You Can Grow In Creativity with Creative Journaling

What daily practice can help you grow in creativity, both in the arts and in problem solving? Keep a creative journal, and you will amaze yourself with your own innovations. Remember that there is no one right way to keep a journal. Creative journaling is about trying things until you find your own favorite methods of expressing yourself.

First, let yourself off the hook when it comes to having every page picture perfect. Either use a looseleaf and discard the mistakes, or invest in some erasable pens. Better yet, learn to see an occasional mess as an inevitable sign of your own humanness, and nothing to be ashamed of. Mistakes are simply stepping stones in your growth and understanding. Besides, your journal is for you and no one else, unless you decide to make it public. Who cares about an occasional flub?

So don't let perfectionism stop you in your tracks. Now that that's been said, let's consider what it means to be creative in your journal.

POETRY: A journal is a terrific place to write those snips of poetry that come to you from time to time. Don't worry about rhyming or not rhyming. If you like poems that rhyme, let it go. Never mind that rhyming poetry is out of vogue if it works for you. In fact, try a structured rhyme scheme, like a sonnet.

CREATIVE WRITING ASSIGMENTS: If you have dreams of being a published writer, work through writing books in your journal. Do the assignments in your journal and you will be amazed what gems of wit you will have, and all collected in one place, too.

PERSONAL FRUSTRATIONS: Intersperse poems and writing assignments with your frustrating moments. Perhaps on paper, the humor of an impossible situation will begin to emerge. Never underestimate the healing benefit of a sense of humor.

WISHES, HOPES, DREAMS, AND PRAYERS: What would you most like to see happen during your lifetime? Do you dream of business success or fame? Do you long for a relationship with a special person? Do you have altruistic desires, wishing that underprivileged or downtrodden people could have a better life? Is there someone you love who is sick or has an addiction? Pour out your heartfelt desires and prayers for their recovery. Scientists are beginning to document just how much real power there is in prayer.

LISTS: They may not look very creative, but lists make wonderful journal entries. List your goals or your favorite things. List the qualities you adore about your cat. List the decorative changes you'd like to make in your bedroom. List the staples you'd like to always have on hand in your pantry. Of course these are just ideas, but lists can be both creative and practical.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS: To take time to remember what you have going for you might be the biggest benefit of your journal when it comes to improving your attitude and preserving your mental health. Get creative as you think of things you appreciate. Have you considered the good highways you have to travel? How about that nice quality set of pots and pans you have for cooking for your family? Do you have your own washer and dryer, or one you can access easily? Write down all those little blessings that are so easy to forget.

Remember that there is no one right way of keeping a creative journal. The goal is to find the ways that work the best for you. Let these ideas get your own creative juices flowing, so that your personal journal becomes your very own unique expression of who you are.

Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com

There's No Magic Formula for Becoming a Better Writer

If you're trying to become a better writer, you should know that there is not quick-fix or magic formula that will suddenly transform you into a good writer in three simple steps. Becoming a better writer is obviously a long-term undertaking, but many writers consider that they have a gift that simply has to be unlocked by the same magic key that published, top writers possess.

The simple truth about improving your writing is that you have to practice your craft continually and consistently. Experiment with your writing, do some planning, revision, then revisit what you have been doing. Challenge yourself by establishing deadlines and competitions. Push yourself, find out about your limits and your writing will soon reward you. Try writing something that another writer inspired you, then write a few lines completely your own.

However, you won't improve your writing style by writing in a vacuum. You must also make efforts to improve by reading the works of other writers, be it fiction, nonfiction or poetry. Get acquainted with all writing styles: argumentative or persuasive, informative or biographical, fantastic or scientific. Go through the works of talented, consecrated professionals, and also read those writers who are still finding their style.

Your readings should help you gain confidence and inspiration. They should also sustain you in building your vocabulary and help you learn more writing tricks and techniques. This way you will learn more about the patterns and rhythm of language. Try to understand what makes you different from the other authors you are reading, because by doing this you will soon be able to understand what is your own unique voice.

Becoming a better writer is not a task you can accomplish in a weekend or in a few months. Learning to be a better writer by constant improvement is a life's work. Genuine writers never see their work done. They don't accept their condition and sit back, no matter how good they are. It's true... it will not take you a lifetime to gain professional status, but this shouldn't be your only goal. If you will think in these terms, you will only prevent yourself from becoming the great writer you can be.

