I told myself I would write and post two of these a month. And I let myself down when I didn’t do the first blog post of the month. But journaling helped with ideas.
Now here I am for the second post, struggling to write something. Why is it so hard to write one of these posts?
Am I struggling with ideas? Yes, sometimes. This post I am.
But when I say I’m doing something, I try hard to follow through.
And I’m trying hard right now, especially since I didn’t write the first post of the month. I have to do this one.
Of course, when I force the writing, the words don’t come to me at all.
That is one thing I’ve learned in all my years as a writer. You can’t force the words if they won’t come. On the other hand, when the writing needs to get done, you have to find some way to make it happen.
Clearing your head with journaling
Journaling is one way to do that. When words don’t pour out of my fingers and into a Word document for a book, I journal.
I set a timer for 10 minutes, and I write whatever is on my mind. Sometimes that means rambling about good things happening in my life. Those things could be getting my current job or publishing a new book.
Or they could be things like letting go of my dog Zoe. Other times that means venting about something that’s happening in my life.
When I vent, I can guarantee I almost always feel better. Venting gets out those thoughts rolling around in my head. Clearing your head of thoughts you can’t shake makes you feel better.
When your head is clear of the junk, you can focus on the creativity. I can work on the writing I want to get done.
Getting story ideas
So, how else do I use journaling? I can get my story ideas going. Again, by setting that timer, I’ll write any thoughts I have about a book idea until I have them out of my head.
Sometimes I do get a good idea for a character or a setting or even a book series.
Building a habit
Getting words down either on paper or in a Word doc is one of the most important things to me about being a writer. It’s a way to build a writing habit.
I want to write every day, and I want to write many words every day. I want to publish a book series of six books next year.
But that won’t happen unless I build my writing habit again. Right now journaling is helping me get back into that habit even though it’s been a slow process.
While the words for a book may not come as easy as I’d like, I know that journaling will get words of some kind flowing again.
And someday soon I’ll get those books written that I know are rolling around in my head.