The Journal

The Journal

Journal Keeping for the Creative Writer

Poet’s Journal

A poet’s journal is a small notebook that you can carry around with you at all times, in your pocket or purse, so that when inspiration hits, you’re ready to jot it down before you can forget what it was in the first place that inspired you.

A few months ago, I started a Poet’s Journal: It was a small, hardcover notebook with butterflies on it.

I kept my Poet’s Journal I my purse, along with a pen, to ensure I’d be prepared if my muse decided to make a surprise visit on my bus ride to school, or who knows where else.
Whenever (or wherever) I thought of a nice verse, a neat word, an interesting image, etc, I made sure it went in my Poet’s Journal right away. Before I knew it, two months had passed and my Poet’s Journal was full – but more importantly, I’d written over two hundred new poems just from the ideas I got from my Journal!

I’ve filled up many more Poets’ Journals since than and can honestly say it’s now a life long practice of mine. Why? Because the Poet’s Journal captures those bits and pieces that make up poems and holds onto them until you’re ready to use them. If you need to write a poem but don’t have a clue what to write about, flip through one of your Poet’s Journals for inspiration.

What you might find in a Poet’s Journal:

· Lists of rhyming words, titles, etc
· Verses or pieces of poems
· Descriptions
· Memories
· Phrases
· Ideas
· Sayings
· Cool words
· Quotes
· Oxymorons
· Inspirations

Hang on to these journals because you never know when you might need them!