For instance, perhaps your writing was not the reason your writing project was rejected. Instead, it could have happened because of the chosen topic, the needs of the publisher, or simply the mood of the editor when she looked over your submission. It's a fact that you cannot control the moment when you reach professional status, but you can influence your progress toward constantly improving your writing. And one is not far from the other, as the more valuable your writing gets, the easier it will be for you to become a better (and published) writer.

Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com

Journals can help writers like you

A journal can help you organize your writing activities and at the same time hold you accountable for what you are doing daily. By keeping a journal, you can keep track of your progress.

If it is easy for you to get lost amidst every day tasks, keeping a journal will sustain your efforts to add more discipline to your routine and produce a regular form of writing. When it comes to finding the time to write or just sitting down and writing, many writers become complacent. To be successful in your chosen career, dedication, consistency and persistence are essential traits. A writing journal will certainly help you identify which are the missing elements in your daily routine.

Keeping a journal is by no means a difficult thing to do, nor is it complicated or expensive. If you are a novice writer, keep your writing journal simple to begin with. Get a monthly calendar with plenty of blank spaces so that you can write on it each day. This is an inexpensive method to keep a journal regardless your form of writing, or to make notations concerning your submissions. All you need to do is jot down brief descriptions of your daily writing activities, such as "write 500 words for the novel" or "emailed 2 articles to the Classical Literary Magazine."

Place your writing journal in a visible location so that you can check your daily progress at any time and honestly assess your efforts to get better at your craft. You can review your journal every week or at the end of a month to evaluate your productivity. If there are any blank days, try to understand what kept you from writing something on those days. Your blanks may bother you at first, but they will also serve as a great motivation, and you will soon learn to eliminate them through sustained work.

After making some progress with your writing journal, you will realize that tenacity was what distinguished you from other writers with more published credits. Even if it may seem like a waste of time, having a journal is in fact a way of perfecting your craft. Unless you are disciplined and dedicated, making a profession and a living out of writing is probably not for you. So if you need something to help you maintain a positive attitude, try a writing journal.

Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com

Thunder When the Universe Burps: A Creative Writer-cise

Nature is a wonderful inspiration for any writer. In this mini writing workshop, we'll wax some poetic prose.

First, pick a number from 1 to 7:

1. earthquake
2. sunrise
3. volcanic eruption
4. lightning
5. rainbow
6. thunder
7. hurricane

Next, create 2 lists for the natural phenomenon you chose. Brainstorm for 5-10 minutes for each list.

For List 1, brainstorm for action words associated with the natural phenomenon you picked. For instance, what do you see, hear and feel happening when it thunders?

e.g.,
List 1 (action words):
explode, clap, boom, crack, shatter, burst, break, detonate, bust, shake, reverberate, applause

For List 2, pretend you are seeing/hearing/experiencing the natural phenomenon for the first time. You don't know what could be causing it. What's causing the thunder? List all the reasons you can think of.

e.g.,
List 2 (causes):
avalanche in heaven, a million stomping feet, clouds slapping hard against each other, angels gung-ho on the drums, God drops a giant bowling ball, the sound of ants walking magnified a billion times, universe burping, a giant fist smashing through the firmament

Got your lists together? Now it's time to combine the words and ideas from the lists you generated. Create lines from the combinations. (Note: You do not have to combine exact phrases.)

e.g.,

A million stomping feet shake the heavens.
The sound of ants walking a million times magnified.
Clouds detonate to begin an avalanche in the sky.
God drops His giant bowling ball and strikes.
Clap, applause! The angels are gung-ho on the drums.
A giant fist smashes the horizon.
Break the firmament with the universe's booming burps.

Leave your list for a bit -- an hour, a few hours, a day or so -- and then come back to it and revise. Revise until you're satisfied with the lines and images.

Congratulations, you've just created your first visual poem. If you're up to it, create visual poems for the other 6 natural phenomena.

And here's a suggestion: Gather a group of friends and create your lists together. Collaborate on visual poems. You'll be pleasantly surprised with the images you'll be able to come up together. And if you're a parent, try it with your kids.
Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com

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And if you want 3 writing *sparks* delivered to you every day for 31 days, check out WriteSparks!™ Daily HERE for info on how to get started -- it's free :o) Thank you again for reading. I hope you're having a productive day/night!

