Monday, September 17, 2018

Craft of Writing: Free writing or just journaling?

Dear Reader,

Some days, when I am working on my morning pages, it is really difficult to tell the difference between doing any manner of writing exercise or just complaining about things in a journal. A good deal of my morning pages of late tend to follow a theme:

Opening: I really should switch to a different sized notebook. Writing in this one takes forever. And I need a better pencil. (Continue for a paragraph of complaints.)

Middle: Angry ranting about whatever topic has annoyed me in the past 24 hours.

Closing: Why am I even bothering with this when it has absolutely nothing to do with my writing?

My husband made a really good point the other day when I was getting frustrated with all of this. I was still at least writing something. And it was more than just a grocery shopping list. So, if you hit a day where all you can manage is angry ranting about the things in life that are annoying you, it still counts as a win. Just keep trying. Somewhere buried in that angry ranting is a kernel of inspiration just waiting to grow in the fertile soil of your subconscious mind.

Alternate option, you can just burn the notebook when you have filled it up and it is nothing but angry, bitter rants. Fire can cure a lot of things and a notebook is almost enough eat to toast a few marshmallows.

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