the creative notebook: week 3
what i need you to remember about creative journaling, and some ideas to keep you filling pages this week.
Last week, I got you set up with your supplies and a couple ideas to get you started in your creative journal. This week, we’re going to build on those assignments, so if you haven’t collected your notebook, supplies, and ephemera, or written yourself a letter, go on back to last week’s post to get caught up.
I need you to remember, as you start a creative journal, or pick back up the practice, that there is no wrong way to do this. There is no special skill needed: no drawing acumen, no creative bone in your body. It’s okay if you were convinced at some point in your childhood that you are just not an artsy type, that you’re not creative. (They were wrong, by the way: all humans are creative by nature. All humans need beauty. A lot of us got that taken away from us by the school system.)
I need you to believe–or at least act as if you believe–that you are capable of creativity, to know that it is healthy and helpful to use your hands to make things, that you can write whether or not you are a “good writer,” and that your words and creations are valuable for you. Maybe you won’t end up selling artworks or writing a memoir. Not everything has to have a financial reward for it to be rewarding. Okay? We start with that understanding.
So this week, we’re just going to get used to pausing for maybe 10-15 minutes every day, or almost every day, to play in our creative journal. Paste a few bits and pieces in a corner of a page, write some words alongside it, and that’s it. No wrong way. Here are some specific prompts to get you started.
Today’s experiment: Turn to a fresh page in your journal, and set a 10 minute timer.
When the timer begins, you’ll do your first “free writing” challenge, which means you’ll keep your hand moving until that timer goes off. No stopping to think, no correcting spelling or grammar mistakes, no worrying about the words that are coming out- just keep moving your hand until that timer goes off. Anytime you really can’t think of anything to write you write that: “...but I don’t know what to write, but I need to keep writing until I think of something so here I am moving my hand…” you get the idea.
This free writing challenge has two parts.
For the first 10 minute timer, start with “I want to write about…” and write a line, or two sentences, or whatever gets you just started on that idea so you can remember it later. Then write again “I want to write about” over and over with another topic concluding the sentence. For the second 10 minute timer, start with “I don’t want to write about…” and do it just the same, but list all the things you really don’t want to talk about or even put down on paper.
If 10 minutes seems too long, set a 7 minute timer minimum for each one. The time pushing yourself to come up with whatever random thoughts come to your head will get you somewhere you didn’t expect to end up–and that is the point.
Writing prompt: Use those two lists you made in the above experiment, the Want to Write About and the Don’t Want to Write about, and pick one to write more on for 10 minutes, each day. Again, keep your hand moving. Remember that this journal is only for you. It is your safe place. See where that permission takes you as you write each day.
Visual play: Here’s where all those scraps of ephemera (paper bits and pieces) come in. It only adds a few minutes to your journaling time, and bonus: this practice helps you slow down and relax before starting.
Rifle through that little stack, and pick out 3-5 pieces that you think would be good together. Maybe they’re all close to each other in color (reds and pinks and oranges for example). Maybe they’re all bits from a specific day, or fruit stickers and food wrappers. Maybe you like the combination of textures and lines. Whatever calls to you, honestly. Move them around on a page, maybe in a corner, maybe along the side, maybe along the bottom of a two-page spread. When you like the way they look, glue or tape them down. Once in place and attached, then start writing: around them, on top of them, inside them… or just next to them. You decide what you think will be pleasing to look at, and then you play with the words and visual bits existing together. The writing can be about the visual pieces, or not at all.
And remember, there is no wrong way to fill your creative notebook. The words can be connected to the visual pieces or not. It doesn’t have to look good. You don’t have to have deep, wise thoughts. You are just playing. Experimenting. Trying things out. Do this visual play before writing once a day for multiple days, and see how it gets easier and more enjoyable as you go along. I’d love to hear your thoughts as you try it out.
This week, you could also:
Catch up on Instagram: l’Artesania retreat center, the creative notebook, and me.
Plan a visit to L’Albi
Schedule a creative journaling workshop or plein air session
Missed a post?
Last week:
where we begin
My first journal was filled my freshman year of college, 1990. It was a black and white speckled composition book, just the very regular normal cheap ones, because my drawing professor at Calvin University that…
Two weeks ago:
And don’t forget to subscribe to these letters- I’ll continue sharing with you my own creative notebook while giving you ideas to fill your own, and about once a month I’ll catch you up on some thoughts about living in spain or share a story about what’s happening around here. Maybe a good spanish sunset or food picture or two.