Does fear lurk in your kitchen of enthusiasm?

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, it's important to write with clarity, not with vagueness. By communicating yourself in concrete, specific images, you help your readers understand you (and your poem/story).

Today's activity has two parts. You may or may not do the second part, if you'd rather concentrate on the first part. Don't skip the first part, though, because the second activity relies on what you'll be able to concoct in the first.

So crack your knuckles, pull out your keyboard (or sharpen your pencils) and let's begin.

First, pick a number from 1 to 5:

1. cave
2. garden
3. backyard
4. kitchen
5. teacup

Next, you guessed it, pick another number from 1 to 5:

1. joy
2. enthusiasm
3. relief
4. love
5. gratitude

Combine your two choices and you're off! What's your location? In a cave of love? Have you ever found yourself in the kitchen of gratitude? How about finding relief in a teacup?

Brainstorm and list specific/concrete images for your place. Concrete images can be anything -- fictional, nonfictional, whimsical, philosophical, you name it. You can come up with a list by asking yourself:

  ~ What happens in the garden of joy?
  ~ What's cooking in the kitchen of gratitude?
  ~ What happens after you drink in a teacup of relief?
  ~ How is it to be inside the cave of enthusiasm?
  ~ What things would be happening in the backyard of love?

Brainstorm for at least 5 minutes. Don't worry if the first few images you brainstorm are bland. As your list grows longer, the more interesting your images will become.

The first part is metaphorical and you'll likely find yourself writing a poem. However, you take your piece where you want to. If at any point in your brainstorming, you get a story idea, then by all means, pursue it.

Now for the second part. Are you ready? Again, choose any number from 1 to 5:

1. hate
2. guilt
3. pride
4. anxiety
5. fear

Now put the emotion you chose in your location/place. Plop it down, drop it like a bomb, sneak it in, etc. Make this emotion "disrupt" the generally feel-good ambiance of your place. It's the conflict.

What's pride doing in your backyard of love? Why is fear hanging about in the cave of enthusiasm? What's guilt doing in a teacup of relief? Again, brainstorm for reasons or for the things this disruptive emotion could cause.

So knock yourself out with this writing activity. If you'll excuse me, I need to make sure there aren't icky wiggling worms of anxiety and fear trying to make a home in my garden of enthusiasm.


Copyright (c) 2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
Shery created WriteSparks! - a software that generates over 10
*million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks! Lite
for fr*e - http://writesparks.com

Tempting Matters

Temptation is so much a part of daily life. It started in the Garden of Eden and is constantly being dealt with by every person today.

Never been tempted, you say? Think more deeply and you'll come up with more than a handful of times you were tempted.

Temptation doesn't have to have the magnitude of a nuclear bomb. It can be a teaspoon of ice cream for a diabetic, a sip of beer for a 14-year old who's under peer pressure, a love affair with a married man/woman.

Temptation is a desire, a feeling. In Ronald Tobias' book, Twenty Master Plots, to be tempted is "to be induced or persuaded to do something that is either unwise, wrong or immoral."

There are 3 ways we can handle temptation:

- indulge it (and regret giving in to it later)
- resist it (and give in to it eventually)
- think deeply about why we shouldn't do it (and come to the conclusion that it's either something we really want or really don't want anyway)

However way we choose to handle a temptation, there is always a consequence.

Based on what you've read above, create 3 versions for any (or all) of the given situations below -- one where the character gives in to the temptation, one where he/she resists it, and one where he/she thinks deeply about why he/she shouldn't give in to it. What happens? How does each story version go?

a. A woman is promoted to manager. On her first top-level meeting, the owner wants his pet project approved. The other managers agree, but the new manager has reservations. She thinks it will cause the company financial problems in the long run. She is pressured by the other managers to "go with the flow," approve the project and deal with any consequences later.

b. A college student crams for a crucial exam. He is tempted to cheat on examination day. He cannot afford to fail the exam because his scholarship depends on it.

c. A 10-year old is tempted to "invent" a best friend she left in her old school when she goes to a new school. She thinks she'll fit in more quickly if she tells stories about the "cool" things she and her best friend did.

d. A father, after his wife dies from giving birth, is lost and doesn't know how he'll take care of his child. He is tempted to leave the baby in an orphanage.

e. A coach conducts a trial for new team members. One of them is the son/daughter of the coach's long-time enemy. The coach sees this opportunity to get back at his/her enemy by rejecting the son/daughter even if he/she is one of the best among those who tried out.

