Experienced Journal Writters, I want to start writting in a journal?

Question

what is the daily limit of writting I should do. I need to collect my thoughts more. I don't want to just write and write.

Any ideas on how to get started?


If you cannot give well thought out answer please don't answer.

I am not looking for "just start writting" type of answers.

Wow all of the answers have been great. Of all the questions i have ever asnwered on Answers these are te best. I guess this is were all the smart people hang out. I'll have and ask questiond more often.

I just wrote for 10 minutes and it felt really good to just write and get my feelings on paper. i guess you do have to just write,but I will do it for 15 minutes a day.

Answer 1

Give yourself 'assignments' to help organize your thoughts and writing -- figure out what your goals are in journaling and set 'assignments' with those in mind. Do you want to document your dreams? Your daily activities? Your thoughts about a certain topic? Free write?

Set aside a certain time each day to journal, like every morning from 7 til 7:30 or something that feels doable and at a good (inspired) time for you. Be sure you have a book and writing implement (or computer, well charged if it's a laptop) and a place to write that are all comfortable and in working order so you aren't distracted by a broken pencil or empty pen or lack of light etc.

A good resource you can probably get at your library is "Writing Down The Bones" by Natalie Goldberg.

Also, if you feel stuck with writing, I recommend sketching or doodling during your journaling time to keep the creative energy flowing.

Answer 2

There isn't any right or wrong way to right a journal. Nor is there any limit on how much you should write. You need to limit yourself. Try starting small, 10 or 15 minutes a day and work your way up from there. Use it to disentangle your thoughts and/or feelings. Come up with a specific goal for your journal. What thoughts are you trying to disentangle or look at? When people say just start writing, it's usually a pretty good place to start, especially if you've had a particularly bad day. Also, I would suggest taking a creative writing class at your local community college. You'd be surprised what you might learn.

Answer 3

Try to write on a specific topic each day. For example, you could choose to write about a specific incident or something that caught your eye that day and how you felt about it. Or, another day you could write about how you're feeling at that very moment, and why you're feeling that way (sad, happy, melancholy, etc).

I generally put a page limit on my entries. For one thing, because I use a pen and journal instead of a computer, my wrist cramps up pretty quickly so I can't write a lot anyway. But you don't want to ramble on or your thoughts won't be cohesive. Keep it to a two page (one piece of paper back and front) limit, OR a ten-minute limit. You'll learn to write the most exact sentences that way, instead of just rambling. (It's especially easy to get carried away if you decide to use a computer and are a fast typer!)

Also, I don't write every day. I generally write at night before bed but only two or three times a week. Decide how often you want to write and try not to let more than a week go between writing dates.

Answer 4

It's hard to know what to tell you, because I use my journal to "collect my thoughts." If I was having to do that beforehand, it would almost be like I was writing a journal on how to write a journal.

However, I'm not one that writes every day. There are times when things are just happening too fast to take time for journaling. I have been known to keep a running list of words and phrases on a piece of scrap piece of paper that I will use later on to help me remember what it was that I wanted to write about. Sometimes the urgency passes before I get to it, and I never do write about that subject. But if I'm busy and never make the note, the thought is usually long gone before I get to my journal.

Answer 5

I like the idea of limiting your journal to one topic. One idea is the "Gratitude Journal". Every day, write down something you are grateful for that occurred that day. Or maybe an "Random Acts of Kindness Journal" where you record something you saw that was an act of kindness toward a stranger. Or "A Funny Thing Happened Journal". Choose a topic you would enjoy writing about regularly. Even birdwatchers keep topical journals like this.

First, describe the event, then how it made you feel. The thing about this kind of a journal is that when you read back later on, it is so uplifting.

These journals are also easier to do because they are focused. They also act to make you more of an observer of the world around you, because you will find yourself looking for little things you might never have noticed before to write about.

Pax - C

Answer 6

I teach a seminar on journaling and here are some of the suggestions I give people:

look at an old family photo you haven't seen for a long time - and write
find a postcard (of anything at all) and write about whatever comes to you
think of big questions and write about your reactions to them (e.g. what are your goals, who is the most influential person in your life, what was your first memory)
write about your dreams and see where that takes you.
pick a word at random out of the dictionary and see where it takes you.

i tell people who are trying to journal for strress relief not to write a diary of events - what they did each day, etc., unless the event was really meaningful to them... if it was particularly stressful or exciting or something.

I also tell people to put a binder clip on the notebook where they have already written so they aren't tempted to look back at what they wrote. people inevitably read what they wrote, feel silly or self-critical, and abandon journaling altogether.

good luck!

Answer 7

I generally go for aesthetics first. I find a wonderful journal that I enjoy looking at, smelling and feeling in my hands. Sound strange? Well, if you like it enough to never want to put it down, and your eyes keep wandering to look at it, chances are that you'll have it with you when you want to pen something.

Start out by writing the events of the day, mundane even. Eventually you'll start responding to what's going on around you; you'll start writing down your opinions and reflections too.

The key though is to write daily. Set aside some time, even just 10-15 minutes at first, and write something. Date, time, place, impression. Gradually you'll find that you'll have something to say.

Answer 8

Look, a journal is just supposed to be random thoughts, for only you to read. You can't put too much thought into it, then its not a journal, its a book.

Answer 9

I like Yahoo Answers the questions prompt the writing its a two way thing it gets out frustrations, etc.

Answer 10

If you want your entries to be focused, try composing them in your head first before typing or writing them out. Figure out exactly what you want to say before you say it.