Journaling Keeps The Juices Flowing

Do you keep a journal, or at least try to keep one? For many, it was that secret journal, perhaps a spiral-bound notebook tucked among our school books, that gave us our start as writers. Later, we graduated to beautiful bound books, and perhaps the purpose changed so that we focused more on the how and less on the what.

Most writers, it seems, at least make an effort to write down their innermost thoughts on a daily basis. We don't always succeed, and some give up on the effort. But journals are a valuable tool for writers. They help to keep us on track, give us the freedom to write for ourselves rather than an audience, give us a measure of control over our muse.

What exactly is a journal? For some, it's just a place to clear out the mind at the end of the day. At times, I use my own journal as a mental garbage dump. You might use yours -- as I try to do -- as daily writing practice. But a journal can be much more. It can be a repository for dreams and story ideas, augmented by sketches, newspaper clippings and colorful bits of artwork.

Some of the best books for a writer's journal are: Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind. Goldberg has a brand new book out, Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft, which I'll review after I've had a chance to absorb it. Goldberg's books are designed to be opened at random when you're stuck for an idea. Read a chapter or two, then try some of her suggestions for jumping-off points.

I also like The New Diary by Tristine Rainer, a classic guide to the art of the journal. Of particular interest to writers is the chapter on Overcoming Writing Blocks. Rainer details techniques for overcoming the dreaded Inner Critique.

One technique Rainer suggests is get your writing block to speak to you in a dialogue. "Once a block has been made to expose itself, it seems to lose much of its power," Rainer writes. Other techniques include writing your fear and making a deal with your block. You'll also find techiques for taming the inner censor.

The chapters on special journal tools and using the journal to transform personal problems are also very useful, and will stimulate your writing in very positive directions.

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