Writing equipment

This is a question I’ve been asking myself recently. I’ve kept a diary on and off since I was eleven and feel that my life is more productive when I keep one. In recent years my writing has been more off than on, however, over the last few weeks I’ve had the urge to start writing again, but I don’t know why.

Of course, one of the main benefits of keeping a journal is the record of your life, which could become historically important (think The Diary of Samuel Pepys). However, there are also meant to be many other benefits of keeping a personal journal:

• helps goal setting and measuring progress
• simply your life
• strengthen your relationships
• empower you
• aids reflection
• reduces stress
• helps focus
• helps to practice writing skills
• creates personal space
• helps to develop self expression
• helps with problem solving

Why did I start writing a journal?

Kate's diaries

I started my first journal in 1989 because of the book The Diary of a Teenage Health Freak

because I wanted to have a diary published too. My entries were just writing about the day and thoughts on future events. I didn’t think any more deeply about journal writing until Amazon recommended a journal writing book in 1998. This opened up a whole new world to me that I had to know more about.

Why did I stop writing a journal?

Basically, I think I got overloaded with information and I forgot what a journal is actually for. There are so many different techniques that can be incorporated in to writing a journal and I think I was trying to use all of them so it got too complicated and stressful.  ... Read more 674 words, 1 image

Do you have a place where you’d like to write? Do you have a favourite place to write? How do they match to where you usually write?

My fantasy is writing in the middle of things going on around me; I’m so desperate to write I’ve just had to stop and get my pen out. When I see this in my head I’m sat on the stairs at school (I think this maybe an image from the film Heathers). My second fantasy location is sat curled up on a wide window sill, looking out on to a wonderful view when I’m thinking.

What I find interesting is both of these fantasies involve physical books when I actually do most of my writing direct on to my laptop; in fact I’m writing this on my new smart phone. The main writing I do in a book is my journal and the location for that is usually bed. I’ve tried previously to change when I write my journal; morning pages, when I get in from work or whenever the mood takes me (like my fantasy) but they don’t hold so just before sleep is best for me.

The first week of our summer holiday will be on a yacht sailing along the south coast of England. I’m hoping it will give me the opportunity to do lots of writing while sat on deck and looking at the view, combining both my fantasies.

Do you write in your fantasy location? Do you think it would make a difference to your writing if you did?