Comments on: A beautiful new journal. Yikes!

By: Jan Evans

Jan Evans — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:10:43 +0000

Great post, Shannon. I, too, have lovely blank books just waiting to be filled. I have written in some of them, but felt like I was 'wasting' them because there was really no one purpose to the writing. Then I started 'morning pages' as suggested by Julia Cameron in 'The Artist's Way' and I have pages and pages of filled loose leaf notebook pages. Because this writing has no purpose other than to vent and discover, it's easy. I'm prolific and have made the most amazing discoveries in the act of writing...

By: Shannon Wilkinson

Shannon Wilkinson — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:38:21 +0000

Hmmm, I smell a "Mess Up A Beautiful Journal" Challenge coming up!

By: Diane

Diane — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:45:35 +0000

As usual, you read my own thoughts, Shannon. I have collected journals, notebooks, diaries- just yesterday I saw a tidy spiral bound book that I just KNEW I could use…when I remembered the 20+ equals at home. I have even used 3-subject notebooks, hoping to separate the uses- "ME, family, future ME".

I will use some of the ideas above- actually using that book in my purse (right now) that says, "MY THOUGHTS" without being afraid of what those actually are.

By: Denise dS

Denise dS — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:44:57 +0000

Ooooo....good for YOU. Ditto with everyone else on the blank journals. Blogs are hard enough, but at least with a blog: a) it's typeset, so no worries about the inability to maintain a horizontal line b) you can delete with a key-strike c) we haven't been programmed to worship the screen as some of us do a thirsty, cotton page. Congrats on breaking through that block (and first page) and keep it going! While I'm not ready to crack my collection of beautiful, blank journals, I'm cheering you on! Denise dS’s last blog post..My Thoughts are in Italy

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:02:53 +0000

Shannon–Oh, YES!!! You've described me perfectly. I have I-don't-know-how-many gorgeous journals, with smooth, thirsty paper just waiting to absorb some ink. Some are as pristine and unmarred as a snowy field because they're so beautiful it's just too damn intimidating to actually WRITE in them. In others, only the first two or three pages have been written on. Because I can't just write…I have to **dedicate** the journal to one specific thing, and when I (invariably) stop that thing, the poor almost-empty journal just sits around.

You make an interesting point about loving books and the written word. Ditto for me all my life, so yes, this could be a contributing factor to my reluctant journal-marking.

Hey, maybe we should each take a journal from our stack and delibertely fill it up with all kinds of messiness! )

Michelle’s last blog post..Happy Accidents

By: Susan Long

Susan Long — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:37:29 +0000

I don't journal, probably due to getting in trouble as young child after my parents found my sister's and mine diary filled with talk about boys, Pink Elephant Club and naughty naughty words. But hey, there's always something in your post that speaks farther than the topic at hand! So wow that brought about a different angle awareness on many levels… eye opener. Cool!

By: Janine Adams

Janine Adams — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:23:18 +0000

Great post. I have a collection of beautiful, blank notebooks as well. Blank, because I'm waiting for the perfect purpose for them. So far, that purpose hasn't come. Hmmm. Maybe it's time to let those go! When I write in a journal, it's always in the same type of spiral-bound Miguelruis notebook (the same one I use for Autofocus) which I love writing in. That takes away the pressure you describe, which I can totally relate to.

By: Dirk

Dirk — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:23:02 +0000

I started a journal about a year ago. Actually, I call it my notebook, it seems less formal and intimidating. Everything goes in it, recipes, ideas, notes, and personal stories. I take it with me everywhere and it's been a very creative surprise for me. Tackling a journal with less stress and expectation is a good start.