Advice — ruth folit

Mining Your Mind: Journal Techniques for Writers

Posted by Ruth Folit on

Writers practice the advice of Sir Francis Bacon, even if they are not aware of his precise words: 'A (wo)man would do well to carry a pencil in his pocket and write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought are commonly the most valuable and should be secured because they seldom return.' Most writers carry a notebook, scraps of paper, old envelopes, to jot down 'thoughts of the moment.' A journal is another medium in which a writer can keep a record, albeit a slightly more unified one. Incorporating journaling into your writing practice may not only...

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Why Good Writers Keep Journals

Posted by Ruth Folit on

Journals have been the secret weapon for writers from Allen Ginsburg to Virginia Woolf to Victor Hugo. Make it your secret weapon, too. Skilled writers have developed their own voices -- unique ways to express themselves. They have learned to open the windows to their inner workings for insightful perspectives into themselves and the rest of their worlds. How do writers record these everyday flashes of insight and noteworthy musings that might otherwise evaporate into oblivion? A Chinese proverb states, 'The palest ink is stronger than the most miraculous memory.' Or rewritten to reflect our computer era: The palest pixels...

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