If fiction isn't your style, try listing 5-7 temptations you faced last month. Explore what might have happened if you did the opposite. (If you gave in to the temptation, what might have happened if you had resisted it?)


Copyright (c) 2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

Shery created WriteSparks! - a software that generates over 10*million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks! Lite for fr*e - http://writesparks.com
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WOI Guest Post: 12 Nuggets of Writing Wisdom

1. Work hard to become competent.

Neil Gaiman said, "There's no magic formula. To become a competent writer, you write until you start to sound like you, and then you keep on writing. Finish things you start. Get better."

2. View life from different perspectives.

Douglas Clegg said, "Get out and live and travel and see the world from perspectives other than the one with which you've been saddled. Youth doesn't last very long, and it might be better to participate in life awhile before writing from it."

3. Write one page at a time.

John Steinbeck said, "When I face the desolate impossibility of writing 500 pages, a sick sense of failure falls on me and I know I can never do it. This happens every time. Then gradually I write one page and then another. One day's work is all I can permit myself to contemplate and I eliminate the possibility of ever finishing."

4. Strive for vigorous writing.

William Strunk, Jr. said, "Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts."

5. Be vigilant and ever ready.

Earl Nightingale said, "Ideas are elusive, slippery things. Best to keep a pad of paper and a pencil at your bedside, so you can stab them during the night before they get away."

6. Develop your own writing voice.

Michael Chabon said, "A voice, not merely recognizable, but original, unique, engaging and above all derived from, reflecting, and advancing the meaning of the story itself, is necessary to good and worthwhile literature."

7. Write with confidence.

William Zinsser said, "Don't say you were a bit confused and sort of tired and a little depressed and somewhat annoyed. Be tired. Be confused. Be depressed. Be annoyed. Don't hedge your prose with little timidities. Good writing is lean and confident."

8. Develop a writing habit.

Richard North Patterson said, "Cultivate steady work habits: a schedule that contemplates either regular work hours every week or a certain number of pages. Artistic inspiration is one of the most overrated premises for a writing schedule; a writer should try to get pages done on a regular basis, then work to improve them. If one waits for inspiration, rather than treating writing like a serious task, it becomes much harder to ever finish a book."

9. Write right now.

Jack London said, "You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."

10. Venture out and attempt to be read and published.

John Campbell said, "The reason 99% of all stories written are not bought by editors is very simple. Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet shelf at home."

11. Rejection is part of the writing life.

Meg Cabot said, "You are not a hundred dollar bill. Not everyone is going to like you or your story. Do not take rejection personally."

12. Write with passion.

Ann Patchett said, "The end result for a writer may be finding a publisher, but publishing is not anywhere near the beginning or the middle of this process. So when we advise young people about writing, it would be best if we could move students away from that kind of thinking and say, 'Write because you're passionate about it. Think of yourself as a glass blower. You don't blow your first glass and take it to Tiffany's. You blow your first glass, and you smash it. You blow it again, and you smash it.'"



Copyright (c) 2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

WOI Guest Post: 5 Tips for Achieving Your Writing Goals

1. Make your goals achievable.

By achievable, we mean realistic and attainable. You might unconsciously have set a goal even others will have a hard time achieving, even if they had the means and the time to do so.

Here's what you can do: break down your goals into small, realistic goals set against reasonable time frames. Oftentimes, you'll achieve your bigger goals if you work on achieving the smaller goals leading to those. The important thing is that your make your goals as realistic and as achievable as you can.


2. Believe in your abilities.

Success hugely depends on one and only one person -- you. So, do you believe enough in yourself and in what you can do to achieve your goals? Self-doubt is your biggest adversity and the biggest obstacle on your way to success. Is it possible you lost focus of your goals because you have unconsciously set aside having to deal with your self-doubts?


3. Devise a feasible plan.

You know what you want, but do you know how to get what you want? Do you need technical or artistic training to achieve your goals? Or perhaps further studies? Do you have a set plan of action that will lead to the achievement of your goals? What things, both tangible and intangible, do you need to aid you in reaching your goals?

