Greetings fellow writers. I seem to have the unfortunate trouble of starting a journal and after two or three pages I tend to give it up. I want to use it as an outlet, (not really a confessional) a place to record events, thoughts, conversations, streams of consciousness...The problem is, I always seem to write in it as if I were writing FOR someone else to read. Not that I want anyone to read it, It's just something I seem to do. (focusing on the way i word things, the grammar...etc..) When I want to just get the ideas out. For instance, I will write a page, and be very unhappy with it, which usually finds it's way into the recycling pile. *sigh* I know that if I dont write on a regular basis, there is no where to grow or to learn. It is all a very frustrating cycle. Does anyone have this same problem?! Or is there any suggestions that I can learn to overcome this?! (it is very discouraging).
Write every day. It doesn't matter if all you write is, "I have nothing to say." That's something at least. Sometimes if I have nothing to say I'll just write the day's high and low temperatures. Don't judge what you write in your journal. Just write and walk away. I seldom bother to read my journals, especially the recent stuff. I know what I wrote. I'd get annoyed, too, if I critiqued my journal entries. Once in a great while I'll flip through my old notebooks to reminisce. Just pour out whatever you have to say and don't worry about grammar or flow or logic or anything. Just dump it out. I don't think there's anything wrong with writing in your journal like it's for someone else. I wouldn't always do that, but it's cool to do. I like to write to my future self or when I'm feeling egotistical I'll write for the future scholars and fans of my work. Hope that helps.
Hey thank you very much. that does help. I think the problem exists a lot because i have to go back and read it and try to perfect it. then again we are our own worst critics. my writing prof. has also tried to divert me from this mind set i have to 'write for the reader' in my journal...not all that good, considering it's a place to just release things, for ideas, not really the best writing ever. I think i should just write, and force myself not to read it until i'm thick into the pages, may help get myself into that writing state of mind.
Just write, fill a notebook a month, no limits on quality. Completely loose control of your writing, don't worry about quality of grammar, spelling, punctuation, quality of material. Don't worry about what people might think, for the stuff you don't like, no-one has to read it. The reason I encourage people to forget quality is because the mind has an amazing ability to create its own beauty. If you write continuously then a) something beautiful is bound to be there somewhere [and trust me, it's not lurking there, it's sitting there screaming "HELLO, I'M HERE. YOUR INSPIRATION, THE BEAUTIFUL DREAM YOU'VE HAD, THE BEST POEM/PROSE IN THE WORLD!"]. b) your exercising creative mind will rease it's beauty manifestor, you just need to defragment your brain drive a bit first. This again comes with just writing ALOT. Blessings Sebbi
Thank you very much. That helps me a lot. I am trying to resist the urge to rip things out of my notebook!
Another good thing to do is to write lyrics from a song and explain how it relates to you at the moment
one of my workshop instructors used to make my class write continuously for 5 minutes without putting our pens down. we weren't aloud to stop and think, or think of what to write ahead of time. it was very spontaneous, and it helped me a lot when i started my own journal a few months ago. i also find it helps to incorporate visual aids. i try to make my writing more appealing to the eye by writing in charcol instead, or using different materials. it helps me to focus less on the quality of the writing that way it lets raw emotion come out. it also enhances whatever i'm writing so i don't end up totally hating it afterwards.. :sunglasse
OoOoooOo I *really* like that idea...focusing on more of the visual, i'm an artist anywho, perhaps incorporating art with writing would keep me from throwing out my pages! lol thank you!
yeah trixie i have the very same problem. i sit down with my journal and stare at the bank page. i have tried writing continuously, but not for a whlie. physicalxgraffiti that IS a very good idea. might try that... also, trixie, there's a book (i dont know where abouts you're from, but its from an Australian author)... i think it's called Journal Writing or something, by Stephanie Dowrick. it's a very pretty book with tips on writing a journal you're proud of. and it's got pretty paper in it and space for you to write. i'm sure there are other books just like it around.
I should check that book out. I'm in Canada btw. Thanks for the info It's good to know that someone can relate and understand the frustrations i have while *attempting* to write. Hope it works out better for you as well, Defence. I think it also doesnt work because i sit down and TRY to write, maybe there's some sort of subconscious pressure i feel that gives me a block. Maybe if i brought my journal with me and wrote when i got the ideas, instead of trying to force them...
i have been keeping a journal for about two and a half years now. how did i get started? "Today i did blah blah with blah blah it was blah blah....." literally a diary of events. just to get writing. after a while i kinda got the hang of expressing thoughts on paper as opposed to just this ramble of my day to day life. now i usually write something, ANYthing, everyday...and its usually pretty cryptic and intricate and from the deepest depths of my weirdo mind. it definitely helps to unscramble the mess within. like people have said before, just write and write. fill up as many notebooks as you can with utter crap to get the feel of writing and to vent it all. dont judge what you've written. try not to tear it out. i wrote about 20 pages in one sitting the other day. "just to fucking write." dont worry if it comes out like you're writing for someone else. who the hell cares?! you're only writing it for yourself, and you shouldnt feel like you have to impress yourself. i seem to come out with alot of bitty lyrics and stuff in my life distilled into crappy poetry lately. sometimes i'll just write out the lyrics of music i'm listening to at the time, to get the pen moving. this was probably all verbal garbage and of no use, but there ya go anyway. it will get easier and smoother. there's nothing scarier than a blank page. but there's nothing more exciting than having ideas and words to fill it. oooh. maybe i'll be quoted on that one day. hehehehe. good luck, let us know how you get on . it'll be interesting to know. XX
I have the same problem. I've started several on various occassions believing that if i had something specific to focus on i would be able to focus on school work. It didn't work. However, it did provide me of several hilarious windows into different periods of the last few years, including the first time i got drunk, and the time i 'stalked' a couple of policement with my friend. As for an outlet, i find playing and listening to music good. Maybe you should try that.
Thank You... I am usually trying to write in the wee hours of the night...i call them the 'morning sillies'...and my thoughts seem to be a lot more easy to express through words...it's quite entertaining actually, especially looking back at my dreams, and the diluted ideas that i tend to come accross as my mind wanders all over the page...or sometimes i'll just make up characters, and write random blurbs about them..., or about something i've seen in the day..., how it's affected me. and what not...i usually exaggerate it...and transform it into something more fictional, writing is writing i suppose... ...someone will quote you on that fizzy, that's a profound statement. rawk on!
