Creative Writing: Reflective Journaling
A journal is a chronological log, and you can use a journal to log anything you want. Many professionals keep journals, including scientists and ship captains. Their journals are strictly for tracking their professional progress. Fitness enthusiasts keep diet and exercise journals. Artists use journals to chronicle their artistic expressions. A writer’s journal can hold…Read More
A Guide to Journaling for Writers
The world of journaling is fascinating and expansive. There are people who make their own notebooks and fill them with stunning artwork and gorgeous lettering. Others spend months writing in a journal and then burn it when they get to the end, only to start another one. Some people use cheap spiral-bound notebooks for journal…Read More
The Benefits of Keeping a Gratitude Journal
A journal is a log, usually with dated entries. Some journals are topical (dream journals, travel journals, freewriting journals), while others are left open to explore just about anything. Many topical journals are meant to improve the quality of life. For example, people who are working to lose weight might keep a diet and exercise…Read More
From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: Haiku
Today’s writing exercise comes from my book, 101 Creative Writing Exercises, which takes writers on an exciting journey through different forms and genres while providing writing techniques, practical experience, and inspiration. Each chapter focuses on a different form or writing concept: freewriting, journaling, memoirs, fiction, storytelling, form poetry, free verse, characters, dialogue, creativity, and article and…Read More
A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction
Here at Writing Forward, we’re primarily interested in three types of creative writing: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. With poetry and fiction, there are techniques and best practices that we can use to inform and shape our writing, but there aren’t many rules beyond the standards of style, grammar, and good writing. We can let…Read More
From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: Your Gang
Today’s writing exercise comes from my book, 101 Creative Writing Exercises, which takes you on an adventure through the world of writing. You’ll explore different forms and genres while learning practical writing techniques. You’ll also get plenty of writing experience and ideas for publishable projects. Each chapter focuses on a different form or writing concept: free…Read More
From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: Couplets and Quatrains
Today’s writing exercise comes from 101 Creative Writing Exercises, which takes writers on an adventure through different forms and genres while offering tools, techniques, and inspiration for writing. Each chapter focuses on a different form or writing concept: freewriting, journaling, memoirs, fiction, storytelling, form poetry, free verse, characters, dialogue, creativity, and article and blog writing are…Read More
The Personal Benefits of Writing Poetry
Poetry writing is an excellent practice for strengthening one’s writing skills. Through poetry writing, we gain command of language, cultivate a robust vocabulary, master literary devices, and learn to work in imagery. And that’s just a small sampling of how poetry improves basic writing skills. However, poetry has other benefits that are meaningful on a…Read More
Keeping a Journal Makes You a Better Writer
The more you write, the better your writing becomes. That’s not an opinion; it’s a fact. Experience breeds expertise, so if you write a lot, you’ll become an expert writer. Writing every day is the best way to acquire lots of experience. Writers who come to the craft out of passion never have a problem…Read More
A Messy, Liberating Guide to Journal Writing
This post contains affiliate links. You should see my journal. It’s a cacophony of words and images, scribbles, doodles, and scraps of ideas tucked between the pages. It’s sort of a mess, and I like it that way. I know some writers are diligent about keeping their journals pristine. The pages are crisp, the lines…Read More
Subscribe
Subscribe and get The Writer’s Creed graphic e-booklet, plus a weekly digest with the latest articles on writing, as well as special offers and exclusive content.
