I like the simple advice this article gives. Particularly "Take your journal everywhere you go" I think this is key! So much happens in a day that by the time you get home and collapse into bed, your mind quite often has already switched off for the day. I have started to carry it around with me and add during my lunch breaks and train journeys to and from work. This way, if I get home really late and just want to go straight to sleep I can. I found that I would quite often be playing catch up as I'd miss a day due to late night events and parties. This way I can document throughout the day and not miss out. I liked the quote in his article: "Ideas can come from anywhere and at any time. The problem with making mental notes is that the ink fades very rapidly.”
I will definitely take advice from the "Don't worry about handwriting, spelling and grammar".... I really like things to look neat! But I think that when it comes to writing down your thoughts, which no one else will see, it really doesn't matter! That's something I can definitely improve on. I need to stop writing as though someone is reading it. It's not an honest reflection. I like that this article also asks the question "What is the difference between a diary and a journal" as I was thinking that myself! I like the description given:
"In a diary, you simply record your reactions to the daily happenings in your life. A journal includes that and much more—it’s a repository for all of the things that interest and inspire you. It also provides a safe environment to experiment and grow creatively."
I also found a great article on writing forward.com about different types of journal writing. It states that their are 7 different types of journal writing....
The Dream Journal - The subconscious is a wondrous thing. Artists and geniuses alike have attributed some of their best work to the messages they received while dreaming. A dream journal is useful for anyone interested in exploring the subconscious mind, where creativity often lives and breathes. This type of journal writing is also ideal for folks who are interested in dream interpretation or trying to achieve lucid dreaming. For writers, journals that hold dreams will provide a myriad of images and plots that the waking creative mind simply can’t drudge up. Keep your journal near your bed and make sure you jot down your dreams as soon as you wake up, otherwise with each minute that passes, you’ll lose chunks of your nighttime imaginings.
Art Journal - Even us writers have to admit that a picture is worth a thousand words. Symbols are particularly powerful and speak directly to the subconscious, which is where your muse might be hiding. Like a dream journal, an art journal is a clever way to get in touch with the deeper recesses of your mind, where some of your most creative ideas are lurking. You don’t have to be a fine artist to use an art journal. Doodles and stick figures will open up your right brain too! An art journal is also perfect for sketching your characters, scenery, and maps of the worlds you are creating for your fiction.
Freewriting Journal - Sometimes called stream of consciousness writing, freewriting is a way to clear your mind of clutter. If you keep at it long enough, some pretty interesting stuff will emerge through your freewrites. Yes, it’s yet another way to tap into your creativity. If you can stop your conscious thinking and let the words flow, you’ll be amazed at the creative stew that is brewing just beneath the surface. You can do straight freewriting or try guided freewriting in which you focus on
a specific word, image, or topic. It’s a great way to hash out conversations with your characters, accumulate raw material that can later be harvested for poems, and brainstorm for just about any writing project that you’re planning or working on.
a specific word, image, or topic. It’s a great way to hash out conversations with your characters, accumulate raw material that can later be harvested for poems, and brainstorm for just about any writing project that you’re planning or working on.
Idea Journal - How many ideas have you lost? If you make it a point to note your ideas through daily journal writing, there’s a good chance you won’t lose any at all. This is why so many writers keep a journal or notebook with them at all times. In fact many writers use miniature notebooks for this very reason – there’s nothing worse than coming up with a brilliant idea when you’re at a party, in the middle of a phone conversation, or trying to fall asleep. Keep your journal near your person at all times, and you’ll never lose an idea again. Or, pick up several miniature notebooks and keep them in convenient places – your nightstand, purse, car, office desk, even the bathroom!
Inspirational Writing Journals - What inspires you? A sunset? A day with friends and family? A great movie or inspiring song? Quotes from the greats? You can record all the things that inspire you in an inspiration journal, taking notes from some of the world’s most successful creators. You can even paste photos and clippings, using images to capture moments that were especially inspiring. Then, when your creativity meter is running low, you can flip through your inspiration journal to capture ideas that ignite your passion (and your next writing project).
Life Events or Diary - A diary is pretty straightforward — you simply record the goings-on in your life. Some people start writing journals in diary format for special times or events in their lives, such as when they are getting married or having a baby, traveling, or moving to a new place. This is a great place to start if you’re interested in writing a memoir or autobiography. It’s also a perfect place to record the real experiences that you’ve had even if you plan on fictionalizing them later. Some of the best dialogue, descriptions, and scenes come straight out of real life!
Reader’s Journal - If you want to be a writer, read. Read a lot, then read some more. You just can’t
read enough. If you keep a journal, writing about what you’ve read, you can capture what worked and what didn’t work from a writer’s perspective. You’ll pick up neat writing tricks, jot down techniques that you’ve observed other writers using effectively, and of course, as you read and get ideas for your own projects, you can include those as well. Best of all, you’ll have a place where you’ve listed everything you’ve read and by keeping notes, you’ll retain all of it much better.
read enough. If you keep a journal, writing about what you’ve read, you can capture what worked and what didn’t work from a writer’s perspective. You’ll pick up neat writing tricks, jot down techniques that you’ve observed other writers using effectively, and of course, as you read and get ideas for your own projects, you can include those as well. Best of all, you’ll have a place where you’ve listed everything you’ve read and by keeping notes, you’ll retain all of it much better.
I never knew so much could be written about types of journals and how to journal! Over the next 7 days I am going to write my journal in the 7 different styles stated in the Module Handbook....Description, Initial Reflection, List, Evaluation, Graphs Charts and Diagrams, What if and Another View. I am looking forward to seeing what it will bring! I will write a blog in 7 days time to document my findings!