Take a moment to sit down and list the things you need and make your plan of action. This is a good time to break them down into small, realistic goals and then tackle them one day at a time!


4. Resist spreading yourself too thinly.

Sometimes, it's better to work on one goal at a time, rather than doing and shooting for so many all at the same time. Work on so many goals at one given time and you'll find out you're nowhere near achieving even one goal. You won't be able to focus your full energy on one goal.

Prioritize your goals and start with either your top priority or your most realistic goal. You'll discover you're able to do more and achieve more using this approach.


5. Don't be easily disheartened.

Along with believing in your ability to achieve your goals, this is the second most important thing you need to do. Yes, you do the steps necessary to achieve your goals, but after one or two failures, do you give up and stop trying?

Persistence and patience are the keys to achieving your goals and eventually success. Always remember that it's very rare for people to achieve total success or attain their goals on the first try. If they did, there'll be no need to build self-confidence, patience and persistence.

Now that you've read these five tips, start your way to attaining your writing goals today!


Copyright (c) 2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

WOI Guest Post: The Successful Writer

I don't believe in luck. I don't subscribe to the idea that successful people get to where they are because they happened to be "at the right place at the right time." They're successful because they stick their necks out and give more than what others wanting the same thing they do are willing to give. They find ways to achieve what they want, accomplish what they want to accomplish. When there aren't opportunities, they create the opportunities. When they fail for the thousandth time, they can't wait to try again.

Now apply all the above to writers. Talent is nothing if you don't have the guts to do what you need to do to accomplish your goals. If your goal is to be published, then you have to do what it takes to get published, and that involves a lot of hard work -- from honing your craft, reading, studying the markets, submitting your work, accepting the rejections and submitting again.

In my view, a persistent writer is better than a talented writer who does nothing. The persistent writer is the one who gets published. She's the one who eventually becomes "big" or well known in her chosen writing genre.

Successful writers like Stephen King, JK Rowling and Erich Segal didn't get to where they are through luck. I'm willing to bet they spent thousands of hours honing their craft. They aren't untouchables; they didn't breeze through the top with nary a rejection hiding somewhere in their drawers. They did the things aspiring and beginning writers should do if they want to realize their goals -- the successful writers picked up their pens, wrote, submitted their works, treated rejections as a part of the writing life, wrote again, submitted again, got rejections again, wrote some more, submitted some more, and so on.

Instead of idolizing successful writers, an aspiring or beginning writer is better off emulating them. I think it's dangerous for an aspiring writer to idolize a successful writer. Why? She's putting the successful writer on a god-like status, unconsciously lowering herself in the process. Emulation, on the other hand, is different; it's positive, constructive. By emulating the successful writer, the aspiring writer sets a goal for herself -- that is, to be the successful writer's equal, or to attain the level of the success the successful writer has achieved. In this regard, the aspiring writer gives herself a goal -- a purpose -- to want to become the best she can be as a writer.

Commitment, too, is a big part of the writing life, and writers become successful when they are committed to their craft. Commitment is regularly showing up to write; it's never missing a date with your notebook, typewriter or computer; it's sifting through feedback (or critiques) and making intelligent decisions regarding your work; it's developing the thick skin for rejections; it's keeping an open mind and reading not only what you like; and above all, it's keeping the passion for writing burning, and feeding it...even if it's only for as short as five minutes a day.

So...are you ready to become a successful writer?


Copyright (c) 2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

Shery created WriteSparks! - a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks! Lite for free - http://writesparks.com

WOI Guest Post: The Forces of Nature in Your Stories

Nature plays a big role in stories. Nature can make a character more authentic because it can influence his/her action or behavior.

If you ever find yourself stuck on to how to describe one of your characters, add a force of nature in your character description. Describe how your character behaves or reacts during a bad (or good) weather.

Take for example a few movies where forces of nature were vital. Imagine how the characters and the plots would change if the following forces of nature were taken away:

~ the tornado in the Wizard of Oz
~ the lightning in Phenomenon (John Travolta)
~ the volcanic eruption in Dante's Peak (Pierce Brosnan)
~ the icebergs in the Atlantic in Titanic (Leonardo diCaprio)
~ the avalanche in Vertical Limit (Chris O'Donnell)

Try to substitute another force of nature in the examples above and see how it affects the story and the characters.

