The kind of journal I have been the most consistent with is a gratitude journal but I have always kept some written record through the joy of journaling. In this post I share my newest journal addition and how to create setting with a journal.

Different kind of journals I have tried

• Gratitude journal
• Diary
• Five-year prompt journal
• Bullet journal
• Morning pages
• Reading journal
• Listing
• Tarot journal
• Dream journal

Now I want to link my journaling more tightly with my writing practice and novel writing. I have some ideas on how to get started.

In the last couple of weeks, I have explored different kinds of journals trying to see which one would inspire my writing.

Visit my Pinterest board The Joy of journaling

Journals I Want to Try

• Journal through the senses
• Weather journal
• Landscapes and settings journal
• Character sketches and dialogue
• My first book journal

For the time being, I found the landscape and setting journal to be the most beneficial to my writing.

Create setting with a Landscape and Settings Journal

This little yellow notebook is the one I keep as a log over all the different settings in the novel I am writing. Now I am also going to use it for writing down ideas for sceneries I stumble upon during the day. A special door I see in the city, the way a tree bends in the wind, and historic buildings I could transform into being a part of the world-building of my novel.

As with the gratitude journal, I will try to be as specific as possible. I will also make sure that once a week, I write out a paragraph from one of these lines written.  

I have found that it is easier for me to write my book when I have a clear inner image of the setting present in my mind.

Today I saw a hedgehog a big one – scared. But it put its long nose out from under the spikes looked up at me and walked steadily back into the woods. I was happy to put it in my Gratitude journal and perhaps I will stick my nose out and try to put the scenery into my landscape and setting journal because who knows what is hidden in the woods? Journaling will help me find out.

What kind of Journal do you keep – does it link into other parts of your writing practice? Please share in the comments