Keeping a Journal You Love

I can usually tell a good book by the number of tabs and yellow markings I have made during the reading. KEEPING A JOURNAL YOU LOVE is riddled with my yellow lines like a broken-trail map depicting my progress through the territory of journal writing. The markers could be porcupine quills poking their way out of the pages. Here I found advice like: "Keeping a journal is a form of mental and emotional exercise. It helps keep the mind limber and the soul supple, the better to get at the root of your own curiosities and obsessions as a writer." Or "I like the instant gratification. I like seeing my thoughts put into words; I enjoy the sense of accomplishment when I complete a good writing session."One will find not only excellent REASONS for journal writing, but also a multitude of IDEAS and STRATEGIES for keeping a journal that best fits the personality of the writer. It is a book to be enjoyed repeatedly as one seeks fresh ways of observing life.

Journal writing can open up a whole new world to every type of writer. No matter what your writing experience, Keeping a Journal You Love shows you how to get the most out of your journal. Each page contains advice on how keeping a journal can lead to enhanced writing. You'll also sample real journal entries from 15 respected fiction and non-fiction writers. At the end of each journal entry, instructional exercises are provided so you can capitalize on your own journal. You'll learn how to create story ideas from your own life experiences and develop a deeper sense of your own writing as well. Journaling examples show you how a simple log of one's daily life can spawn complete novels. There's also a special section filled with strategies you can use in your journal entries. Plus, a bonus chapter contains informative tips on how you can create journal-keeping groups and communities. If you're currently keeping a journal, this book will bring a whole new level to your writing. If you're just beginning a journal, every exercise will help you develop page after page of beautiful words.

As someone who writes for hours every day, I am challenged by adding to my writing "chores" with personal journaling. Then along comes Sheila Bender with a provocative book that actually makes me want to grab my journal and write for my own purposes. Sheila has stitched together a quilt of prompts, observations and samples that will convince even the most reluctant writer to pour her heart out in a journal. While Sheila's book is invaluable for those of us who write, it's equally useful for those who want to write or those who want to take a more active role in learning to record memories. In fact, I'm using her book to help me improve my young son's writing. Sheila's methods for explaining common writer's techniques are so clear and compelling that even a 12-year-old can grasp immediately what she suggests. All in all, this book is a winner and deserves a place on every thinking person's bookshelves.

I want to thank the author, Sheila Bender, for this book. I have just begun to write after a career that was very focused on oral communication. Ms Bender's presentation in this book of journal writing is most encouraging to me as a novice in "written" communication. The book is well organized, clear, and beautifully written. I was especially moved by the description of the "enjoyment of solitude" and how it relates to journal writing. Ms Bender's own joy of writing shines throughout the book.