life writing

A Week’s Worth of Journaling Prompts: Dreaming

January 30, 2012

Why do we dream? What are the reasons for all the images and emotions that fill our sleeping—and sometimes waking—minds? The truth is that in spite of years of research and centuries of fascination with our dreams, no one really knows. We know that everyone dreams, and that when we dream our eyes move rapidly [...]

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Blogtalk: Compassionate Criticism and Avoiding Distraction

November 4, 2011

Compassionate Criticism – Sharon Lippincott just posted one of the best lists of constructive feedback rules for writers I’ve seen. It’s similar to the list of guidelines I give all my students, but I think Sharon’s is better articulated. (I think I’ll have to steal it. Okay with you, Sharon?) I think one of my [...]

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A Week’s Worth of Journaling Prompts: Using Your Imagination

October 17, 2011

Fairies and fairy dust, elves and goblins, worlds with twelve suns, utopias, timeless oceans, and magic. What do these all have in common? — pictures formed in the mind, imagery, imagination. A place that exists only between your two ears. Have you ever thought about the role imagination plays in your life? For example, [...]

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Blogtalk: Characterizing Yourself, NaNoWriMo, Free Memoir Writing Conference, and Creating Inspiration

October 14, 2011

With all the possibilities journaling offers, from simply writing on lined notebook paper to beautiful and complex art journals, I found Quinn Creative’s recent post, Journaling with Words, humorous and enjoyable. Plus, she offers a great journaling exercise to help you identify and acknowledge the creative aspects of your personality. When I saw the exercise, [...]

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A Week’s Worth of Journaling Prompts: Discomfort

October 10, 2011

Have you ever noticed how some people are able to tolerate a great deal of discomfort and pain, while others yelp or yell or complain about the slightest little things (or at least that’s how it seems to you)? Discomfort is a term that covers a wide range of emotional and physical responses, from the [...]

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A Week’s Worth of Journaling Prompts: Diligence

October 3, 2011

For my eighth birthday, my mother presented me with a used, Royal typewriter and a dogeared college typing text. Though I’m sure I received many other gifts that birthday, these are the only ones I remember. I don’t think I was a particularly conscientious child — in fact I’m positive I was not — and [...]

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A Week’s Worth of Journaling Prompts: Reflections for the Future

September 19, 2011

I have just been reading Writer Magazine’s June 2011 interview of Gail Godwin, regarding her recently released The Making of a Writer, Volume 2: Journals, 1963-1969. Godwin’s purpose in publishing her edited journal entries is to inspire other writers by sharing her journey and growth as a writer, as well as how she mines her [...]

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