I have also been reading up on Boud. Boud states that journal writing should be used as a reflective vehicle to turn experience into learning. It can be used as a form of self expression, a record of events or a form of therapy. You shouldn't just record events and feelings, you should also acknowledge and learn from them. It is key to look at prior experience in order to progress. I found it very interesting reading about reflecting before an event. This is a new approach for me. My journal entries have always been about recalling events and feelings of the day once it has happened. I can see that by anticipating what might happen, especially in my job as a teacher, I can focus more on my goals and aspirations. I think it will really benefit and prepare me better. I can focus on what I want and acknowledge my desired outcome. It will also bring up questions of doubt that I can therefore be mindful of all aspects prior to the event. I tend to totally dismiss thoughts of doubt as I think I'm being negative but maybe it would be beneficial to be aware of these feelings and learn skills and coping strategies to deal with that. It is hard to reflect in the midst of action but Boud states we can be aware of noticing and intervening in situations. So much happens in my working day that I don't know how I would have time to reflect in the midst of it all. Maybe I could notice and accept things more when teaching. I could schedule time for reflection as Boud suggests. I could even reflect on the bus on the way home from work instead of going on Facebook on my phone. Sometimes I find reflecting exhausting though! I just want to not think of anything and relax! Why do I associate reflecting with intense thinking? It doesn't have to be hard work. It's all well and good reflecting after an event but Boud has really made me think about the importance of acting on it. Otherwise you're just documenting. This is what I currently do. I also always just write....why don't I experiment with images and colours? The perfectionist in me is so concerned about it looking neat! I REALLY need to work on this. After all, it's only me that sees it! However, I've realised that I hardly ever go back and read my journal entries as Boud suggests. How am I going to learn if I don't re-evaluate? Asa. Teacher this would really help me to improve. I have a ear of failure (which has improved over the years through reading many books!) I need to be more open to trying out new ideas. Boud mentions that we can block reflection. I think I do this sometimes and I'm grateful to have read about this as it's brought to light a few home truths and how I can benefit more from my journal writing. Sometimes we write differently if we know our work is being assessed but this is not displaying proper reflection. Boud states:
"In my own teaching, I encourage my students to keep portfolios of reflective material but inform them from the start that these do not have to be submitted to me. I point out that unless they feel sufficiently free to write things in their journals that they would be embarrassed for me to read, then they are probably not using their journals sufficiently well for them to be good examples of reflection. This does not mean that students can't use items from their journal for their assignments, but they understand the clear separation of writing for learning and writing for assessment purposes." (Boud, 1992)
It has made me think how varied journal writing can be. After reading Boud's work, I have personally learnt that I can write before an event and learn from that process. I need to analyse my feelings more so I can find patterns and use strategies to improve situations. I can be more experimental by using images in my journal and need to write more truthfully. This can only benefit me personally and professionally.
I have also been reading up on Boud. Boud states that journal writing should be used as a reflective vehicle to turn experience into learning. It can be used as a form of self expression, a record of events or a form of therapy. You shouldn't just record events and feelings, you should also acknowledge and learn from them. It is key to look at prior experience in order to progress. I found it very interesting reading about reflecting before an event. This is a new approach for me. My journal entries have always been about recalling events and feelings of the day once it has happened. I can see that by anticipating what might happen, especially in my job as a teacher, I can focus more on my goals and aspirations. I think it will really benefit and prepare me better. I can focus on what I want and acknowledge my desired outcome. It will also bring up questions of doubt that I can therefore be mindful of all aspects prior to the event. I tend to totally dismiss thoughts of doubt as I think I'm being negative but maybe it would be beneficial to be aware of these feelings and learn skills and coping strategies to deal with that. It is hard to reflect in the midst of action but Boud states we can be aware of noticing and intervening in situations. So much happens in my working day that I don't know how I would have time to reflect in the midst of it all. Maybe I could notice and accept things more when teaching. I could schedule time for reflection as Boud suggests. I could even reflect on the bus on the way home from work instead of going on Facebook on my phone. Sometimes I find reflecting exhausting though! I just want to not think of anything and relax! Why do I associate reflecting with intense thinking? It doesn't have to be hard work. It's all well and good reflecting after an event but Boud has really made me think about the importance of acting on it. Otherwise you're just documenting. This is what I currently do. I also always just write....why don't I experiment with images and colours? The perfectionist in me is so concerned about it looking neat! I REALLY need to work on this. After all, it's only me that sees it! However, I've realised that I hardly ever go back and read my journal entries as Boud suggests. How am I going to learn if I don't re-evaluate? Asa. Teacher this would really help me to improve. I have a ear of failure (which has improved over the years through reading many books!) I need to be more open to trying out new ideas. Boud mentions that we can block reflection. I think I do this sometimes and I'm grateful to have read about this as it's brought to light a few home truths and how I can benefit more from my journal writing. Sometimes we write differently if we know our work is being assessed but this is not displaying proper reflection. Boud states:
"In my own teaching, I encourage my students to keep portfolios of reflective material but inform them from the start that these do not have to be submitted to me. I point out that unless they feel sufficiently free to write things in their journals that they would be embarrassed for me to read, then they are probably not using their journals sufficiently well for them to be good examples of reflection. This does not mean that students can't use items from their journal for their assignments, but they understand the clear separation of writing for learning and writing for assessment purposes." (Boud, 1992)
It has made me think how varied journal writing can be. After reading Boud's work, I have personally learnt that I can write before an event and learn from that process. I need to analyse my feelings more so I can find patterns and use strategies to improve situations. I can be more experimental by using images in my journal and need to write more truthfully. This can only benefit me personally and professionally.
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