7 Reasons Writers Should Keep A Journal

You may think you do plenty of writing: poems, short stories, personal essays, or chapters for your book. With all that time spent working on your projects, writing in a journal might seem like an unnecessary additional task. But the experts know that jotting down notes, thoughts, and inspiration in a journal can help improve your creative writing. Here are 7 reasons writers should keep a journal.

Reasons Why Writers Should Keep A Journal

Note the details of your day. Details will help bring your memories to life. What were you wearing — a soft sweatshirt, or too-tight new shoes? What fruit was on display in the grocery store today? Did you smell soup or cinnamon when you walked past the restaurant? Use all your senses when writing descriptions for your journal. Later, you can use these descriptions to make your writing more vivid for readers.

Capture ideas. Writers are always on the lookout for new ideas and inspiration. You might notice an ornate birdbath in your neighbor’s yard that brings to mind ideas for a poem about a goldfinch, or overhear a conversation in a café that inspires the opening scene of a short story. And who did the blue mittens in the Lost and Found box belong to? When you’re looking for writing prompts or a new direction, the ideas noted in your journal offer options to explore further.

Reflect on memories. Your journal entries about your memories can be as short as a few words or as long as you want. When you write about a memory, be sure to include the time of day, weather, and year. The memories you journal about can be small or significant. You can recall the jokes told by a funny coworker, or the last time you had coffee with your high school best friend. Or perhaps you may choose to write about something more momentous: the day your child was born, your wedding day, or the moment you met the love of your life.

Track your writing achievements. Use your journal to give yourself an occasional pat on the back and a much-deserved compliment! Maybe you’re unpublished, so you have trouble considering yourself a “real writer.” But even published writers can have moments of self-doubt. You can banish impostor syndrome by making a list of your writing accomplishments in your journal. Of course, publications…