A friend asked me the other day for advice on writing. Without hesitation I went right to journaling as a premier tool to help new writers hone their craft.
“Write what you think and feel as though you’re talking to someone you trust,” I told her. “BE HONEST!”
“Ohh – that’s my problem!” she joked. “I’m a LIAR!”
Of course she was kidding but in every joke there is a bit of truth. Creating convincing prose and developing authenticity in characters, settings, and relationships are common challenges faced by new writers.
Personal journal writing can help!
1) Writing about subjects, experiences, and observations that move you will help you translate real human emotion into written language more effectively. “Believability” is crucial in drawing a reader in and maintaining their captive attention. Can the reader effortlessly be transported into the world and minds of the characters? For this to take place the reader must be able to relate on a basic emotional level. This skill can be practiced and improved by journaling about situations personal to you and describing how you feel about them.
2) Exploring variety in your own personal experiences will aid in diversifying the characters in your story, giving them each unique traits that distinguish them easily one from another. Sure, your main character may more or less be your buddy from school and the love interest is really the girl next door who you never had the courage to talk to, but they aren’t writing your story. You are. Therefore for it is up to you the writer to call on your own experience to breathe life into all your characters and still make them unique; be they male or female, young or older, liberal or conservative.
3) Writing descriptively about what you observe in your day-to-day life will help you develop your skills in describing people and places in your stories. Writers, like painters and actors, should be keen observers. Personal journaling about places you’ve been and people you’ve seen or met will improve your ability to add realistic and compelling detail to the appearance and actions of your characters and settings.
Personal journaling makes a difference. Writers like any artist must practice their craft. You can start out by just taking time once or twice a week to write about whatever moves you; perhaps a celebrity scandal that’s caught your attention or simply the hug and kiss your child gave you this morning.
So take a trip to the store and pick out a notebook or journal. Pick the one that seems to call to you or gets your attention so you’ll be more inclined to spend some quality time with it. Even take a moment to pick out a special pen or pack of pencils. Then dive in and start becoming the kind of writer you know you are meant to be.
Happy journaling!
