Post #29 – Memoir Writing, Journaling – Amber Starfire
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When you’re new to journal writing, sometimes it’s hard to know what to write about. You come to the page eager to start, but then find yourself sitting and staring at a blank page. You might be thinking, “What do I have to write about?” or “There’s nothing going on in my life.” Thoughts like these and other forms of self-criticism can make you feel stuck.
Back in March of 2010, I wrote about getting stuck and suggested some ways of getting unstuck and moving forward. These include:
- Use a journaling prompt. (Get outside yourself to get inside.)
– - Write about not having anything to write about (seriously, this works!)
– - Describe something you did that morning, or something you’re seeing and/or experiencing in the present moment.
– - Do something meditative for a few minutes: take a walk; finger paint; fold the laundry; watch the plants grow in your yard. When you come back to your journal, you’ll feel renewed, which will allow you to relax into writing.
– - Write about how it feels to be stuck.
Select one of these strategies and then write in your journal for ten minutes without stopping (set a timer if you need to). This technique is also known as “freewriting.” Don’t pause. Write nonsense if you need to, but keep writing. Once you get that pen moving, you’ll find that other things come to mind to write about. Go ahead and let your thoughts wander on the page. If you are inspired to do so, draw. Or turn the page and write in spirals, circles, or diagonal lines. You might as well have fun while you’re writing.
Go ahead, try one of the above. And then leave a comment to let us know what happened.
For more journaling prompts, browse the “Daily Inspiration for Journal Writing,” and the “Journal Writing Sense” posts in the Journaling category or check out the Memoir Writing Prompts category here on WomensMemoirs.com. Also, every Monday I post seven new journaling prompts on WritingThroughLife.com.
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journaling
memoir journaling
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Image credit: Trey Ratcliff
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