ideas out of
the fog (and belive me I understand the fog thoughts.. sometimes that fog seems
so thick, but we have to make it a fog dense with ideas.. instead of dense with
confusions!!)

Have a great day boys and girls and I will post more later!

Love: Carrie H.

I am a Mom, who has been writing my thoughts and feelings forever. I
have let it go by the wayside lately, because there have been no major
problems in my life lately.

     I miss the putting of pen to paper at night, and want to start
journaling on a positive note.

     My journals got me through some really tough times and helped me learn
some important things about myself, and helped me to change. I am searching
to become more in touch with myself, and to be able to put to paper and
words feeling that I have.

     When life was tough it was very easy to do, I spent alot of time
complaining, but I want to leave something behind besides my bitching and
complaining, and I am hoping that this list will help spark ideas, and help
me to get to know myself even better.

Carol Lisa
carnouts@...
http://.pages.hotbot.com/family/carnouts

Hi,

I just joined yesterday.  I'll try to answer your question just to get
started.  Why do I write?  Umm, I write just to keep my mind fresh
and clear, especially when I go to talk to people and they ask me
questions about what's up with me or whatever.  Also, writing
helps me get my mind going and then when I meet people, I'm able
to initiate the conversations and talk about anything that seems to
be appropriate for the situation at the moment.  I tend to think too
much and be in such a fog so writing helps to dissipate the fog a
bit.

Looking forward to reading the posts in this list.  :)

Lisa R-R

Ok I didn't have time to write last night, nor bring anything to type in from
work so, lets look at a very general question,... why do you write?  If you want
to post your writings about this one, I would.  Maybe we can all learn from
eachothers reasons for writing.

The word write .. to me.. has so many meanings and feelings and emotions.. when
I have nothing to write about.. I write about writing..  It works for me!

Where does everyone else want his list to go, I will have more ideas then.. if I
know where to head..

Thanks;
Carrie H.

Hi there it's Carrie again.. How long have I been journalling is a bit of a
diffiuclt question to ansswer.. I have been writing for as long as I can
remember but only keeping everything since about grade 9 maybe 10.  So I guess I
haveonly been journalling since about grade 9/10.  I did diary entries and such
before that but I think part of journalling is keeping the things you write.

Anyway, I am working on my first exercises list for you all.. who ever out there
that is listening.  I am hoping to be able to get to it tonight (I am at work
now and can't exactly pull out my writing books)

So I will hopefully get a chance to write you all later this evening .. it is
only 1pm my time so I don't where you are or when you'll get it.

Have a great day
Carrie H.

Hi Carrie--

It's great to know that there are other people on this list!  Ha!

>Natalie Goldberg is my hero (in a way) even if I am not sure if I spelled
>her name right.  She wrote "Writing Down the Bones" and the sequel to that
>book, which I prefer out of the two of them personally.


You know, I have "Writing Down the Bones" in my room and I have yet to read
it.  I am planning to take some writing classes this summer for fun, and I
know that is required for a few of them.

Since you obviously give it your stamp of approval, I'll start on it this
weekend.

I also have "Bird by Bird" by Annie LaMott, which I've heard is quite good
(although I haven't read that either!).

Here is a question for you....how old were you when you started keeping a
journal?

This is rather embarrasing, but I've only recently started (I'm twenty
-five...think about it, a quarter of a century gone unrecorded!).

-Mindy
***********************
Mindy Hart
Administrative Coordinator
Department of Biology
5 Cummington Street
Boston, MA 02215
617/353-3856
***********************

Hi there.. I have just subscribed to this and am hoping that it can become what
the description says.  It says that we have four people out there.. 4 writers is
a  pretty good start to getting some great journal techniques and ideas out
there.

I personally love writing and reading.  I am reading about 3 journal idea and
creativity books right now and will share as much with you as possible.

Natalie Goldberg is my hero (in a way) even if I am not sure if I spelled her
name right.  She wrote "Writing Down the Bones" and the sequel to that book,
which I prefer out of the two of them personally.

I am currently working on a book called "Writing the Natural Way" which is ok!

Anyway, Being that I am at work right now I will not keep up this babble.. but I
will leave you with a challenge.  Let's get together a great list with all of
our ideas for how to use journalling and such... There are four of us!

Good Luck,

Carrie H.

Is there anyone on this list besides me?

-Mindy
***********************
Mindy Hart
Administrative Coordinator
Department of Biology
5 Cummington Street
Boston, MA 02215
617/353-3856
***********************