I think journaling is a wonderful tool for writers.

Why? Because it's a place to write - and writers need a place to write for themselves. A place where you can write without worrying about who sees it, or if it's good enough, or whatever.

Journaling can be done in so many different ways and for so many different reasons.

• record events
• record ideas
• work out solutions to problems
• gather information
• try out things
• add doodles or artwork
• record travels and adventures
• get your thoughts out of your mind where they go in circles and down on paper where somehow it becomes easier to see them for what they are
• write stories
• do writing exercises
• write out goals
• make plans
• write poetry
• write letters
• explore possibilities
• etc.

Journaling is a good way, from a personal perspective, to explore questions. Going through some papers the other day I came across this list of some questions I had written out for a possible writer's journal. Maybe I'll start a list here for you to play and work with. Check out these Journal Questions.

Preparing for this website also reminded me that I had written something about journaling in my Powerstart Success course. You can check that out here.

Journals can also be a source of ideas for writers. After all, they say we put something of ourselves in what we write, so why not use our journals as compost for our writing?