Try it yourself on the following:

1. Deanna Ball possesses a strong sense of duty. She's stuck in a traffic jam. Force of nature: Earthquake

2. Randall Graves is people-oriented and works well with others. He's in a bar watching afternoon football with friends. Force of nature: Snowstorm

3. Dessa Woods has an intimidating personality. She's on vacation with a couple of friends. Force of nature: Avalanche

4. Geoff Earhart is organized and methodical in his approach to everything. He's been ordered to recover a vital piece of equipment from a capsized ship. Force of nature: Lightning storm

5. Mac Taylor is the persistent type. He's been trailing a woman who looked like his best friend's dead wife. Force of nature: Torrential rain



Copyright 2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

Is Indecision Hindering You From Achieving Your Writing Goals?

Indecision oftentimes hinders us from achieving goals we have set for ourselves. Indecision can cause regrets. How many times have you said to yourself, "If only I..." or "I wish I had..." or "If I only did it another way, then..."

Where there is indecision, there is no resolution. Instead of being convicted to a decision, a stand or a principle, indecision causes us to 'swing' from one side to the other; to take one step forward only to take two steps back.

Indecision breeds reluctance. And where there is reluctance, there is a certain fear -- fear of trying, fear of doing, fear of failing and yes, even fear of succeeding.

This week, you will come face to face with your indecision.

Freewrite for ten to fifteen minutes. Based on your freewrite, go on and craft an essay, story or poem.

~ Monday: Think of something you wanted to do last week but did not do.

    What was it?
    Why did you not act on it?
    What hindered you from doing it?
    How do you feel about not being able to do what you wanted?


~ Tuesday: Now think of something you wanted to do last week and you went ahead and did it.

    What was it?
    Why did you act on it?
    How did you feel after doing it?


~ Wednesday and Thursday: Freewrite using any or all of these prompts:

    1. I remember ten years ago when I ___________, and if I can do it all over again, I would...
    2. One of the things I regret not doing is...
    3. One of the best decisions I've made is...


~ Friday: Brainstorm and list at least five situations you hope you never have to find yourself in. Then, write the courses of action you would take if you do find yourself in those situations.



This article is excerpted from Shery's book, Weekly Writes: 52 Weeks of Writing Bliss! (http://weeklywrites.com). Shery created WriteSparks! - a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks! Lite for fr*e - http://writesparks.com

Journaling Tools that Add Life and Variety to Daily Writing

Since journaling has become popular as a hobby and as therapy, a number of journaling tools have become available. In essence, you can keep a journal with nothing more than a supply of paper and a sharpened pencil. In fact, these are the tried and true tools of many generations. Thankfully, we can now choose from a wide array of papers, lined and unlined bound books to write in, colored pens, and pencils of all sorts.

In addition to different writing tools you can use to spark your creativity, you can also choose journaling software for your computer. There are award winning programs available that give you not only prompts to get you thinking, but that organize your entries into categories. You can try a free download of a simple program or purchase a more elaborate one. You might even try a mind mapping program for problem solving.
Electronic journaling tools are convenient and save paper, but for some people they just seem a little too inorganic or something. Many people prefer pen and paper. Some of the most prolific journalers still choose a traditional bound composition pad with black and white cardboard cover. Composition notebooks now come in more creative colors, too. There are some advantages to using these books. For one thing, they are inexpensive. Also, the pages are bound in so that you have a lasting creation when you are done.

A simple sharpened pencil has been the traditional choice when it comes to writing implements, but the selection of pens available now just has to spark a writer's creativity. Gel pens in a wide array of colors (and sometimes scents!) add sparkle and life to journal entries. Colored pencils are nice for both writing and sketching.

One thing to consider when choosing writing tools for journaling is that being able to erase has its advantages. They are hard to find, but erasable pens come in more colors than blue and black. Watch out about cheap brands. Sometimes they drop little watery places or globs of ink or on your paper. Shaking an erasable pen like you would shake a thermometer can help the pen to write better.

Depending on your needs, you can choose either a blank journal or one that includes thoughts to ponder. Many self-help books have matching journals that include prompts so that you can journal about the principles in the book. Other journals stand alone with writing prompts that encourage the introspection needed for personal growth and development.

