Most writers have journaled at some point. Perhaps your practice has been pushed aside by life’s everyday demands, a main writing project, and/or a day job. 

Recently, I researched journaling books while looking for a guest for my WPN Westside Satellite. One possibility, Kate Krate, author of Journaling For Writers, lives in Perth, Australia. The fifteen-hour time difference knocked that idea out. 

Instead, I decided to write about her book in this article. I’ll also profile two other titles offering journaling advice. 

Journaling For Writers: How to Enrich Your Writing and Life Through Journaling, by Kate Krate  

Krate writes otherworldly fiction, such as the fantasy series Witch Against Wicked, as well as instructive titles for writers. She is also a self-admitted “life-long journaler.” Her goal with Journaling For Writers was to help you develop a supportive journaling practice, develop more self-awareness, connect with your voice, and write more authentically. 

Part I, “Journaling Basics,” explores what journaling is, its proven benefits, and what you’ll want to include in your “Journaling Toolkit.”  

Part 2, “Journaling Methods,” presents options for journaling. A wide variety of approaches are offered, including the popular “Morning Pages,” Tarot Card Journaling, Nature Journaling, Alternative Perceptions, and more. Prompts and exercises help you experiment with the different styles. 

Part 3, “The Journal Life Practice,” provides ideas for maintaining a consistent journaling practice, overcoming resistance to journaling, as well as advice on when to edit entries and when not to.  

This practical guide is available on Amazon, in paperback, on Kindle, and even as an audiobook. 

The Four Methods of Journal Writing: Finding Yourself through Memoir, by Melissa Burch  

Burch is the award-winning author of the memoirs Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker (exploring her time as a war journalist for the BBC and others) and Yearning for Magic: Spiritual Journeys of a Mother, Healer, and Lover (moving on to facing fears at home). The author found that through consistent journaling, she “anchored” life stories in her memory, from which they could flow freely while writing the memoirs. Her book helps you bring what is inside out, for greater self-knowledge. 

Burch’s book is partly organized around four journaling methods. 

Method 1: Two Page Journaling. This approach was adapted from the “Morning Pages” method introduced in Julia Cameron’s bestseller, The Artist’s Way. The author recommends two pages, over Cameron’s three. As the first technique she used, Burch found it enabled her to tap into her shadow side, to explore and release issues, fostering greater self-acceptance. Chapter 1 provides guidance on how to work with Two Page Journaling for emotional self-healing.  

Method 2: “What Do I Mean By…?” Journaling. In Chapter 2, you go deeper with another new method. You’ll explore your patterns, body sensations, and the possible root causes of your issues. Finally, you tap into a higher consciousness. This work is geared toward making your life work better. 

Method 3: Inventions Journaling. The method presented in Chapter 3 was inspired by Barbara Sher’s book, Refuse to Choose! It helps you explore your interests, desires, observations, and past. This is the place to try out new ideas and discover which ones resonate with you the most. Burch found this type of journaling created more flow in her life. 

Method 4: Autobiography Journaling. In Chapter 4, you’ll be looking at your memories and significant life turning points. You’ll explore who you are and where you came from. After working with this approach, Burch was able to move right on to her first memoir, My Journey Through War and Peace. The memoir is about her work as a war correspondent in Afghanistan. 

All the chapters covering the journaling methods include preparation tips, tools, purpose, instructions, and review. They are presented as part of a four-week process, which devotes a week to each approach. 

In Chapter 5, Writing Your Memoir, Burch shares the experience of writing her first memoir. It explores what it means to take all this private work and make some of it public. 

The Four Methods of Journal Writing is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.  

The Joy of Writing Journal: Spark Your Creativity in 8 Minutes a Day, by Lisa Tener 

Here the author is a creativity coach and award-winning author of other related books, including her latest, Breathe, Write, Breathe: 18 Energizing Practices to Spark Your Writing and Free Your Voice. The Joy of Writing was recognized with five awards (Nautilus, IPPY, and Ben Franklin Awards, etc.). Tener wrote it to help “people connect with their creativity, purpose, and well-being.” The book is geared toward a wide audience, including authors, bloggers, and other creators, as well as anyone looking for a self-discovery tool. 

Presented as a thirty-day workbook, this guide asks for only eight minutes a day. I recommend trying it out and allowing yourself whatever time you need. Each day begins with reading a short writing on creativity. This is followed by a scannable QR code that links you to a short video or audio on the same topic. Next, you’ll work with a question. For example, in Day 1, you come up with five reasons why you bought the book. Day 7 helps you tap into your Muse with a five-minute guided meditation on audio. 

Tenet’s workbook, The Joy of Writing Journal, is available on Amazon only in paperback. 

My hope is that a featured author will inspire you to journal more frequently, for better writing and well-being. Explore one of the titles to see where it might take you. Write on!