Journaling is a power-habit!
It’s one of the most valuable habits you can possibly have. It will serve you amazingly well for years, making you have leaps of growth.
Here’s how storytellers can get the most out of journaling…
1: Brainstorm Ideas
Save on paper everything that comes to mind. Ideas, insights, epiphanies… write everything down, and they will stick longer in your memory.
This is the principle of neurological bio-feedback in practice.
2: Develop Ideas
Do you have an idea for a new character? Explore your characters’ backstories, fears, and desires on paper. The more you know them, the more relatable they’ll be.
You never know when the next best character will come from…
3: Overcome Writer’s Block
Journaling is an amazing way to defeat the dreaded Writer’s block. Start writing about anything.
Throw words at a piece of paper and you’ll break through your creative barriers.
4: Explore Themes
Don’t think about themes for your stories, implement them immediately. Write micro stories on these themes and see how it feels.
You’ll discover immediately if they are worth exploring or not.
5: Track Progress
Document your experiences, progresses and steps back. Look back to see how far you’ve come. Change is slow and incremental, and we don’t see it from day to day.
But in increments of months, you can see massive leaps.
6: Experiment with Different Styles
Try different writing styles or exercises. Expand your creative horizons with poetry, harmony, humor, mystery…
See where it leads you.
7: Analyze Your Emotions
Journaling can help you process your emotions and experiences. And this is great material for your stories and not just your personal improvement.
This will make your stories more relatable and give deeper prospective.
8: Find Inspiration
Write on your journal inspiring quotes, events, or articles. When you’re feeling stuck, refer to your inspiration journal.
Your brain will automatically elaborate those ideas and integrate them into your subconscious for future uses.
9: It’s YOUR journal
This is a private tool that you use for yourself. Make it your own: decorate it, draw on it, go crazy. No one will ever read it (hopefully).
Also, develop your own journaling style by using it every single day.