I’ve been journaling consistently for over 20 years, and I credit this for a lot of my success as a writer over the past decade. For me, journaling isn’t just a tool for processing my emotions or reflecting on life events. It’s also a major asset when it comes to the kinds of stories I want to tell — and how.
Journaling doesn’t have to be a rigid, daily practice in order to be effective. But it does require a little bit of discipline — which comes quite easily, over time, with practice. You’re already a writer; journaling is a special form of writing that’s simply meant for you and you alone. And that’s a good thing.
Journaling Can Be as Unstructured as You Want
There is no “right” or “wrong” way to journal, which is why it’s an excellent tool for writers who want to strengthen their voice and learn to trust their creative instincts. In something like a private journal, there is no such thing as a mistake, or bad writing, or stupid ideas. This is meant to be a space where you get to make the rules — or decide there aren’t any.
I’ve seen a lot of aspiring writers get too caught up in always trying to get everything right the first time. That’s just not how writing really works! Keeping a journal can help you train in the art of “writing whatever, whenever, however you want.” Which will serve you well in plenty of contexts down the line.
It Requires You to Be Vulnerable and Face Your True Feelings
Your journal can be your playground, but it can also serve as a form of one-way therapy (though, of course, not a replacement for real therapy with a professional to guide you). Some of the most successful writers out there have learned the right time and place for vulnerability and how to apply it to their work — and that requires being pretty honest about who you are, what you’re feeling, and why it matters.
If you want to write for the benefit of humans — and I hope you do — you have to be able to tell stories people can relate to. That’s going to require pouring a little bit of yourself into everything you write. Journaling is a good way to practice how to do that in a safe and private space.
Writing for Yourself Must Come Before Writing for Others
Everyone who starts writing a draft of their very first book dreams of strangers all over the world reading it. That’s normal, and it can be a good motivator, too. But writing isn’t something you’re automatically good at, and while striving for success is important, you have to do a lot of practice on your own before you’re in a position that will open your work up for other people to read.
In a journal, you get to be your own audience. You get to try out new ideas, think through things “out loud,” and become pretty in-tune with what you think about most and what matters to you. And that’s a great way to figure out what kind of storyteller you’re meant to be.
Meg Dowell Writes 