![]() Ideally, you’ll carry it with you everywhere for when inspiration strikes, so pick something light that’s easily slotted into a backpack or purse. You also need to think about where you’ll use your journal: do you plan on keeping it on your bedside table, or in a handbag or backpack? > Read more: How to stop procrastinating for good: a guide for writers Journaling on the move Graph or dotted paper is ideal for planners, as you have guidelines to help you draw charts and link things up. A large, blank notebook works well: plain paper is good for artistic types who like to draw freeform and have neat handwriting, or buy ruled if you need help staying within the lines. If you’re shopping for a journal, it doesn’t matter what you buy, as long as it suits your needs. However you decide to use your journal, it’s important to get into the writing habit.Īdd to it daily, if you can, and schedule some time - just after you wake up or before you go to sleep is ideal - dedicated to noting down ideas, thoughts and plans. You can also use your journal to plot out your stories if you’re a visual thinker - drawing real, squiggly lines between boxes representing your characters and chapters, adding notes and drawings. You also might find writing longhand gives you a different writing voice - this can be useful for when you’re stuck in a project, or need to add extra depth to a scene you might normally rush. > Read more: How to write a short story – 8 expert tips Many authors swear by it, as it’s helped them uncover new ideas, make personal breakthroughs, or just clear their minds for a productive writing day. It helps clear out all the ‘junk’, sweeping your mind clean to allow for breathing space. Gobbledegook, a stream of consciousness, a nonsensical poem… whatever’s in your head. ![]() If you’re in a rut, or want to exercise your writing muscle, set a timer for five minutes and just write anything. Freewritingįreewriting is an excellent way to get the creative juices flowing too. Of course, with such tiny yet comprehensive notes taking care of the shopping list, meetings and everything else a bit boring, this frees up the rest of your journaling for the real fun. This system doesn’t tie you to complex apps to log your day - and it’s readable at a glance. How to ‘journal’Īt the heart of Bullet Journaling is a system Carroll calls ‘rapid logging’: simply write the date at the top of the page, then add short-form notation paired with bullets (little hand-drawn icons) to organise your day.įor instance, a small circle for an event that happened to you, a tiny lightbulb for an idea, an eye to indicate something to research later, or knife and fork for food logging. No mean feat, but an idea that sparked a community of Bullet Journalists all over the world who have improved their lives simply by needing less to write more: all you need to start is a blank notebook. ![]() He created it through trial and error after realising he needed an analogue system to organise and record his busy lifestyle, which would work seamlessly with his digital devices and allow him to quickly and thoroughly jot down as much information as he needed. > Read more: A guide to tracking your writing – why noticing how you write will transform your practice ![]() The Bullet Journal is a concept dreamt up by Ryder Carroll, a digital product designer living in Brooklyn. In essence, this is all a journal is: a blank notebook, filled with anything you need to keep a record of (and maybe consult on a semi-regular basis).īut a journal can be so much more, as evidenced by the recent explosion of bullet journaling. Maybe you used yours to keep a track of feelings, dreams, food or appointments - or better yet, writers’ notes for quick character sketches or ideas that would otherwise vanish. Whether you rushed home from school to scribble about your latest crush or were forced to update one over the summer holidays, keeping a diary was a rite of passage for many of us back in the day. Here’s our beginner’s guide to journaling and freewriting.
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