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Out here on the road, there's no TV or radio and no justification for books --- at least, if you're like me and you're on a full-time, creative, life-redeeming mission. If I find my thoughts wandering, I feel like a time thief and I have to return to, "What could I be doing to move forward, right now?" So, when my laptop goes down, I know it's time to start mapping the next phase of the journey where it can't blink out: on paper.
Journalling to save your life is writing as though it may be your last chance to write anything down ever again, so it needs to have practical use and justify it's existence. In my case, it's heading for one, big autobiography packed with ancedotes, essays, photographs, artwork, inspirational themes and Native American history of the places I've been. Bear in mind that I've already filled and lost many journals over the years - some 400 pages thick. It's been a long time coming and I've had some time to work a lot of this out.
Oh, yeah. This is Tessa. She thinks I'm smart because I use a three-tiered system of writing that begins with scribbles on a scratch pad, more organized writing in a notebook and my best writing in a leather-bound journal.
Journalling to save your life is writing as though it may be your last chance to write anything down ever again, so it needs to have practical use and justify it's existence. In my case, it's heading for one, big autobiography packed with ancedotes, essays, photographs, artwork, inspirational themes and Native American history of the places I've been. Bear in mind that I've already filled and lost many journals over the years - some 400 pages thick. It's been a long time coming and I've had some time to work a lot of this out.
Oh, yeah. This is Tessa. She thinks I'm smart because I use a three-tiered system of writing that begins with scribbles on a scratch pad, more organized writing in a notebook and my best writing in a leather-bound journal.
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Signing UpStep 1"The Figure is Already In the Marble... Sleeping" - Michaelangelo
I found a partially filled notebook so I went ahead and used all the blank pages I could and even started brainstorming by writing about the benefits of blank pages (I skipped the scratch pad phase and used the notebook as both. I can do that - I'm the master here). My thoughts naturally turn to what the best use of the space is and in my writing I begin to ask the "audience" what they want to hear. Let them answer and they'll tell you through your own, continuing ponderance, like asking a cat what it's trying to tell you. "What? You want to go outside? Tuna? What?". Keep talking to them and imagine what they would want to know about and why. Remember, they're you're children, but they're very particular.
Give your thoughts room to breathe. Leave a space between them so you can note their connections later. Don't worry so much about paragraph structure or making it look like something you'd find in a "real" book. Real books start with a completely different form than what you see on the shelf. It's not time for that, yet.
When the page is full, I look back to see what the main subjects are and what the big deal is about them. Then I choose one subject that dominates or is best and I write it in all capital letters at the top so I end up with at least one, good, usable thought from each page - one that can be easily located and compared with the others.
Give your thoughts room to breathe. Leave a space between them so you can note their connections later. Don't worry so much about paragraph structure or making it look like something you'd find in a "real" book. Real books start with a completely different form than what you see on the shelf. It's not time for that, yet.
When the page is full, I look back to see what the main subjects are and what the big deal is about them. Then I choose one subject that dominates or is best and I write it in all capital letters at the top so I end up with at least one, good, usable thought from each page - one that can be easily located and compared with the others.
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"6,066 views and only ONE comment before mine?!?!? Goes to show how lazy people are to read."
Eh, not especially lazy are we,
with so much said- hard to add much worthy.
:)