Don't be surprised if you find yourself using more than one type of journal at the same time. A simple spiral notebook in the kitchen can be wonderful for jotting down everything from recipe ideas and menu plans to phone messages and notes to the kids. For stay at home moms, the daily "to do" list can go here, and so can shopping lists. Keep the pages bound and you have a record of your planning, ideas, and things accomplished.
While you have your home journal and your guided journal going, you might like to have a small journal for traveling. There are some really nice little journals that will fit in your purse, pocket, or briefcase easily.

Here's a final thought. Did you ever receive a beautiful bound journal as a gift, but procrastinated about using it? One avid journal writer recently found an unused bound blank book in a thrift shop for less than a dollar. In the front cover was an inscription - "To a wonderful teacher. Oct. 1984." Is this a commentary on saving the good stuff for later, or what? If you have a blank journal that seems just a little too nice to use for your paltry musings, think again! What are you waiting for?

Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

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Download an excerpt of The Authentic Self: Journaling Your Joys, Griefs and Everything in Between below:
authenticself-sampler.zip OR authenticself-sampler.pdf If you want 3 writing *sparks* delivered to you every day for 31 days, check out WriteSparks!™ Daily HERE for info on how to get started -- it's free :o) Thank you for reading. Keep writing!

Best,
Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
WriteSparks!™ creator
WriteSparks.com

How Well Do You Know Yourself?‏

Getting to Know Yourself: Journaling to Self Discovery

Was it Plato? Was it Socrates? Whoever the old Greek was who first said "know thyself," he was onto something. Self knowledge is absolutely essential for self improvement and development. How can you know if you are improving if you don't know where you are? One of the best ways to discover who and where you really are in life is to keep a journal.

There is a catch to journaling your way to self discovery, however. That catch is honesty. Yet even as development of the self is a journey, so is becoming more and more honest with yourself. It can be difficult to be honest with ourselves. In fact, it is probably one of the most difficult tasks we ever face, because it is so easy to lie to ourselves.

Journaling to self discovery can involve several areas. First of all, there is the honest (there's that word again!) assessment of your skills, talents, gifts, and interests. The unique package that makes up you includes all these things. Psychologists have suggested that many people tend to evaluate their own abilities above what is really the truth. Surely there are just as many who sell themselves short.

Especially if you are considering a career choice or have a desire to start a business, it can be invaluable to put these special talents down on paper. Look for places where a special course might fill in a hole in your education. See if you have some strikes against you. Is there some way to overcome them?

When journaling to self discovery, don't forget about your values and how well you are living up to them. What do you really think is important in life? While good self esteem is a critical part of mental health, often the quickest way to joy and peace is giving of yourself in service to others. Are you loyal to your friends? Are you compassionate when someone else is hurting? Journal about your attitude toward others. You don't have to beat yourself up for being less than perfect, but there is nothing wrong with challenging yourself in the area of kindness and thoughtfulness.

You can also discover a lot about yourself in the area of health when you keep a journal. It is very easy to kid yourself about just how well you are taking care of yourself. Many times we think we are exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, yet when we really keep track honestly, we find out we've been lying to ourselves. It's possible to go a couple of weeks without exercise or cheat on the diet six days in a row and not even be aware of it.

Self discovery can lead to self development, which means you might just see your dreams fulfilled. One aspect of pursuing dreams is your attitude toward what you long to see happen. Do you believe it can happen? Do you believe it is OK for it to happen? That is, assuming the dream is in itself a positive thing, do you realize it's OK for it to happen to you? Write about your attitudes honestly. Do they need to change? How can you make that happen?

A journal is a great place to write down statements of affirmation about your dreams and aspirations. Bible verses and great quotes can make a big difference in how motivated you stay as you pursue your goals. Write your own great quotes, too. Take time to meditate on those motivating statements. Spend time every day (or at least every week) journaling your way to self discovery.

Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com. She is also the author of 2 books. Visit her official site at http://sheryruss.com

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Download an excerpt of The Authentic Self: Journaling Your Joys, Griefs and Everything in Between below:
authenticself-sampler.zip OR authenticself-sampler.pdf
If you want 3 writing *sparks* delivered to you every day for 31 days, check out WriteSparks!™ Daily HERE for info on how to get started -- it's free :o)

Thank you for reading. Keep writing!