Discoveries

Have you read Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way yet? If not, you need to check it out. If you want to take your journaling and writing seriously, her book is invaluable. I read it years ago and have recently come back to it.

I wrote 3 pages a day for 365 days. It wasn’t elegant. But it became a kind of anchor. I didn’t do it as an assignment. I didn’t do it as a punishment. This isn’t about being a good writer. It’s about being honest. I learned a great deal from this personal challenge, and I want to share my journey with you.

Three pages of free writing every day is a manageable challenge. How? No matter what, write. It’s a quiet practice. An opportunity for discovery. Here’s what I learned along the way.

I started out tired and full of doubt. It was mostly physical pain in my writing hand as my thoughts were all clamoring to get out. I decided to set some (personal) ground rules.

• I would write any time of day, not just in the morning.
• I focused on writing fast and whatever came to my mind.
• I would write for 365 days. No Matter What!

There were days when I didn’t want to write. I wrote anyway. There were days when I fell asleep writing, and I have pages of gibberish. I wrote anyway. Somewhere around day 200, I became hopeful. I realized that my pages were no longer a burden. They are now a helpful resource. Try out these September prompts to get your pen moving and words on the page.