This feels very familiar, especially from my 20-something writer self. One slight difference is that I don't think I've ever felt compelled to document much -- it's narration, not documentation, that pulls me.
I do write in a journal pretty much every day. However, I don't document much. I write down dreams, and irritations and annoyances and stressors, maybe something I'm looking forward to. Depends on my mood. I just think of it as a brain dump first thing in the morning. It would be hard for anyone reading these journals 20 years from now to have any idea what was happening in my life on a day to day basis. But nobody will be reading them because the essential ingredient for me to be able to be honest in my journals is that I burn them to ash when I'm done.
Two practices that might or might not be helpful for you: the journaling I do is the morning pages from Julia Cameron's book "The Artist's Way." Someone gave it to me 30 years ago. It's probably dated by now, but I think a lot of people still find her approach to creativity freeing and helpful. The morning pages are 3 pages, first thing every morning, in whatever kind of notebook you like. I've had many different sizes and types over the decades and it consistently takes me about 30 minutes. (I handwrite them.)
The other is something I picked up from Heather Sellers's book "Page After Page." I use this practice when I feel a bit stuck or burned out or out of ideas: Set a timer for 3 minutes. In that time, write down 10 things you remember from 2 days ago. The key here is that they have to be sensory things -- usually visual. Like, a grey jacket hanging on the back of a red chair in the sunlight. Specifics are best. THEN, set the timer again for 10 minutes. Choose one thing from that list and write about it for those 10 minutes, again in as much detail as possible. So not ideas about the things or meaning from them, just the facts.
I like this exercise because it helps me kickstart without too much pressure when I'm feeling stuck. I especially like it because it helps hone an ability to pay close attention to your world. Remembering things yesterday is much easier than remembering them from two days ago. When I'm doing that practice, I'm much better at giving attention to the world. I've even found that I use these lists of details years later if working on an essay that includes that time.
wow. narration vs. documentation is definitely an interesting angle I've never thought of or looked at before. Thank you for bringing it up. Those 2 techniques look very interesting and promising. Time to give them a spin! I appreciate you Antonia. Thank you.
This feels very familiar, especially from my 20-something writer self. One slight difference is that I don't think I've ever felt compelled to document much -- it's narration, not documentation, that pulls me.
I do write in a journal pretty much every day. However, I don't document much. I write down dreams, and irritations and annoyances and stressors, maybe something I'm looking forward to. Depends on my mood. I just think of it as a brain dump first thing in the morning. It would be hard for anyone reading these journals 20 years from now to have any idea what was happening in my life on a day to day basis. But nobody will be reading them because the essential ingredient for me to be able to be honest in my journals is that I burn them to ash when I'm done.
Two practices that might or might not be helpful for you: the journaling I do is the morning pages from Julia Cameron's book "The Artist's Way." Someone gave it to me 30 years ago. It's probably dated by now, but I think a lot of people still find her approach to creativity freeing and helpful. The morning pages are 3 pages, first thing every morning, in whatever kind of notebook you like. I've had many different sizes and types over the decades and it consistently takes me about 30 minutes. (I handwrite them.)
The other is something I picked up from Heather Sellers's book "Page After Page." I use this practice when I feel a bit stuck or burned out or out of ideas: Set a timer for 3 minutes. In that time, write down 10 things you remember from 2 days ago. The key here is that they have to be sensory things -- usually visual. Like, a grey jacket hanging on the back of a red chair in the sunlight. Specifics are best. THEN, set the timer again for 10 minutes. Choose one thing from that list and write about it for those 10 minutes, again in as much detail as possible. So not ideas about the things or meaning from them, just the facts.
I like this exercise because it helps me kickstart without too much pressure when I'm feeling stuck. I especially like it because it helps hone an ability to pay close attention to your world. Remembering things yesterday is much easier than remembering them from two days ago. When I'm doing that practice, I'm much better at giving attention to the world. I've even found that I use these lists of details years later if working on an essay that includes that time.
wow. narration vs. documentation is definitely an interesting angle I've never thought of or looked at before. Thank you for bringing it up. Those 2 techniques look very interesting and promising. Time to give them a spin! I appreciate you Antonia. Thank you.