Write More Often
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Easy ways to work more journal writing into your life.

Are you a once-a-year writer? Do you resolve each January to keep a journal, or do you write a travel journal for a week or two every summer? Would you like to write more frequently?

First of all, even yearly writing is great. You already have annual "snapshots" of yourself to look back on. Don't waste any time feeling guilty about not having written more more. But if you'd like to make journal writing a bigger part of your life, here are ways to do it

You're already adept at occasional writing. Add a few more occasions:

• Your birthday or kids' birthdays
• Your anniversary
• New Year's
• Holidays
• Vacations or weekend trips
• New Season
• New Job?
• New House?

You can come up with good reasons to write in your journal every month. At the end of each month, season, or year, write a summary of the time period just past. Look over photos, receipts, or email to get started.

If you can establish a regular daily writing time, do. Schedule 15 minutes of writing at the start of the day, last thing at night, or on your lunch hour. In a month, writing will have become a habit. If your weekdays are just too busy, set aside an hour or so on a weekday morning (or your day off) to check in with yourself.

Make writing easy and pleasant:

• Keep a favorite blank book and pen with you or where you'll notice it.
• Find software you enjoy using.
• Note the topics/events you want to cover before you start writing.
• Leave small notebooks and pens around the house to write a line or two when you think of something or get a minute.
• Try using a journal-writing form to jot down the basics of your day or week without much repetition.
• Set up a topical notebook. In a new blank book (or use computer files) title any number of pages with aspects of your life you want to write about, today or eventually. Date and write a few lines on any or all topic pages each time you open the book.

If it's been a while since you wrote, reread your last entry or two. Guilt is pointless, but your excuses for not writing will make a perfectly good start for a journal entry.

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text by Catherine deCuir 2001